The Consequences of Crime in Company: Co-Offending, Victim–Offender Relationship, and Quality of Violence

Abstract

Peers influence offending, both directly through co-offending and indirectly through information and advice. Despite such findings, there has been only limited research into the ways in which the presence of other offenders (i.e., accomplices) may impact criminal behavior, especially violence. Drawing on research on small group behavior, this study explores the relationship between the presence of co-offenders and offense severity, focusing on weapon use and victim injury. More specifically, this research hypothesizes that, owing to a diffusion of responsibility and other group processes, crimes committed by groups are more severe than crimes committed by a single offender and that crimes committed by large co-offending groups are particularly severe. This research also proposes that anonymity is an important mechanism behind this relationship and tests the hypothesis that the relationship between groups and offense severity varies according to the victim-offender relationship. Using National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) data, the results indicate that (a) offenses committed by groups of offenders are more likely than offenses committed by a single offender to be severe (i.e., involve a weapon, result in injury); (b) as the size of the co-offending group increases, the likelihood of offense severity also increases; and

Co-Offending and Arrest: An Examination of the “Group Hazard” Hypothesis

“…First, although useful, an examination of heterogeneity in arrest risk for all offenses in the NIBRS data would be beyond the scope of a single analysis. Because recent research has suggested that co-offending may be especially consequential in the production of violence (e.g., Lantz, 2018; Lantz & Kim, 2018; McGloin & Piquero, 2009), this research focuses on violent offenses as a starting point. Second, because the victim does not necessarily encounter the offender during property crimes, information regarding offender demographics—one of the primary foci of this research—are considerably more reliable for violent crimes.…”

Co-offending Group Composition and Violence: The Impact of Sex, Age, and Group Size on Co-offending Violence

“…Recent research on co-offending as collective behavior argues that the presence of co-offenders allows individuals to engage in behavior that they would never have engaged in had they been alone (Lantz, 2018; Lantz & Kim, 2019; McGloin & Piquero, 2009; Warr, 2002). More specifically, this research argues that being in the presence of other offenders changes the threshold for certain behaviors through various mechanisms, including the diffusion of responsibility among group members (Granovetter, 1978; McGloin & Rowan, 2015).…”

“…In the group context, a diffusion of responsibility among the group changes individual behavior, and as group size increases, responsibility is further divided among group actors (McGloin & Rowan, 2015). The relative anonymity of each individual member within the group is also increased (Granovetter, 1978; Lantz, 2018). More specifically, as Diener, Lusk, DeFour, and Flax (1980) noted, in larger groups, the presence of more group members reduces the relative individuality of each group participant; this reduced individuality results in individuals who feel less responsible for their actions and the actions of the group as a whole.…”

“…Most notably, prior research has suggested that there are considerable gender (Mears, Ploeger, & Warr, 1998; Steffensmeier, Schwartz, Zhong, & Ackerman, 2005) and age differences (Farrington, 1986; Warr, 2002) in susceptibility to peer influence and violence. Taken together, while recent research has provided strong evidence that the presence of co-offenders increases offending in general (McGloin & Rowan, 2015; McGloin & Thomas, 2016) and violence in particular (Lantz, 2018; McGloin & Piquero, 2009), there is likely also significant heterogeneity in this relationship according to the gender and age of co-offenders. Following this, the purpose of the current study is to investigate the joint influence of group context (i.e., number of co-offenders) and co-offending group characteristics (i.e., age, sex composition) on violence, focusing on serious victim injury as an indicator of violence.…”

“…Groups of offenders commit more violent offenses than solo offenders (McGloin & Piquero, 2009) and are more likely than solo offenders to seriously injure victims (Lantz, 2018). One explanation for this pattern may be that co-offending exposes individuals to violent others, who thereby increase violent offending through social exchange and learning mechanisms (Conway & McCord, 2002).…”