Van Daele, Stijn

Vander Beken, Tom

English

Ghent University Academic Bibliography

www.ircp.org Universiteitstraat 4, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium   Tom.VanderBeken@UGent.be   T +32 (0)9 264 69 39, F +32 (0)9 264 84 93Vander Beken/Van Daele – Localised transnational crime – Barcelona, 22 July 20081Localised transnational crime: the case of the itinerant crime groups in BelgiumTom Vander Beken & Stijn Van DaeleXV World Congress of the International Society for CriminologyBarcelona, 22 July 2008www.ircp.org Universiteitstraat 4, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium   Tom.VanderBeken@UGent.be   T +32 (0)9 264 69 39, F +32 (0)9 264 84 93Vander Beken/Van Daele – Localised transnational crime – Barcelona, 22 July 20082Overview1. Background: a special study on offenders mobility2. The research project and this paper3. Distance decay theory4. Itinerant crime groups and distance decay 5. Distance decay problems and solutions:Residence and range6. Conclusionswww.ircp.org Universiteitstraat 4, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium   Tom.VanderBeken@UGent.be   T +32 (0)9 264 69 39, F +32 (0)9 264 84 93Vander Beken/Van Daele – Localised transnational crime – Barcelona, 22 July 200831. Background: a special study on offender mobilityIn the late ’90 Belgian law enforcement authorities ‘discover’ a new group of perpetrators of property crime: the itinerant crime groups (ICG) (mobile banditism (NL), Délinquance itinérante (F), Osteuropäische Tätergruppe(DE)) which they assign the following features:an association of criminals;systematically committing residential burglaries or burglaries of commercial properties, including ram raids, cargo thefts, metal thefts or thefts of construction vehicles and materials;originating mainly from the former Eastern Bloc;operating or directed from abroad or from large conurbations in Belgium;committing a significant number of crimes over a large area; andpossibly using minors to commit crimes.Are ICG really more mobile than other offenders? (offender mobility of property crimes committed by ICG, BOF-project Ghent University, 2007-2011).www.ircp.org Universiteitstraat 4, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium   Tom.VanderBeken@UGent.be   T +32 (0)9 264 69 39, F +32 (0)9 264 84 93Vander Beken/Van Daele – Localised transnational crime – Barcelona, 22 July 200842. The research project and this paper1. 2007-2008: What do we know about offender mobility (theories) and what does the police database tell us about offender mobility in Belgium in general and ICG in particular (64,000 offenders & 87,000 crimes in 2002-2006)?2. 2008: What do case files tell us about mobility (with a special focus on the residence or anchor points) of ICG (17 major case files analysed)?3. 2009-: What do the offenders tell us about their mobility?www.ircp.org Universiteitstraat 4, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium   Tom.VanderBeken@UGent.be   T +32 (0)9 264 69 39, F +32 (0)9 264 84 93Vander Beken/Van Daele – Localised transnational crime – Barcelona, 22 July 200853. Distance decay theory Travelling for crime takes time, costs and efforts and increases risk. It is argued that most crimes are committed close to home, while the chance of criminal operations declines when the distance increases (distance decay). Supported by empirical research both on aggregate and individual level. Crime is local business (cost-benefit)www.ircp.org Universiteitstraat 4, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium   Tom.VanderBeken@UGent.be   T +32 (0)9 264 69 39, F +32 (0)9 264 84 93Vander Beken/Van Daele – Localised transnational crime – Barcelona, 22 July 200864. ICG and distance decay ICG: multiple, co-offending, Eastern European property crime offenders ‘Core’ ICG Mean travelled distances for offenders living in Belgium: General : 17,2km (68264 trips)or 14,6km (28901 offenders) ICG: 40,0km (2872 trips)or 37,4km (125 offenders)www.ircp.org Universiteitstraat 4, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium   Tom.VanderBeken@UGent.be   T +32 (0)9 264 69 39, F +32 (0)9 264 84 93Vander Beken/Van Daele – Localised transnational crime – Barcelona, 22 July 20084. ICG and distance decay No straightforward distance decay !7www.ircp.org Universiteitstraat 4, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium   Tom.VanderBeken@UGent.be   T +32 (0)9 264 69 39, F +32 (0)9 264 84 93Vander Beken/Van Daele – Localised transnational crime – Barcelona, 22 July 20085. Distance decay problems Residence has to be known  48,2% in database, less on non-Belgian (41,2%) and Eastern European (35,8%) offenders. Residence is not always starting point (Wiles & Costello, 2000) Residences of ICG are difficult to assess (Ponsaers, 2004)8www.ircp.org Universiteitstraat 4, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium   Tom.VanderBeken@UGent.be   T +32 (0)9 264 69 39, F +32 (0)9 264 84 93Vander Beken/Van Daele – Localised transnational crime – Barcelona, 22 July 20085. First option: case files Case file (17) analysis reveals four types of ICG anchor points:1) Group residence as anchor point (9)2) Spread residences, 1 anchor point (3)3) Semi-sedentary (4)4) Temporary operating bases and return to home country (1) Local embedment in 1 and 2, less in 3 and not in 4 ICG have local connections…9www.ircp.org Universiteitstraat 4, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium   Tom.VanderBeken@UGent.be   T +32 (0)9 264 69 39, F +32 (0)9 264 84 93Vander Beken/Van Daele – Localised transnational crime – Barcelona, 22 July 2008105. Second option: range Do we need to know anchor points to calculate crime travelling? Offender ranges can be calculated (Morselli & Royer, 2008; but also: geographical profiling) Here: shortest distance between min(x,y) and max(x,y) All offenders, who committed 2 or more offences Offender ranges in Belgium: General: 21,0km (20156 offenders) ICG: 101,0km (305 offenders)www.ircp.org Universiteitstraat 4, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium   Tom.VanderBeken@UGent.be   T +32 (0)9 264 69 39, F +32 (0)9 264 84 93Vander Beken/Van Daele – Localised transnational crime – Barcelona, 22 July 20085. Second option: range11 … but operate above local levelwww.ircp.org Universiteitstraat 4, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium   Tom.VanderBeken@UGent.be   T +32 (0)9 264 69 39, F +32 (0)9 264 84 93Vander Beken/Van Daele – Localised transnational crime – Barcelona, 22 July 20086. Conclusion & reflection Distance decay: ‘crime is local matter’ Cost-benefit analysis ICG: less local than usual offending Larger distances/ranges Less decay Transnational elements, but local embedment Contacts with home country Semi-residential or partly residential offenders Local approach may be too limited12

Localised transnational crime: the case of the itinerant crime groups

https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/428677/file/885459

Localised transnational crime: the case of the itinerant crime groups

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