ABSTRACT
Hot spots policing has been associated with crime declines in a variety of contexts using a number of different strategies. But less is known about how exactly hot spots policing works to reduce crime. Place-based policing has generally been guided by deterrence theory and environmental criminology theories focusing on crime and opportunity concentrations. Less empirical attention, however, has been given to conceptualizing and measuring key propositions from these theories as part of hot spots evaluations. Additionally, only limited prior research has assessed how particular police activities are linked to the effectiveness of place-based interventions. This chapter focuses on the importance of further exploring mechanisms and contextual issues to move hot spots policing work beyond the question of “does it work?” to “how does it work?” This includes a discussion of why mechanisms matter, particularly in randomized experiments, which have been used especially often in hot spots policing evaluations. The chapter also includes a review of theories underlying hot spots policing strategies focused on increasing patrols, work done to date on understanding the mechanisms explaining the effectiveness of place-based policing, the issue of effect heterogeneity within and across studies, and the importance of considering contextual factors and potential feedback loops in hot spots policing. Finally, key gaps in place-based policing research to date are reviewed, and suggestions for future research to begin to address these gaps are offered.
