Search

This study observes the spatial distribution of robbery using a multi-level framework to further understand the unique contribution of both micro-places and neighborhoods to the spatial variability of crime patterns. Mixed-effects regression models were estimated to determine if the influence of spatial interdependence measured with a spatial lag variable at street segments had a random effect between Chicago's community areas. The variance parameters guided an exploratory spatial data analysis which revealed clusters of robbery patterns which were larger than crime hot spots and often nested within neighborhoods. We found there is an important distinction between places in Chicago where the spatial transmissibility of robberies is most acutely experienced across entire neighborhoods or within the immediate proximity of certain micro-places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study is devoted to one of the ways to solve the problem of reducing the crime rate in the region due to the concentration of police forces and means in correctly defined places of criminal activity. The purpose of the study is to determine the content of the concept of police activity in places where criminal activity is concentrated in “hot spots” and examine the features of crime mapping. The key methods used are system and structural analysis, dogmatic analysis, synthesis method, modelling method, and structural-functional and formal-logical methods. It is determined that the problems of criminal activity, for the most part, are concentrated in a small number of places of an administrative- territorial unit, which continue to be dangerous for a long time in the absence of police intervention. It is proved that different types of “hot spots” require the development of individual police countermeasures, and the analysis of “hot spots” should be based on a logical and systematic approach and depends on understanding the theory of the origin of different types of analysed criminal offences and choosing the way to display the results. A reservation is made that arbitrary analysis by an analyst, or the use of only software algorithms is excluded because they can lead to a subjective perception of a “hot spot”, which may not turn out to be an accumulation of criminal activity. It is proved that the analysis of “hot spots” , in addition to simply identifying places with high crime rates, is crucial for solving problems in these places and choosing the most effective police response measures. The practical value of the proposed study is to generalise and adapt international developments to improve the theoretical and practical foundations for improving the efficiency of criminal analysis units of the National Police of Ukraine in the field of visualisation of information about criminal activity, introducing international experience in crime mapping into the practical activities of criminal analysis units of the National Police of Ukraine

Formulation of the problem. It is known that the influence of the demographic, social and economic conditions of the region on criminal activity is significantly high. In this place, researching the types of crime characteristic of cities with different functions, and identifying hotspots where criminal activity has intensified within the city will further enrich the scientific and practical aspects of the geography of crime. The use of geographic information systems (hereinafter GIS) in the implementation of these tasks is an important issue on the agenda of the field today. Analysis of recent research and publications. Today, in most developed countries, GIS is widely used to identify common crime areas and organize preventive measures for crime prevention. Research in this regard is almost undeveloped in the Republic of Uzbekistan. Formulation of the purpose of the article. In this study, theft and drug-related crimes committed in the city of Kokand, Fergana region, were investigated using the Hot Spot analysis method of the Arc GIS (version 10.8) program. The problems of combating crime in identified theft and drug-related crime centres were studied with the help of sociological surveys (conducted with prevention inspectors) and an action plan for crime prevention was developed. Presentation of the main research material. The indicators of crime levels in the small administrative areas of Kokand, in the Fergana region, have been examined in this study. In addition to the types of crimes that are most commonly committed in large social infrastructures (for example, markets, parks, public places) and their specific characteristics, we also discussed the levels of these types of crimes according to age, gender and population size. Problems and prospects of the development of crime geography in Kokand city. Hotspot analysis consists of identifying hotbeds of crime in the area and developing proposals and recommendations based on this. Proposals and recommendations for reducing crime in the city of Kokand. First, this technology is effective in identifying crime trends, organizing preventive measures, planning crime prevention strategies, and improving public safety. Second, GIS is adapted for data processing, mapping, and spatial analysis, thereby increasing the effectiveness of crime analysis and quickly creating a quality criminal analysis map. Thirdly, according to the results of this technology, optimization of the distribution of law enforcement officers, proper and planned deployment, and development of more effective crime reduction measures will help.

