Research / Themes / Innovation / Agent-based modeling
Opportunity theories of crime have highlighted the benefits of a shift in focus from the criminal motivation of people to the contexts in which crime events occur. However, testing of these theories has been handicapped by a lack of micro-level data and modeling tools that can capture the dynamic interactions of individuals and the context in which they occur. This research explores a new methodology for testing theory that draws upon extant theory and empirical research to develop individually-based simulation models. Three versions of a street robbery model are created based on routine activity theory and empirical research and implemented in Agent Analyst software. Each version adds a degree of complexity to the basic model (i.e., first temporal and then spatio-temporal constraints).
Related faculty
Elizabeth Groff
Selected publications
Groff, E.R. and Mazzerole, L. (in press) Simulated experiments and their potential role in criminology and criminal justice. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 4(3).