Residential Burglary in the Republic of Ireland: A Situational Perspective

Abstract

Abstract: This paper describes interviews conducted with a sample of 50 convicted residential burglars imprisoned in the Republic of Ireland. The interviews were structured to establish the nature of their criminal career, the characteristics of the burglaries they Committed, their occupational style and their general lifestyle. The results of the interviews are presented in terms of the decision to offend, occupational style and target selection and sentencing as a deterrent. The results confirm the importance of environmental cues in the selection of property to burgle, but attention is drawn to the probable role of multiple cues and cue salience. A behavioural interpretation of these results is proposed.