The study is devoted to one of the ways to solve the problem of reducing the crime rate in the region due to the concentration of police forces and means in correctly defined places of criminal activity. The purpose of the study is to determine the content of the concept of police activity in places where criminal activity is concentrated in "hot spots" and examine the features of crime mapping. The key methods used are system and structural analysis, dogmatic analysis, synthesis method, modelling method, and structural-functional and formal-logical methods. It is determined that the problems of criminal activity, for the most part, are concentrated in a small number of places of an administrativeterritorial unit, which continue to be dangerous for a long time in the absence of police intervention. It is proved that different types of "hot spots" require the development of individual police countermeasures, and the analysis of "hot spots" should be based on a logical and systematic approach and depends on understanding the theory of the origin of different types of analysed criminal offences and choosing the way to display the results. A reservation is made that arbitrary analysis by an analyst, or the use of only software algorithms is excluded because they can lead to a subjective perception of a "hot spot", which may not turn out to be an accumulation of criminal activity. It is proved that the analysis of "hot spots", in addition to simply identifying places with high crime rates, is crucial for solving problems in these places and choosing the most effective police response measures. The practical value of the proposed study is to generalise and adapt international developments to improve the theoretical and practical foundations for improving the efficiency of criminal analysis units of the National Police of Ukraine in the field of visualisation of information about criminal activity, introducing international experience in crime mapping into the practical activities of criminal analysis units of the National Police of Ukraine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Geostatistical methods currently used in modern epidemiology were adopted in crime science using the example of the Opole province, Poland, in the years 2015–2019. In our research, we applied the Bayesian spatio-temporal random effects models to detect ‘cold-spots’ and ‘hot-spots’ of the recorded crime numbers (all categories), and to ascertain possible risk factors based on the available statistical population (demographic), socio-economic and infrastructure area characteristics. Overlapping two popular geostatistical models in the analysis, ‘cold-spot’ and ‘hot-spot’ administrative units were detected which displayed extreme differences in crime and growth rates over time. Additionally, using Bayesian modeling four categories of possible risk factors were identified in Opole. The established risk factors were the presence of doctors/medical personnel, road infrastructure, numbers of vehicles, and local migration. The analysis is directed toward both academic and police personnel as a proposal for an additional geostatistical control instrument supporting the management and deployment of local police based on easily available police crime records and public statistics.

Copyright of Belügyi Szemle / Academic Journal of Internal Affairs is the property of Ministry of Interior of Hungary and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Formulation of the problem. It is known that the influence of the demographic, social and economic conditions of the region on criminal activity is significantly high. In this place, researching the types of crime characteristic of cities with different functions, and identifying hotspots where criminal activity has intensified within the city will further enrich the scientific and practical aspects of the geography of crime. The use of geographic information systems (hereinafter GIS) in the implementation of these tasks is an important issue on the agenda of the field today. Analysis of recent research and publications. Today, in most developed countries, GIS is widely used to identify common crime areas and organize preventive measures for crime prevention. Research in this regard is almost undeveloped in the Republic of Uzbekistan. Formulation of the purpose of the article. In this study, theft and drug-related crimes committed in the city of Kokand, Fergana region, were investigated using the Hot Spot analysis method of the Arc GIS (version 10.8) program. The problems of combating crime in identified theft and drug-related crime centres were studied with the help of sociological surveys (conducted with prevention inspectors) and an action plan for crime prevention was developed. Presentation of the main research material. The indicators of crime levels in the small administrative areas of Kokand, in the Fergana region, have been examined in this study. In addition to the types of crimes that are most commonly committed in large social infrastructures (for example, markets, parks, public places) and their specific characteristics, we also discussed the levels of these types of crimes according to age, gender and population size. Problems and prospects of the development of crime geography in Kokand city. Hotspot analysis consists of identifying hotbeds of crime in the area and developing proposals and recommendations based on this. Proposals and recommendations for reducing crime in the city of Kokand. First, this technology is effective in identifying crime trends, organizing preventive measures, planning crime prevention strategies, and improving public safety. Second, GIS is adapted for data processing, mapping, and spatial analysis, thereby increasing the effectiveness of crime analysis and quickly creating a quality criminal analysis map. Thirdly, according to the results of this technology, optimization of the distribution of law enforcement officers, proper and planned deployment, and development of more effective crime reduction measures will help. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most pivotal topics of discussion in current international criminological discussions has been the prevention of human trafficking at national and international borders. Trafficking in humans happens in an organised criminal network with fundamental components of action, means, and purpose. To build a potential scenario of human trafficking, one component that is quintessentialistransportation across borders typically from sourceto destination. The relationships between different forms of transportation to depict the trends in human trafficking have not been explored yet. This study addresses this gap by investigating the geography of human trafficking and how it relates to transportation by air, rail, or water. In this study, a micro-level analysis of three modes of transportation and the number of human trafficking cases was done using spatial analysis which has advantages over quantitative data. By mapping out the transportation ways and hubs, a hotspot analysis of human trafficking on a national level was performed. The resulting maps demonstrate links between a number of human trafficking incidents and with a number of airports, sea ports, railway junctions, disjoint railway lines, sharing of coastal lines, and international borders. The research will help the anti-trafficking initiatives to strategize their prevention measures geographically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stalking is one of the main types of abusive behaviour facilitated by technology. The purpose of the current study was twofold: to identify the challenges of cyberstalking investigations and prosecutions in Australia and determine how best to investigate these types of offences. A qualitative analysis of four years of interviews, focus groups and participant observations with police departments provides an overview of the cyberstalking investigative process. The findings map out the process from the initial report of the incident to the preparation of the prosecution brief. This analysis positions cyberstalking investigations as an interesting case study in the midst of increased scrutiny about the way that police investigate technology-facilitated abuse.

