Carjacking: A Comparison Between Campinas, Brazil and Detroit, Michigan

• Published date: 01 February 2022
• Date: 01 February 2022
• Author: Silas Nogueira de Melo,Shanhe Jiang,Yanqing Xu,Marcus Felson
• DOI: 10.1177/10439862211034346
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/10439862211034346

Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice

2022, Vol. 38(1) 105 –119

© The Author(s) 2021

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DOI: 10.1177/10439862211034346

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Article

Carjacking: A Comparison

Between Campinas, Brazil

and Detroit, Michigan

Marcus Felson1, Silas Nogueira de Melo2,

Yanqing Xu3, and Shanhe Jiang4

Abstract

Carjacking calls for a specialized analysis because it occurs at lightning speed within

very brief windows of opportunity. This article describes the geographic distribution

of carjacking in Campinas, Brazil, and then compares this pattern with Detroit,

Michigan. We learn that raw numbers of carjackings are widely dispersed in both cities.

Although these cities differ greatly in daily transportation systems, in both cities the

carjacking risk estimate is greatest where motorists stop for other reasons—at gas

stations or corners (Detroit); on short street blocks (Campinas). We make very

limited inferences about carjacking around the world due to the limited number of

cities studied thus far. However, we do suggest that carjacking reduction is most

amenable to product-based forms of situational crime prevention.

Keywords

carjacking, routine activities, spatial patterns, crime analysis, crime in Brazil

Introduction

Virtually all direct-contact predatory crimes involve the convergence of at least

one offender with a suitable target in the absence of a capable guardian. Carjacking

is a very specific crime that enhances these routine activity requirements. That

enhancement occurs because carjacking occurs so suddenly and violently within a

1Texas State University, San Marcos, USA

2Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Brazil

3The University of Toledo, OH, USA

4Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA

Corresponding Author:

Marcus Felson, School of Criminal Justice and Criminology (Retired), Texas State University, 10236

Pinehurst Drive, Austin, Texas, USA, 78747.

Email: mf38@txstate.edu

1034346CCJXXX10.1177/10439862211034346Journal of Contemporary Criminal JusticeFelson et al.

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