The spatial concentration of crime

This paper presents a model explaining the spatial concentration of crime. The model features two neighborhoods identical in preferences, abilities, and environment. We find, however, that in equilibrium crime concentrates in one neighborhood. In a dynamic version of the model we also show that initial conditions may determine the steady-state crime rate. The key assumption is that a criminal's chance of capture is a decreasing function of the number of other criminals Operating in the area. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.