How environmental features and perceptions influence the perceived risks and rewards of criminal opportunities

Criminology studies have posited theories based on the assumption that environmental features (e.g., street lighting, housing design) shape offenders’ perceptions of risk and reward. In a new study, researchers used virtual reality (VR) to determine how incarcerated burglars evaluated a neighborhood with houses that differed in features. The study found that offenders adjusted their perceptions of risk and reward in response to environmental features.

The study was conducted by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University; the University of Alabama; Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Leiden University; and the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security, and Law.

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