Recent years have witnessed an explosion of interest in predictive policing, with a clear opposition emerging between supporters and critics of its implementation. While critical accounts conventionally centre on opacities and operational asymmetries of the algorithmic construct (biased training, feedback loop, etc.), I argue that a different critique is first needed. Focussing on place-based techniques, I maintain that contemporary predictive mapping basically perpetuates the political and epistemic dictates which have historically framed the conceptualisation of crime in relation to space. Through a review of sources spanning from the Cartographic School to current predictive policing literature, I identify two main conceptual axes which operationalise this heritage: first, an explanatory framework of crime that has never detached from the socio-economic deficit archetype; and secondly, an ontologisation of crime alternative to biologicist positivism, nonetheless integral to the etiologic paradigm. Therefore, without first disputing these ideological bottlenecks, no initiative towards a transparent use of predictive policing is plausible, neither does a sharp distinction between place-based and person-based predictions seem tenable. En los últimos años se ha asistido a una explosión de interés por la vigilancia policial predictiva y al surgimiento de una clara oposición entre partidarios y detractores de su implementación. Mientras que los relatos críticos se centran convencionalmente en opacidades y asimetrías operacionales del constructo algorítmico (entrenamiento sesgado, bucle de retroalimentación, etc.), lo que aquí se plantea es la necesidad preliminar de otro tipo de crítica. Con el foco puesto en las técnicas de predicción geoespacial, se sostiene que los métodos de mapeo predictivo tienden a perpetuar los dictados políticos y epistemológicos que históricamente han enmarcado la conceptualización del delito en su relación con el espacio. Mediante una revisión de fuentes que abarcan desde la Escuela Cartográfica a la literatura contemporánea sobre vigilancia predictiva, se detectan dos grandes ejes conceptuales que operativizan dicho legado: primero, un marco explicativo del delito que nunca supo emanciparse del arquetipo del déficit socioeconómico, y segundo, una ontologización del delito alternativa a la del positivismo biologicista pero aun así parte integral del paradigma etiológico. Así pues, sin antes cuestionar dichas constricciones ideológicas, ninguna iniciativa encaminada a un uso transparente de la policía predictiva es plausible, ni una distinción real entre mapeo predictivo y predicción individualizada parece defendible. Available from: https://doi.org/10.35295/osls.iisl/0000-0000-0000-1360

Geostatistical methods currently used in modern epidemiology were adopted in crime science using the example of the Opole province, Poland, in the years 2015–2019. In our research, we applied the Bayesian spatio-temporal random effects models to detect 'cold-spots' and 'hot-spots' of the recorded crime numbers (all categories), and to ascertain possible risk factors based on the available statistical population (demographic), socio-economic and infrastructure area characteristics. Overlapping two popular geostatistical models in the analysis, 'cold-spot' and 'hot-spot' administrative units were detected which displayed extreme differences in crime and growth rates over time. Additionally, using Bayesian modeling four categories of possible risk factors were identified in Opole. The established risk factors were the presence of doctors/medical personnel, road infrastructure, numbers of vehicles, and local migration. The analysis is directed toward both academic and police personnel as a proposal for an additional geostatistical control instrument supporting the management and deployment of local police based on easily available police crime records and public statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having made a depict of the crime or by other words putting an adverse event on the map is not a new way to fight with the crime. The officers still use old, proven tools that enable them to present both crimes and offenses geographically. In this way, it is possible to identify areas at risk, as well as obtain information aimed at selecting an appropriate strategy of activities for the dislocation of patrol services. With the advancement of technology, also in this case the basic tools have been partially replaced by modern software. An interactive equivalent of pushpins and coloured sticky notes with notes put on a map is the National Map of Security Threats in Poland (hereinafter referred to as KMZB). The purpose of this article is to present a detailed analysis of the issue in question, with particular emphasis on the possibility of its practical application. It was preceded by appropriate considerations, both based on my own scientific research and the prospects of changes that were made over the next few years (from 2016). The issue remains valid in the context of searching for new forms of counteracting crime, and it should certainly follow technical changes that are constantly evolving. Using the analysis of the literature and available Internet sources, including the analysis of legal acts, the KMZB application, also through extensive research of materials