Some theories of crime attempt to explain
neighborhood differences.3 At a higher
level than place or street, neighborhood theories deal with large areas. Here analysts
are interested in such questions as,
“What areas are claimed by gangs and
what areas are not?” The appropriate units
of analysis are quite varied and can include
square blocks, communities, and census
tracts, to name a few. Two-dimensional
shapes such as ellipses, rectangles, and
other polygons are used on maps to represent
crime phenomena at this level. At this
level police action is far less precise
because the areas are typically too large
for effective concentrated patrolling
(Sherman, 1997). Nevertheless, depending
on neighborhood characteristics, relevant
action might include efforts to engage residents
in collective action against crime
and disorder. If offenders are mobile
throughout an area, rather than concentrated
at a few places, then efforts to
deter them should occur at this level.