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Estimating The Prevalence of Copycat Crime: A Research Note

Criminal Justice Policy Review

Published online on

Abstract

Commonly perceived as rare, copycat crime has not been sufficiently studied. In an effort to encourage research, this research note offers a refined estimate of the proportion of offenders and at-risk individuals who report personal copycat crime histories. An analysis of 10 estimates spanning 50 years of self-reported copycat crime prevalence among just under 1,500 respondents was conducted. Collectively, the 10 study estimates indicate that about one in four respondents reported personal copycat crime histories. A random effects model indicated that prevalence estimates vary significantly across studies but effect moderators were not able to be identified. Copycat crime was indicated as a characteristic of a substantial number of offenders and at-risk youth. Copycat crime is deserving of more serious research and a number of associated research questions await attention.