Social exclusion and formation of 'Victim Pool': an analysis of robbery of motorcycle-taxi drivers in China

Abstract

Using the example of motorcycle taxi drivers in Tianzhi, southern China, this paper explores differential robbery prevention tactics adopted by migrant workers and their local counterparts. Data collection strategies include interviews with the police and motorcycle taxi drivers, participant observation of the work of motorcycle drivers and careful examination of official police records of robbery of motorcycle drivers. Drawing from routine activity theory and social exclusion theory, it is argued that although migrant drivers may resort to various tactics, including reducing attractiveness as a target, avoiding taking likely offenders, and avoiding the situation of lacking a capable guardian, to prevent themselves from being robbed, the effectiveness of these tactics is heavily constrained by multidimensional social exclusion they encounter in urban China. On the contrary, local drivers could prevent robbery fairly successfully by simply avoiding working at night. An argument of “victim pool” is proposed to understand the constrained crime prevention tactics of the excluded migrant workers in urban China.