Geography of crime in a Brazilian context: an application of social disorganization theory

Geography of crime research dates back to the early 1800s, most of which in English and in the context of the United States and Europe, but with a growing and significant literature studying the developing world. We contribute to this literature through an application of social disorganization theory in a Latin American context: Campinas, Brazil. We consider a number of property and violent crime types using census tracts as the spatial unit of analysis. Implementing a spatial regression method, we find support for social disorganization theory, but not as strong as similar studies in Europe and North America. However, because of the context of Campinas, Brazil, a different understanding of the local conditions proves to be important for understanding the geography of crime in this context. The implications of these results are discussed in the context of theoretical developments as well as crime prevention initiatives.     

Impact of public bus system on spatial burglary patterns in a Chinese urban context

PurposeTo examine the impact of public bus system on spatial burglary pattern in a Chinese urban context, as well as the spatial variation of this impact.MethodsLocal Moran's I, boxplot-based classification, geo-visualization, Chi-square test, and correlation analysis are used to explore the spatial coupling relationships between bus stops and burglary. Guided by routine activity approach, negative binomial regressions are performed for the developed and developing parts of the DP peninsula, as well as the whole peninsula based on proxies of potential offenders, guardians, targets, and spatial dependence.ResultsStatistically positive correlations are observed between burglary count and bus stop service capability. However, net of other factors, one more unidirectional bus route is expected to reduce burglary by nearly 2 percent for the whole area, and 4 percent for the developed area, while no statistically significant relationship is found for the developing area.ConclusionsThe bus-burglary relationships differ between the developed and developing urban areas. For the former, although burglaries concentrate around bus stops with higher service capability, the increase of bus service capability has a net impact of slightly depressing the occurrence of burglaries. Four possible mechanisms explaining this negative bus-burglary relationship in the DP peninsula are presented.     

The spatial stability of alcohol outlets and crime in post‐disaster Christchurch,New Zealand

The devastating Canterbury Earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 left an indelible mark on the city of Christchurch. The social and economic upheaval that immediately followed the Earthquakes has, in time, been replaced with a period of rebuild and transformation. In this study we investigate the effects that the Canterbury Earthquakes had on two important and inter‐related phenomena in the city: alcohol availability and crime. More specifically, we investigate how alcohol outlets and crime across six different categories changed in magnitude and spatial distribution pre‐ (end‐2009) and post‐ (end‐2014) earthquake. We do this using a variety of geospatial techniques including a relatively new method: the spatial point pattern test which allows for the identification of changes in spatial patterns at the local level. Results indicate that both alcohol outlets and crime have decreased in magnitude since the Canterbury Earthquakes. Using the spatial point pattern test we found statistically significant differences in spatial point patterns for both alcohol outlets and all crime types pre‐ to post‐earthquake. The similarity in the differences of the spatial distributions of alcohol outlets and crime provides a first empirical clue of their potential association in the city post‐earthquake.     

Crime seasonality and its variations across space

Investigations into the seasonal patterns of crime date back 180 years to the beginnings of spatial criminology. This original research by Adolphe Quetelet, and much subsequent work, has shown that various crimes have a seasonal component, but the strength and timing of the respective seasonalities vary by crime type. In this paper, we first investigate the existence of seasonality for a number of different crime types, but also the variations of seasonality across space. We find that not only do the various crime types exhibit seasonal patterns, but those seasonal patterns have relatively distinct spatial patterns. This has implications for theory and policy.     

The crime kaleidoscope: A cross-jurisdictional analysis of place features and crime in three urban environments

Research identifies various place features (e.g., bars, schools, public transportation stops) that generate or attract crime. What is less clear is how the spatial influence of these place features compares across relatively similar environments, even for the same crime. In this study, risk terrain modeling (RTM), a geospatial crime forecasting and diagnostic tool, is utilized to identify place features that increase the risk of robbery and their particular spatial influence in Chicago, Illinois; Newark, New Jersey; and Kansas City, Missouri. The results show that the risk factors for robbery are similar between environments, but not necessarily identical. Further, some factors were riskier for robbery and affected their surrounding landscape in different ways that others. Consistent with crime pattern theory, the results suggest that the broader organization of the environmental backcloth affects how constituent place features relate to and influence crime. Implications are discussed with regard to research and practice.     

Testing for similarity in area-based spatial patterns: A nonparametric Monte Carlo approach

The proliferation of geographic information systems and point data has made the analysis of spatial point patterns of increasing interest in a variety of disciplines. Though early forms of spatial point pattern analysis were limited in their scope, current forms have been developed that provide significant insight into underlying data generating processes. This paper builds on the spatial point pattern analysis literature through the development of a nonparametric Monte Carlo spatial point pattern test (and corresponding index) to measure the degree of similarity between two spatial point patterns. The applicability of this new test is then shown using crime data.     

双核型空间结构模式及其在世界地理研究中的应用

作者在我国沿海和沿江地区的空间结构进行深入研究的基础上,发现了一种新的空间结构模式,即双核型空间结构模式。本文在对这一模式进行理论分析的基础上,初步探讨也该模式在世界地理研究中的应用：①指出全球最大的双核结构由全球最大的港口城市鹿特丹和全球最大的内河港口城市杜伊斯堡所组成;②作为推动美国区域经济发展的最重要的一个轴线－“美国经济地理横轴”,是一由芝加哥和纽约组成的双核结构;③新旧首都构成一特殊的双     

