Car crime and offending behaviour: Ex-offender perspectives

Patel, T

Abstract

This paper reports on some of the findings of a
study undertaken within a vulnerable residential
area of an inner-city in the north-west of England.
As a location, it has been marked as vulnerable
due to its abnormally high crime rate. As such, it
continues to attract police and local authority
concern, who commissioned research to examine
the motivations, opportunities of, and technical
knowledge for undertaking one of its common
crimes in the locale, that is theft from or of a
motor vehicle (TMV). In using qualitative research
methods with a sample of ex-offenders, victims
of theft, and, users of the stolen goods market,
several key factors were identified as relevant in
the undertaking and consequences of TMV. Here,
the role of the built environment in terms of
urban disorganisation, the lack of community
cohesion between the varying residential groups,
problematic police-community relationships and
attitudes, and the marked income inequalities
within such a residential population, were all
highlighted as significant. These factors
intertwined with one another to create a space
where the occurrence of a particular type of crime
was viewed as necessary and for some, an
acceptable response to their State allocated
position of neglect and marginalisation. In
reporting on the findings of some of this data, this
paper discusses the reasons presented by exoffenders (n=18) for their taking part in the
offence of TMV, and their assessments of offender
punishment and rehabilitation support services.
To do so, the paper uses direct narratives from exoffenders to offer a criminological commentary on
why TMV occurs and the assessment that those
who undertake this crime, make of support
services, and the impact that this is likely to have
on re-offending rates.

Citation

Patel, T. (2012). Car crime and offending behaviour: Ex-offender perspectives. Prison service journal, 44-49

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: May 1, 2012
• Deposit Date: Apr 27, 2012
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 5, 2016
• Journal: Prison Services Journal
• Print ISSN: 0300-3558
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Issue: 201
• Pages: 44-49
• Publisher URL: http://www.crimeandjustice.org.uk/opus1935/PSJ_May_2012_No._201.pdf