AN EVALUATION OF CULTURAL PROPERTY TRAFFICKING IN CENTRAL ANATOLIA (2017–2021) THROUGH THE LENS OF CRIME THEORIES

Authors : Yasin Göçer

Pages : 103-124

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Publication Date : 2025-12-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The crime of cultural property trafficking is one of the most significant international and transnational organized crimes. This study provides a criminological analysis of cultural property trafficking in the Central Anatolia Region of Türkiye. It analyzes secondary quantitative data from the Gendarmerie General Command, covering 3,260 trafficking incidents recorded between 2017 and 2021 across thirteen provinces. The primary scientific aim is to identify and interpret the spatial, temporal, and demographic patterns of this crime. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, and the findings were then interpreted through the theoretical lenses of Rational Choice Theory and Routine Activity Theory. The analysis reveals that trafficking activities are concentrated in specific provinces and are often carried out by individuals with particular demographic profiles, suggesting that both rational calculation and criminal opportunity structures drive the phenomenon. This study contributes to the criminological literature by applying established crime theories to a unique dataset, offering an evidence-based understanding of cultural property trafficking at its source.
Keywords : Kültür Varlığı kaçakçılığı, Kriminolojik Analiz, Rasyonel Seçim Teorisi, Rutin Aktiviteler Teorisi, İç Anadolu

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