obtained from the Police Headquarters, Warsaw Police Headquarters and Provincial Police Headquarters, the focus was on a comprehensive approach to the issue. These activities led to a clear distinction in the field of threat maps – internal secret documents of the Police (so-called patrol assignments) and the KMZB – an online tool available to the entire society. The result of the research effort undertaken is the indication of conclusions and postulates that may in the future contribute to the verification of the effectiveness of the tool by its originators, as well as to its modification with new components or elimination of identified irregularities. The evaluation of the previously developed guidelines for officers and the considerations undertaken regarding possible amendments to the legal basis underlying the KMZB are also crucial. All these activities ultimately have the chance to contribute to the further development of national legislation established to improve security situation in local communities based on new methods and interactive tools, especially in changing circumstances.

The segregation–crime relationship is a classic topic in sociology and crime geography, yet existing literature mainly focuses on the impact of racial segregation at the global scale. Little is known about the impact of local segregation of other socioeconomic characteristics such as education level, an important segregation factor for racially homogenous countries like China. Also unknown is their impact beyond the residential domain. Using the Baidu Map Location-Based Service population data set and court records in 863 local geographic units of the central urban area of Beijing during 2018 and 2019, this study uncovers the spatial pattern of segregation between people with and without a bachelor's degree measured in the residential space and activity space and further investigates the influence of these two types of educational segregation and their interaction effects with social context on theft and violent crime. Results show less segregation in the activity space than in the residential space. Both types of segregation, however, significantly increase the risk of theft and violence, with activity space–based segregation more consequential. Moreover, the positive segregation–crime link is moderated by the local social context measured by the educational composition among residents and the ambient population. Compared with residential segregation, activity space–based segregation is more detrimental for places dominated by the less educated. Our results highlight the elevated influence of segregation on safety beyond the residential space, especially for areas clustered with the less educated ambient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many religions often require followers to attend services at physical places of worship (PWs). However, the combination of individuals interacting with one another and the mere presence of physical structures for worship create numerous crime opportunities. The current study examines 6,772 crimes reported to police that occurred at PWs over a two-calendar year period (2009–2010) in one large Southern U.S. metropolitan city. Specifically, this study examines the types/frequencies of crime reported to police at PWs and the geospatial characteristics of PWs that were hotspots. In total, 78 crime categories occurred in the 1,081 unique cases, with theft being the most common offense. Additionally, most hotspot PWs were located near major intersections or bypasses. Policy implications and directions for future research will also be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stalking is one of the main types of abusive behaviour facilitated by technology. The purpose of the current study was twofold: to identify the challenges of cyberstalking investigations and prosecutions in Australia and determine how best to investigate these types of offences. A qualitative analysis of four years of interviews, focus groups and participant observations with police departments provides an overview of the cyberstalking investigative process. The findings map out the process from the initial report of the incident to the preparation of the prosecution brief. This analysis positions cyberstalking investigations as an interesting case study in the midst of increased scrutiny about the way that police investigate technology-facilitated abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More and more advanced crime mapping methods have been used for several dozen years for imaging, analyzing, and, consequently, preventing, and combating crime. Initially, they served only specialized task units in charge of the fight against crime. Subsequently, they became sources of public information on the level of security in particular locations. The crucial requirement for the development of these methods in the third decade of the 21st century is related to the interaction with citizens, who turn from recipients of data into their co-creators by reporting threats occurring in their neighborhood. This article analyzes the National Map of Security Threats (Krajowa Mapa Zagrożeń Bezpieczeństwa, KMZB) implemented in Poland as a GIS-based tool to involve citizens in creating local security and a source of knowledge about the perception of personal safety by KMZB users.

