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Journal Article 1: Tillyer, M. S. (2015). General multilevel opportunity and crime events. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 31, 107–121.

Abstract: General multilevel opportunity theory draws from a range of existing opportunity theories that collectively account for variation in criminal opportunity across various levels of analysis. The theory, which is inclusive in its conceptualization of criminal opportunity, specifies macro- and micro-influences and their interactive effects. There is a growing body of multilevel victimization research that supports the propositions of the theory. To date, however, general multilevel opportunity theory has been underutilized as a theory of crime events and situational prevention. This article describes general multilevel opportunity theory, reviews its empirical status, and offers new extensions and applications of the theory for crime-event research and situational prevention.

Journal Article 2: Goodson, A., & Bouffard, L. A. (2017). The rural/urban divide: Examining different types of assault through a social disorganization lens. Journal of Interpersonal Violence.

Abstract: Most studies of social disorganization theory focus on urban communities. In addition, these studies largely ignore more intimate crimes, such as intimate partner violence. Yet, results from extant studies are often generalized to explain all types of crime in all types of communities, thus potentially ignoring the dynamics surrounding intimate crimes and rurality. The current study expands on previous research in two ways. First, this study examines whether characteristics of social disorganization can predict assault across various victim–offender relationships. Second, this study applies social disorganization predictors to both metropolitan (or urban) and nonmetropolitan (or rural) counties. The sample consisted of 690 counties located across 13 different states. Results from the Poisson regression models indicate higher levels of ethnic heterogeneity and concentrated disadvantage were associated with increased rates of assault across various victim–offender relationships. Furthermore, the measures of social disorganization functioned in the expected direction in both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties. These results highlight the importance of controlling for community structures when examining rates of violence, including intimate partner violence. Programs and policies designed to reduce intimate partner violence should include neighborhood components as these affect rates of violence within a community.