Cincinnati, Ohio
Reducing Robbery in a Defined Hot Spot Area
Site LE Agency
Cincinnati Police Department
Site Researcher
John E. Eck, Ph.D., and Kathleen Gallagher, Ph.D., University of Cincinnati, School of Criminal Justice
Site Focus
Robbery
SPI Strategy
Place-based policing, Offender-based policing, Intelligence-led policing
Site Cohort
2010
Site Profile
Mid-sized urban area of 77.94 sq. miles with a population of 332,365
Project Overview
The goal of the Cincinnati SPI was to reduce robberies in three specific Cincinnati neighborhoods by studying gang-related locations, such as offenders’ “activity space” and “hunting territories.” Cincinnati SPI conducted and analyzed both victim and offender interviews, in addition to using canine-deployment tracks in target areas. Results revealed a pattern of victimization related to victims’ use of public transportation, as well as robbery offenses used as gang-initiation crimes to specifically target Hispanic populations and pizza and Chinese restaurant delivery drivers.
Methods and Findings
- Cincinnati experienced a 113% increase in robberies from 2000 to 2010.
- Cincinnati SPI’s victim and offender interviews revealed patterns of victimization and targeted offenses.
- Robberies reduced by 15% in 2011, but returned to 2010 rates the following year.