We assess if asking victims about the places where crimes happen leads to estimates of "crime in place" with better measurement properties. We analyze data from the Barcelona Victimization Survey (2015–2020) aggregated in 73 neighborhoods using longitudinal quasi-simplex models and criterion validity to estimate the quality of four types of survey-based measures of crime. The distribution of survey-based offense location estimates, as opposed to victim residence estimates, is highly similar to police-recorded crime statistics, and there is little trade off in terms of the reliability and validity of offense location and victim residence measures. Estimates of crimes reported to the police show a better validity, but their reliability is lower and capture fewer crimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media and activist sites have provided an avenue to contest the dominant framing of street harassment as ‘trivial’ and have sought to make street harassment and its harms visible. To date, digital activism has been analysed and conceptualised in relation to its potential as a counter-public forum that enables collective action and resistance, political mobilisation, ‘speaking out’ and consciousness raising, and as a site of informal or innovative justice. I aim to build on this literature by examining the potential for the activist sites Hollaback!, @catcallsofnyc and @dearcatcallers to function as a form of ‘counter-mapping’, contributing towards broader social justice efforts to disrupt and transform dominant productions of space/place. I examine the tensions created by these digital practices, particularly with regards to whether they disrupt the production of space/place or, rather, reinforce urban space as a gendered ‘threatscape’. Algunas redes sociales y sitios web de activistas han constituido una vía de contestación al marco dominante que considera el acoso callejero como algo “trivial”; y han procurado visibilizar el acoso callejero y sus perjuicios. Hasta la fecha, se ha analizado y conceptualizado el activismo digital en relación con su potencial como contraforo público que posibilita la acción y resistencia colectivas, la movilización política, “alzar la voz” y concienciar, y como lugar de justicia informal o innovadora. Me propongo contribuir a esta literatura realizando un análisis del potencial de los sitios web activistas Hollaback!, @catcallsofnyc y @dearcatcallers para funcionar como “contraperfilado geográfico”, contribuyendo a ampliar la justicia social y perturbar y transformar producciones dominantes de espacio/lugar. Examino las tensiones creadas por dichas prácticas digitales, sobre todo en torno a la cuestión de si perturban la producción de espacio/lugar o si, más bien, refuerzan el espacio urbano como escenario de amenaza de género. Available from: https://doi.org/10.35295/osls.iisl/0000-0000-0000-1144

Abstract Objectives To explore spatial patterns of crime in a small northern city, and assess the degree of similarity in these patterns across seasons. Methods Calls for police service frequently associated with crime (theft, break and enter, domestic dispute, assault, and neighbor disputes) were acquired for a five year time span (2015–2019) for the city of North Bay, Ontario, Canada (population 50,396). Exploratory data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and a kernel density mapping technique. Andresen’s spatial point pattern test (SPPT) was then used to assess the degree of similarity between the seasonal patterns (spring, summer, autumn, winter) for each call type at two different spatial scales (dissemination area and census tract). Results Exploratory data analysis of crime concentration at street segments showed that calls are generally more dispersed through the city in the warmer seasons of spring and summer. Kernel density mapping also shows increases in the intensity of hotspots at these times, but little overall change in pattern. The SPPT does find some evidence for seasonal differences in crime pattern across the city as a whole, specifically for thefts and break and enters. These differences are focused on the downtown core, as well as the outlying rural areas of the city. Conclusions For the various crime types examined, preliminary analysis, kernel density mapping, and the SPPT found differences in crime pattern consistent with the routine activities theory.

