Is There Such a Thing as “Defended Community Homicide”?: The Necessity of Methods Triangulation

Authors

Elizabeth Griffiths, Emory University
Robert D. Baller, University of Iowa
Ryan E. Spohn, University of Nebraska at OmahaFollow
Rosemary Gartner, University of Toronto

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2008

Publication Title

Victims & Offenders

Volume

3

Issue

2-3

First Page

228

Last Page

244

Abstract

Data on homicides in Buffalo, New York, are analyzed to demonstrate the importance of “methods triangulation” for assessing the validity of quantitative measures. Defended community homicides are quantitatively operationalized as acts that occur in the offender’s community against a nonlocal victim. Poisson models provide strong support for the existence of defended community homicide, which is significantly more common in residentially stable and racially homogenous neighborhoods. However, subsequent qualitative analyses of the victim and offender characteristics and motives of these homicides undermine the “defended community” concept. Qualitative analyses are necessary to assess the validity of quantitative measures in criminological research.

Comments

Copyright 2008, Taylor & Francis. Used by permission.

Recommended Citation

Griffiths, Elizabeth; Baller, Robert D.; Spohn, Ryan E.; and Gartner, Rosemary, "Is There Such a Thing as “Defended Community Homicide”?: The Necessity of Methods Triangulation" (2008). Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications. 9.
https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/criminaljusticefacpub/9