Chapter 21: Personal and Institutional Robbery Part 2

Question 1

Which locations have the best “take” for robberies?

Answer 1

banks and other financial institutions

Question 2

Which location has the worst “take” for robberies?

Answer 2

Convenience stores

Question 3

What is the ranking of specific robbery locations on the basis of the average value of the items stolen per incident?

Answer 3

(1) banks ($4,704)
(2) commercial houses ($1,783)
(3) residences ($1,489)
(4) gas or service stations ($890)
(5) street/highway ($785)
(6) convenience stores ($667)

Question 4

What is the average “take” in 2011 for all types of robberies combined?

Answer 4

about $1,200

Question 5

What are some of the non-financial reasons for robbery?

Answer 5

(1) the thrill/excitement or “rush”
(2) status-enhancing by displaying one’s masculinity and toughness to other delinquents
(3) a sense of empowerment

Question 6

___% of robbery victims sustained physical injuries in these attacks

Answer 6

35%

Question 7

___% of the time the injuries (from robberies) were significant enough to warrant treatment at a hospital or an emergency room

Answer 7

45%

Question 8

___% victim injury in robberies involving non-stranger

___% victim injury in robberies involving strangers

Answer 8

47%

31%

Question 9

47% victim injury in robberies involving ___-______

31% victim injury in robberies involving ________

Answer 9

non-stranger

strangers

Question 10

Why there such a high rate of injury in non-stranger robbery?

Answer 10

(1) non-strangers are more likely to engage in resistance and self-protection against known parties
(2) victims are more willing to define forcible thefts by non-stranger as actual robberies when they are injured in these incidents

Question 11

Primary types of self-protection by percentage:
“resisted or captured the offender”\_\_\_%
“persuaded or appeased offender” \_\_\_%
“ran away or hid” \_\_\_%
“attacked the offender” \_\_\_%

Answer 11

23%
18%
14%
12%

Question 12

___% of the persons arrested for robbery received a felony conviction
___% of convicted robbers were given a prison sentence

Answer 12

46%

73%

Question 13

46% of the persons arrested for robbery received a ______ conviction
73% of convicted robbers were given a ______ ________

Answer 13

felony

prison sentence

Question 14

The average maximum sentence for robbery offenders was about ___ years

Answer 14

8

Question 15

What is potential deterrent value of criminal sanctions for robbery offenders?

Answer 15

(1) the majority of robberies are not known to the police

(2) only about 29% of robberies known to the police are cleared by an arrest

Question 16

What is Situational Crime Prevention (SCP)?

Answer 16

involves a variety of activities that are designed to reduce criminal opportunities by increasing the costs and reducing the benefits to offenders

Question 17

What are the particular types of SCP strategies pertaining to?

Answer 17

(1) Street Muggers
(2) Convenience Store Robberies
(3) Bank Robbery

Question 18

What is the typical type of street mugger?

Answer 18

a young male who works alone and preys on isolated individuals in open public places

Question 19

When do street muggers tend to commit crime?

Answer 19

at night to hide identity, and there are fewer bystanders

Question 20

What is the modus operandi of street muggers?

Answer 20

“blitz attack”

Question 21

What is a “blitz attack”?

Answer 21

i.e. walking up from behind someone and snatching their purse

Question 22

How do street muggers select targets?

Answer 22

they use “bounded rationality”

Question 23

What is “bounded rationality”?

Answer 23

they tend to pick people who are alone, less capable of resistance, easily accessible, and perceived as having portable/liquidable things worth stealing

Question 24

Some robbers give a “_______ ______”

Answer 24

parting shot

Question 25

What is a “parting shot”?

Answer 25

hitting/shooting them while they are leaving

Question 26

What are the SCP strategies for decreasing Street Muggers?

Answer 26

(1) increasing social guardianship
(2) more street lighting
(3) removing physical objects that provide cover for offenders and reduce visibility/survivability of public spaces by bystanders
(4) greater police canvassing of “hot spots”
(5) being more observant of their own behavior when in particular public places at night

Question 27

What are the several aspects of convenience stores that contribute to their attractiveness as crime targets?

Answer 27

(1) they are visible and easily accessible targets, often located along major transportation arteries that provide immediate escape routes
(2) the small physical size of most convenience stores provides potential robbers an environment that can be easily scoped for electronic surveillance equipment and/or the presence of other customers, and it has multiple items worth stealing
(3) the limited number of co-workers to prevent crime
(4) the use of a cash register that places valuable within a well-defined space behind the counter
(5) the physical design of a straight pathway from the counter to the front door that allows robbers a clear and direct escape route

Question 28

What are the SCP strategies for Convenience Store Robberies?

Answer 28

(1) changing the physical environment of these places to increase target hardening
(2) increase physical guardianship
(3) reduce the potential yield from offenders

Question 29

What are some of the ways that SCP strategies for Convenience Store Robberies have been implemented in real world?

Answer 29

(1) installing cash drop boxes to reduce the actual economic losses from these crimes
(2) adding staff and better surveillance equipment to increase offender’s perceived risks of getting caught
(3) move counters away from the front door to reduce blitz attacks

Question 30

What do bank robbers do when they have multiple/co-offenders?

Answer 30

they created specialized role each offender

Question 31

When is a “blitz attack” considered?

Answer 31

a “blitz attack” is only considered when there are multiple offenders

Question 32

What is the profile of bank robbery?

Answer 32

greater level of planning and the greater frequency of co-offenders in the commission of the crime

Question 33

What are some of the SCP strategies for Bank Robbery?

Answer 33

(1) many banks now contain full glass partitions
(2) Full‐length bars have also been added to reduce the “jump over the counter” and other blitz attacks
(3) The greater use of electronic surveillance/monitoring
(4) increased training of bank security officers
(5) the redesign of bank access point

Question 34

Why Don’t People Report Robbery to the Police?

Answer 34

(1) Street level criminals (drug sellers, prostitutes) expose their illegal activity by reporting robberies
(2) Victims fear retaliation
(3) Many disputers resolved by “street” justice