Examining the Boost Account for Repeat and Near Repeat Burglary in Canada

• Published date: 01 March 2025
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/10575677241276858
• Author: Karla Emeno,Mari Pullman,Craig Bennell
• Date: 01 March 2025
• Subject Matter: Original Articles

Examining the Boost Account

for Repeat and Near Repeat

Burglary in Canada

Karla Emeno

1

, Mari Pullman

1

,

and Craig Bennell

2

Abstract

Research suggests that previously burglarized targets, and targets located near such locations, are at

an increased risk of being victimized. However, this elevated risk is only temporary and appears to

subside over time. The boost account is one theory that attempts to describe the occurrence of

repeat, and near repeat, burglaries. The boost account suggests that these burglaries are the result

of the same offender returning to burglarize a dwelling that they have successfully burglarized in the

past, or one near the previously victimized target. In the current study, we f‌irst determined the

repeat and near repeat space-time clustering of solved residential burglaries committed in

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 2007 to 2008. The results indicate that solved Edmonton burglar-

ies do cluster together in time and space (i.e., residences within 700 m of a previous burgled target

are at an increased risk for a period of 7 days). Wealso investigated whether repeat and near repeat

burglaries in the dataset were more likely than distant burglaries to be committed by the same

offender. It was found that serial offending by the same offender offers a viable rationale for

much of the repeat and near repeat burglaries committed in Edmonton from 2007 to 2008. The

practical implications of these results, as well as some limitations and directions for future research,

are discussed.

Keywords

near repeat crime, repeat victimization, space–time clustering, crime hotspots

Introduction

Prior research has determined that being burglarized in the past is a signif‌icant predictor of being

victimized again in the near future; this is known as repeat victimization (Budd, 1999; Townsley

et al., 2000). Similar f‌indings have also been identif‌ied with near repeat victimization, wherein pre-

viously burglarized residences will tend to have additional burglaries cluster around them in time and

space for a period of time (Emeno & Bennell, 2018; Johnson & Bowers, 2004). The specif‌ic cluster

1

Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Ontario Tech University, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

2

Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Corresponding Author:

Karla Emeno, 2000 Simcoe St N, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.

Email: Karla.Emeno@ontariotechu.ca

Original Article

International Criminal Justice Review

2025, Vol. 35(1) 29-42

© 2024 Georgia State University

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DOI: 10.1177/10575677241276858

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