Using Theories of Criminal Offending to Identify the Cause of the Crime

......................................................................................... I I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................... I IPODS AND THE SUPPLY OF CRIME................................................................ 1 Observational Evidence................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Test 1 —Has robbery increased at a greater rate than other property crimes?..........................................................................2 Test 2 —Are young robbers responsible for these new robberies?..............................................................................................2 Test 3 —Has robbery increased as iPod sales have increased?....................................................................................................2 USING THEORIES OF CRIMINAL OFFENDING TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE CRIME SPIKE .. 4 Prior Research Has Focused on the Demand for Crime ............................................................................................................. 4 Demand-Side Explanations for Changes in Violence.................................................................................................................. 5 WHY ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESES DO NOT EXPLAIN THE RECENT SPIKE IN VIOLENCE ........ 6 Increase in the Supply of Suitable Targets as an Explanation for Increased Crime............................................................. 6 IMPLICATIONS ...................................................................................... 8 REFERENCES ....................................................................................... 9