The foraging perspective in criminology: A review of research literature

In order to explain how crimes are carried out, and why at a particular place time against specific target, crime studies increasingly harness theory from behavioural ecology, in Optimal Foraging Theory (OFT). However, an overview of their main findings does not exist. Given the growing focus on OFT as framework for structuring research, this article we review extant OFT-inspired empirical research. Systematic search Google Scholar Web Science yielded 32 studies, which were grouped into four categories according research topic. Empirical results largely support predictions made by OFT. there remains much potential future applications regarding theoretical foundation criminology, through application contemporary extensions using tools developed study animal foraging decisions.