Does wheredunnit matter more than whodunnit?

We always ask who did it, but what if the real secret is why here? Explore the science of place-based crime prevention over drinks.
About this Event

An SFU criminologist breaks down the hidden power of everyday places in crime prevention — over drinks.

When crime happens, most people ask who did it and why. But what if we also asked: why here? Research shows crime doesn’t occur randomly across a city — it concentrates at a few specific places. Places are key to creating or reducing opportunities for crime.

This talk explores the everyday people behind those places, and how they can help prevent crime before it happens. An SFU criminologist walks us through place-based crime prevention and problem-oriented policing — why illicit behavior clusters in micro-spaces, how property and business owners can change that dynamic, and whether "wheredunnit" matters far more than "whodunnit."

Every Sip Smarter talk includes a 45-minute lecture followed by an open Q&A over drinks.

DATE

Wednesday, October 7th, 2026

LOCATION

Courtside Food & Drinks, 2415 Main Street, Vancouver

TIME

Doors open at 6:00 PM | Talk runs 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

SPEAKER

Shannon Linning, Ph.D., is an associate professor in SFU’s School of Criminology. Her research interests are in place-based crime prevention and problem-oriented policing. Her work explores how police can partner with property owners to reduce crime opportunities at and around their places. Dr. Linning teaches courses in place-based crime prevention, police strategies and problem solving, community criminology, and research methods.

“The only thing better than learning is the conversation after.”