Self-reports about Place: the Application of Survey and Interview Methods to the Study of Small Areas

This paper argues for more frequent use of surveys and interviews to advance the criminology of place, and to improve current evaluations of place-specific crime prevention interventions by police, community groups, and others. Interview methodologies can produce reliable information about critical social processes and perceptions—data that are not obtainable through other methods. However, because survey researchers have placed too much emphasis on "sampling error," this paper encourages the adoption of a "total survey error" perspective. Also recommended is the use of other interview methods, including place-intercept surveys and focus groups to capture data from specific types of place users. The concept of "mental mapping" is proposed to enrich our understanding of users' fears and perceptions about the target area. A multi-method approach is recommended that will yield diverse types of information about place, and wiU. allow for triangulation and convergent validation of information. The criminology of place is a vital and growing area of research within the field of criminology. This paper argues, however, that continued advances in knowledge will be constrained unless researchers pay greater Address correspondence to: Dennis P. Rosenbaum, Department of Criminal Justice, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1007 West Harrison, Chicago, IL 60607.