More and more advanced crime mapping methods have been used for several dozen years for imaging, analyzing, and, consequently, preventing, and combating crime. Initially, they served only specialized task units in charge of the fight against crime. Subsequently, they became sources of public information on the level of security in particular locations. The crucial requirement for the development of these methods in the third decade of the 21st century is related to the interaction with citizens, who turn from recipients of data into their co-creators by reporting threats occurring in their neighborhood. This article analyzes the National Map of Security Threats (Krajowa Mapa Zagrożeń Bezpieczeństwa, KMZB) implemented in Poland as a GIS-based tool to involve citizens in creating local security and a source of knowledge about the perception of personal safety by KMZB users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Police-recorded crime data are prone to measurement error, affecting our understanding of the nature of crime. Research has responded to this problem using data from surveys and emergency services. These data sources are not error-free, and data from different sources are not always easily comparable. This study compares violent crime data recorded by police, ambulance services, two surveys and computer simulations in Islington, London. Different data sources show remarkably different results. However, crime estimates become more similar, but still show different distributions, when crime rates are calculated using workday population as the denominator and log-transformed. Normalising crime rates by workday population controls for the fact that some data sources reflect offences' location while others refer to victims' residence, and log-transforming rates mitigates the biasing effect associated with some multiplicative forms of measurement error. Comparing multiple data sources allows for more accurate descriptions of the prevalence and distribution of crime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of GIS in the public security industry is generally called "Police Geographic Information System (PGIS)" in Mainland China. Although China's PGIS play important roles in protecting public safety and smart policing, no publications on this subject are found in English. This paper provides an overview of the four main development stages of PGIS in public security agencies in mainland China: the early exploration stage; the multi-department PGIS system development stage; the centralization stage; and the spread and improvement stage. Successful GIS applications and practices in local police departments are also introduced in this paper. At the end of this paper, three problems and challenges faced in the development of PGIS are introduced, involving the current PGIS application depth; the support of crime mapping and crime analysis theoretical research on policing practices; and the introduction and localization of mature foreign crime analysis and prediction technology. Additionally, we point out that the implementation of smart policing strategies under the context of big data has created favorable conditions for subsequent crime analysis, research, and application, encouraging police departments to more frequently take initiative by cooperating with research institutions in crime analysis and prediction technology research. These new opportunities will inevitably promote the rapid development of PGIS and the geography of crime in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main research problem of this article is to check whether and how selected land use and facilities influence the spatial distribution of different kinds of urban thefts (and burglary) in Krakow. The analysis uses data on all crimes committed in Krakow in the years 2016–2018. Its results are generally consistent with the results of other similar studies in so far as they indicate a relationship between the increased criminal activity of perpetrators and the availability of potential victims or objects of attack. Both the higher density of crimes in general and theft in general occurred above all in facilities or in the immediate vicinity of facilities which accumulate large communities for various purposes (activity nodes) or in places which produce the high intensity of people flows (communication nodes). One land use and facilities coexist with an increased density of all types of thefts, while others coexist only with some of them. The results, however, seem inconsistent with the rational choice theory assumptions as high crime density rates were observed in the immediate vicinity of public and private monitoring cameras, as well as within 50 meters of police stations.

Introduction to the thematic volume of Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Iuridica – devoted to the issue of law and space – provides basic context for the publication, placing special emphasis on the current state of legal geographical inquiries conducted by Polish scholars. Moreover, it briefly presents each article in the volume and comments on articles’ selected aspects to show how they can be located within the entire broad legal geography scholarship.

President Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing advised law enforcement agencies to '[e]stablish a culture of transparency and accountability in order to build public trust and legitimacy' (2015, p. 12). Such transparency and accountability may be promoted through increased public access to crime data and measures of police activity. The inherently geographic nature of crime has made online maps one of the more popular strategies for disseminating this information to the public. As more agencies deliver crime maps on their own, or hosted websites, it becomes important for social scientists to evaluate how these communications affect public perceptions. Crime mapping is a complex process requiring many decisions. This includes choices about the type of crime to include or exclude, the type of map used, and numerous design features for the map itself. The field of critical cartography argues that all of these decisions have the potential to shape perceptions about a given geographic location, the people living there, and, in the present context, the people charged with maintaining public safety in the area. This study investigates whether different types of maps (i.e. dot vs. density) affect individual perceptions of safety, police performance and neighbourhood quality. Results indicate that the type of crime map viewed does alter perceptions, illustrating a need for careful and consistent decision-making when preparing crime maps for public access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The lack of accessible crime data, especially geolocations, in developing countries often acts as a barrier to identifying environmental or situational factors in high crime areas that might contribute to the facilitation of those crimes. This paper presents a methodology for conducting fieldwork for creating heat maps to identify areas prone to violence against women (VAW) in Corregidora, Mexico. Heat maps were produced based on household survey data. The results were used to select specific high concentration locations to conduct structured observations and inductive visual analysis at street level in order to identify if and what situational factors might influence the perpetration of VAW in those locations. Four broad features were identified in the urban built environment during the site visits linked to the facilitation of opportunities for the commission of VAW: (1) lacking infrastructure, (2) presence of physical obstacles, (3) poor visibility and (4) restricted pedestrian mobility. The paper demonstrates the utility of this method for aiding situational crime prevention strategies in areas where official spatial crime data is unavailable or lacking. This study presents a relatively low cost (although labour intensive) and independent method of aiding crime prevention strategies, which will hopefully be of practical value for organisations in areas with poor crime recording practices and limited access to expensive mapping technologies.

