1. Spatial Characteristics of Serial Sexual Assault in New Zealand Dr Samantha Lundrigan Victoria University of Wellington

2. Research Aims  To examine the characteristics of New Zealand sex offenders with respect to:  Spatial behaviour  Consistency in offence environment selection

3. The New Zealand Context  4million in a land area of 268,680 km sq.  92% rural land, 8% built up.  2001 population density of 14 per km sq.

4. Data collection  Police files – New Zealand Police Criminal Profiling Squad  Crime scene, background and geographical information coded and mapped

5. The sample  76 serial offenders  Between 1970 and 2002  Collectively 270 offences (mean of 3.5 per series)  Characteristics  70% strangers, 20% friend/associate, 1% previous partner  Mean age of 23 (12-60)  53% NZ Maori, 21% NZ European, 18% Pacific Island People

6. Results

7. Journey to crime

8. Criminal Range r = 0.470 (P<.001)

9. Spatial pattern  Marauders 37%, Commuters 34%, Transients 29% Measure Marauders (median km) Commuters (median km) Mean distance travelled**2.365.78 Min distance travelled*0.180.91 Maximum distance travelled**4.7511.73 Mean Interpoint Distance12.894.40 Max distance between offences20.288.73 Min distance between offences*01.170.32 * p<.05 ** p<.01

10. Environmental consistency  Variables  Type of contact site  Victim transportation  Day of week  Time of day  Distance to offence  Area type  Land use  Deprivation score

11. Consistency score  Mean 4.56, Median 4.79, Standard deviation 1.70  Min 1, Max 8 ScoreNCum% 0≤ 2 810.5 2≤ 4 2442.1 4≤ 6 3182.9 6≤ 8 13100.0

12. Consistency score  44 (57%) of offenders scored above 4, the score midpoint.  Proportional chance expected 2.5% of offenders (z=45.42, p<.0001).

13. Future Research  More detailed analysis of environmental characteristics  Offender-offence environment consistency  Implications for Geographic profiling systems

14. Thank you  Dr Samantha Lundrigan Institute of Criminology Victoria University of Wellington Wellington New Zealand Samantha.lundrigan@vuw.ac.nz