In any large city just a handful of bars give the police far
more trouble than all the rest put together. The same is true of
many other types of establishments, such as schools, convenience
stores, and parking lots. In each case, just a few produce far
more crime, disorder, and calls for police assistance than the
rest of the group combined. This phenomenon—called “risky
facilities”—has important implications for many problem-oriented
policing projects. In particular, it can help police focus their
energies where they are needed most and can help in selecting
appropriate preventive measures. This guide serves as an
introduction to risky facilities and shows how the concept can
aid problem-oriented policing efforts by providing answers to
the following key questions. We open with a definition of
facilities and provide some examples. We then discuss risky
facilities and explain how this concept is related to other
crime concentration theories. Facilities are places with
specific public or private functions, su