Virtual Burglary Project – Pennsylvania

Virtual Reality (VR) methods were used to assess the decision-making process used by burglars when navigating neighborhoods and selecting houses. The goal of the study is to understand how the physical features of house and neighborhood characteristics influence burglars’ decision-making. Such physical features are hypothesized to increase or decrease the attractiveness of a neighborhood and the likelihood a house will be targeted. Because researchers are unable to be present at the moment a crime takes place, knowledge of how decisions are made by an offender is limited and relies on traditionally less valid methodologies (e.g., retrograde interviews and vignettes). VR methods can overcome such limitations. Specifically, researchers can systematically manipulate and/or control every element in the virtual environment and observe behavior and decision-making in the moment. By creating realistic virtual neighborhoods in which burglars can walk and evaluate specific houses, we can better understand how physical features in the environment influence the immediate burglary decision-making process. To achieve this, two Trials in one study session conducted in select prison facilities within the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Trial 1 was a simple within-group design. Participants walked a virtual neighborhood and assessed houses that include (or do not include in the control condition) physical features that were theoretically relevant to burglary. Trial 2 will be a 2x2 design. Participants walked a virtual neighborhood that was either 1) well-maintained or poorly-maintained and 2) contained all Black or all White avatars. In both studies, burglary likelihood and underlying decision-making processes will be assessed and supporting qualitative data will be gathered using a standard think-aloud protocol.