In this paper, we explore the conditions under which clearance rates improve by looking at the experience across New York City. Using one agency provides a control on the administrative differences that appear across other jurisdictions that have been studied, usually through cross-national analysis. Our analysis uses Risk Terrain Modeling (RTM) to identify environmental features that relate to closed versus open homicide cases using two years of New York City Police Department (NYPD) data. This analysis is supplemented with an investigation of precinct-wide social structure variables to examine how context matters in influencing closure rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the digital age, where every click, purchase, or activity is systematically recorded, it is surprising to discover how difficult it still is to assemble crime data. This paper describes available web-based crime mapping services and discusses some of the key advantages and disadvantages of using this source for both general purposes and scholarly endeavors. Using a research project on crime occurring around train stations as a case study, we illustrate the pitfalls of relying on web-based services compared to requesting crime information directly from law enforcement agencies. We conclude with a few cautionary remarks regarding the use of data services that purport to offer an assemblage of crime data drawn from different jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore spatial patterns of crime in a small northern city, and assess the degree of similarity in these patterns across seasons. Methods: Calls for police service frequently associated with crime (theft, break and enter, domestic dispute, assault, and neighbor disputes) were acquired for a five year time span (2015–2019) for the city of North Bay, Ontario, Canada (population 50,396). Exploratory data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and a kernel density mapping technique. Andresen's spatial point pattern test (SPPT) was then used to assess the degree of similarity between the seasonal patterns (spring, summer, autumn, winter) for each call type at two different spatial scales (dissemination area and census tract). Results: Exploratory data analysis of crime concentration at street segments showed that calls are generally more dispersed through the city in the warmer seasons of spring and summer. Kernel density mapping also shows increases in the intensity of hotspots at these times, but little overall change in pattern. The SPPT does find some evidence for seasonal differences in crime pattern across the city as a whole, specifically for thefts and break and enters. These differences are focused on the downtown core, as well as the outlying rural areas of the city. Conclusions: For the various crime types examined, preliminary analysis, kernel density mapping, and the SPPT found differences in crime pattern consistent with the routine activities theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ius Novum is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This research is an attempt to study the major crimes police station-wise in Tiruchirappalli city. It reveals that Woraiyur (14.1%) and Srirangam (12.1%) police stations of Srirangam range, recorded the maximum major crimes. The maximum of robbery (57.3%) and a minimum of murder for gain (1.1%) and dacoity (0.7%) were reported. The maximum of major crimes (60.0%) was recorded in all the police stations of Srirangam range in 2014 and minimum (6.2%) was reported in all the police stations of Golden Rock range in 2014. Therefore, it is suggested that to setup police stations and their forces to be increased in proportion to the total population, hourly police patrolling during day and night, installing CCTVs cameras, preparing crime maps and city action plan periodically and systematically and knowing the crimeprone areas will help to reduce the major crimes in the city especially in Srirangam range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crime is a negative phenomenon found in society. In this regard, crime is said to be a lot in town and is more likely to concentrate around the city centre. The most common crimes in the city are property and violent crime. The rise in crime issues due to urban development lead urban schools to be threatened with criminal activity. Criminal behaviour outside the school can affect student safety. Therefore, this study highlights the study of property and violent crime in schools' focus areas. In this regard, the lack of research on criminal issues from many disciplines, especially in Geography is one of the major cause of ineffectiveness in crime prevention. Hence, due to this problem, this study focuses on the application of Gegraphic Information System (GIS) as a tool used in Geography for crime mapping. This study used property and violent crime statistics data of Kota Kinabalu for the year 2018 which was obtained from the Kota Kinabalu District Police Headquarters (IPD). The data were entered into GIS software and then analyzed using pattern analysis which is Kernel Density. The result of this study is a crime density pattern map. Based on the crime density pattern map, a high-density pattern of property crime is found in the Kota Kinabalu zone while violent crime is found in two zones namely