While hot spots of crime have become an important focus of study in criminology and an important focus of crime prevention in programs like hot spots policing, to date we know little about these places. Who lives in hot spots of crime? What factors lead to these places becoming crime hot spots? What other social and health problems are found in these places? The book draws on more than 7,000 surveys of people living on crime hot spot and non-hot spot streets, systematic physical and social...

Microgeographic units of analysis have moved to the center of criminological inquiry. This Element brings together leading crime-and-place scholars to identify promising areas for future study. Section 1 introduces the Element and the importance of focusing on the future of studies of crime and place. Section 2 examines the development of hot-spots policing and the importance of focusing on its impact on communities. It also looks at how 'pracademics' can advance the science and practice o...