警用视频监控的犯罪转移和效益扩散

基于加权转移系数法和双重差分法提出象限统计法,分析了警用治安视频监控对苏州市姑苏区2014—2016年警情数据的犯罪转移和效益扩散现象。研究结果表明,警用治安视频监控设备的安装对于总体犯罪、不同类型案件、不同时段案件均有效益扩散现象,且效益扩散现象比犯罪转移现象更加明显。在案件类型上,盗窃类案件及违反公共秩序类案件的犯罪转移现象较为明显,斗殴类案件次之,而诈骗类案件最不明显。盗窃电动车电瓶类案件的犯罪转移情况相对于盗窃电动车案件更为明显。在时间维度上,节假日和白天的犯罪转移现象更为明显,而工作日和夜晚的效益扩散现象更为明显。     

Mapping crime harm and priority locations in New Zealand: A comparison of spatial analysis methods

Despite progress being advanced with spatial approaches to crime and crime control, the geography of crime harm has to date received little attention. The recent development of “Crime Harm Indices”, which weight crimes by an estimate of the relative harm they cause, offers an opportunity to improve on volume based spatial analysis approaches to identify where crime harm concentrates.This study aims to address this issue via the use of a Crime Harm Index (CHI) developed for New Zealand. By contrast to localized ‘harm-spotting’ analysis, we apply a census unit based approach to identify, at a macro level, the neighborhoods and wider communities suffering the highest crime harm in New Zealand. This approach enables harm to be viewed not only as a total Index but as a rate controlled for population and allows for the identification of census based sociodemographic factors which predict harm. Specifically, this paper compares the CHI with the New Zealand Priority Locations Index (PLI), an existing census unit based crime analysis tool which combines crime and demographic variables to identify communities vulnerable to crime and disorder issues.In this study CHI and PLI scores were calculated for Census Area Units (normally containing 3000–5000 population) across New Zealand. Bivariate correlations and a general linear model were used to determine the relationships between the CHI and PLI and additional population related variables. The CHI and PLI were weakly correlated, with population size and urban/rural categorization also accounting for CHI variance. Mapping techniques are used to illustrate outlier locations where the CHI and PLI differ widely and to identify location features which may assist in explaining CHI/PLI differences.This work exemplifies a novel geographic approach to the problem of crime harm with implications for resource allocation at national through to local levels. Wider implications for the theory and practice of crime and crime harm control are discussed, along with limitations of the study and areas for further research.     

基于网络形态的街道空间环境与“两抢一盗”犯罪的关系研究——以HS市原DP区为例

城市街道网络是承载人们日常行为的空间载体,街道网络及其中人的日常行为共同构成了主要的街道网络空间环境,并影响着犯罪行为的发生。既有研究表明街道空间中多发“两抢一盗”侵财类案件,并且街道网络形态和日常行为主体与犯罪存在联系,但对这一问题的深入探究较少。本文基于HS市原DP区的派出所辖区单元,使用路网数据、人口统计数据、手机信令数据等相关资料,采用空间分析和统计分析方法,对街道网络的几何形态和拓扑形态、动态人口和静态人口等因素与犯罪分布的关系展开分析,尝试探索街道网络空间环境对“两抢一盗”犯罪的影响。结果表明,街道网络空间环境中影响盗窃和两抢犯罪的要素存在较大差异。“X形单元”式街道网络、路网密度、低速交通的路网渗透性、静态人口密度和动态人口密度均对盗窃犯罪产生重要影响,与两抢犯罪相关的仅有“T形单元”式街道网络、静态人口中的实际居住户籍人员和外来人员密度,街道网络形态没有表现出与两抢犯罪的显著相关。最后提出,由于街道网络的通达性和危险性往往并存,如何通过调控或改善整体的街道网络空间环境来尽可能减少犯罪风险,是未来规划建设安全的街道网络空间需要思考的话题。     

样方形状对空间点格局的性能影响分析——以天目山阔叶林为例

利用浙西天目山常绿阔叶林样地调查数据,在随机样方点格局分析基础上,提出样方形状对点格局分析性能影响差异性问题。结果表明：（1）在最优样方面积相同条件下,通过配对t检验得出圆形与正方形、圆形与正六边形和正方形与正六边形样方性能对比的配对t检验概率P分别为0.249、0.043和0.023,表明样方形状对点格局分析性能影响具有差异性,圆形样方和正方形样方之间没有显著差异,正六边形样方与圆形样方、正方形样方之间差异显著;（2）圆形～正六边形和正方形～正六边形样方间VMR差值的95%置信区间分别为[-0.429,-0.010]和[-0.196,-0.021],其区间值上界均小于0,表明正六边形样方分析性能为最优,其性能高于圆形样方和正方形样方;（3）随机样方法在样本量较小时,点格局分析结果不稳定,但随着采样数目逐步增大到90以上时,其VMR值和P值趋于稳定。     

贫困县村级居民点空间分布离散度与农村居民纯收入关联格局分析

在城市群离散度度量方法的基础上,构建村级居民点空间分布离散度评价模型,采用GIS网络分析、叠加分析和统计分析,对研究区288个行政村进行居民点空间分布离散度评价,并与反映村级经济发展的重要指标——农村居民纯收入进行关联分析,在全县、不同地貌与不同经济圈层条件下,分别分析离散度综合指数(DCI)与经济发展的关联格局关系。结果表明：研究区居民点的离散度从城关镇到外围呈聚集—离散分布,具体表现为城关镇及其他乡镇政府所在地（即经济中心）的DCI较小,外围等非经济中心部分及山区DCI较大;DCI不仅随农村居民纯收入的增大而减小,还受其周围值的影响;山地条件下DCI与农村居民纯收入的负相关关系较丘陵及平原地区明显;经济圈的辐射作用对DCI与农村居民纯收入的影响很大。因此需要系统整治规划农村居民点,并可通过增设经济中心等方式,提高农村居民的经济发展水平,从而降低居民点的空间分布离散度,进而改善居民点的空间分布格局,巩固扶贫开发成效。