Forging the vacancy chain: Law enforcement efforts and mobility in criminal economies

Abstract

Drawing on ethnic succession and vacancychain approaches, I argue that lawenforcement efforts targeted at establishedcriminal enterprises can lead to unintendedvacancy chains in criminal economies. Theextent and impact of these chains onmobility varies, however, depending on theextent to which amputation, decapitation,or eradication enforcement strategies areused. To illustrate this argument, Iexplore crime control policies, vacancychains and mobility in drug markets in thecities of Chicago and Osaka.