Abstract
The repercussions of crime on businesses can be very significant. It can deter investment and frustrate business growth. Crimes result in higher costs of doing business because of the need to deploy multiple security measures. Business crime also leads to loss of output, for instance due to reduced hours of operation and depletion of morale of staff. Using a spatial segmentation analytical framework, this research study models the neighbourhood patterns of crimes perpetrated against small business in Northern Ireland. The study also accounts for the levels of non-reporting of crime victimisation among business owners together with the factors influencing the non-reporting of crime. Results show that indeed businesses within certain neighbourhood types are disproportionately exposed to crime. We also find evidence that multiple business owners have adopted crime prevention measures without considering what works in preventing business crime in the specific types of neighbourhoods within which their enterprises are located.
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Acknowledgements
This research project has received co-investment from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills through the Employer Investment Fund, the Department of Justice Northern Ireland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The authors are grateful to all these organisations for providing generous funding, which enabled this study to be conducted.
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Ojo, A., Parry, J. & Enback, S. Neighbourhood-level analysis of the socio-spatial context of business crime in Northern Ireland. Crime Prev Community Saf 23, 87–110 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41300-020-00107-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41300-020-00107-5