Social Networks and Crime: Pitfalls and Promises for Advancing the Field

Over the past decade, a considerable literature has emerged within criminology stemming from the collection of social network data and the adoption of social network analysis by a cadre of scholars. We review recent contributions to four areas of crime research: co-offending networks, illicit networks, gang-rivalry networks, and neighborhoods and crime. Our review highlights potential pitfalls that one might encounter when using social networks in criminological research and points to fruitful directions for further research. In particular, we recommend paying special attention to the clear specifications of what ties in the network are assumed to be doing, potential measurement weaknesses that can arise when using police or investigative data to construct a network, and understanding dynamic social network processes related to criminological outcomes. We envision a bright future in which the social network perspective will be more fully integrated into criminological theories, analyses, and applications.