Kota Kinabalu and Signal Hill. It was found that no school was in the high-density pattern of the property and violent crimes.This study contributes to crime mapping using GIS analysis. In addition, the findings of this study can help the schools, police and city planner to overcome the property and violent crime in the city and the schools that are affected by it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crime mapping has become popular as a way of analysing the spatial distribution of crime, and its use enables effective crime prevention strategies to be employed based on the analysis of hotspots. However, in Bangladesh crime mapping using Geographic Information System (GIS) is still in its infancy. This paper intends to focus on the spatial distribution of crime throughout the major administrative divisions of Bangladesh and to explore how it varies according to region. Its objective is to fill the existing knowledge gap in terms of the spatial distribution of crime in Bangladesh with the help of GIS software. All associated issues behind any crime patterns in different regions have been analysed here using references from established research. This study also illustrates the trend analysis of crime in the last three years, from 2016 to 2018, to understand the patterns of crime distribution as per present administrative divisions. It also focuses on the relative frequency of incidents of crime in all the regions of Bangladesh. Additionally, this study indicates that areas with big cities (Dhaka and Chattogram) are more prone to harbouring a greater number of offenders than other areas. As an initial study using GIS-based computerised crime mapping in Bangladesh, this research may have an important role in showing division wise crime distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Crime counts are sensitive to granularity choice. There is an increasing interest in analyzing crime at very fine granularities, such as street segments, with one of the reasons being that coarse granularities mask hot spots of crime. However, if granularities are too fine, counts may become unstable and unrepresentative. In this paper, we develop a method for determining a granularity that provides a compromise between these two criteria. Methods: Our method starts by estimating internal uniformity and robustness to error for different granularities, then deciding on the granularity offering the best balance between the two. Internal uniformity is measured as the proportion of areal units that pass a test of complete spatial randomness for their internal crime distribution. Robustness to error is measured based on the average of the estimated coefficient of variation for each crime count. Results: Our method was tested for burglaries, robberies and homicides in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Estimated "optimal" granularities were coarser than street segments but finer than neighborhoods. The proportion of units concentrating 50% of all crime was between 11% and 23%. Conclusions: By balancing internal uniformity and robustness to error, our method is capable of producing more reliable crime maps. Our methodology shows that finer is not necessarily better in the micro-analysis of crime, and that units coarser than street segments might be better for this type of study. Finally, the observed crime clustering in our study was less intense than the expected from the law of crime concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Application of geospatial technologies in criminological study is most relevant in present day context. Crime mapping with the help of Geographical Information System is being a very useful tool for the law enforcement agencies to make proper visualization and take strategic modus operandi to reduce criminal offence. "Eveteasing" in public places by men is one of the very common social issue exist in Indian society. Despite new laws and other measures of increased surveillance after 'Nirvaya Case', India, sexual harassment against women has continue and increased. More and more engaged in education sector, employment sector may provide opportunities to the offender to tease women in public place in roads, trains and buses everyday even in broad day light. Such public nuisance sometimes results in shocking consequence like acid attacks and rape. Present study tries to apply contemporary approaches and uses geospatial tools for spatial analysis and mapping of potential eve-teasing prone areas, its severity and potential risk factors in selected urban area. The study also focuses on offenders' decision making strategies to commit crime. 'Rapid Assessment Methodology' has been applied to the young school and college going female students and working women to understand the nature and pattern of eve-teasing in the selected urban area. We run explanatory factor analysis to identify potential risk factors and thereafter apply Analytical Hierarchy Process to identify which potential risk factors responsible for enhancing an area to be an eve-teasing prone area by examining issues within socio-environmental perspectives and do crime mapping using Geographical Information System and provide some Crime Prevention measures for the stakeholders. This study has larger implications for crime prevention in public places and enhanced policy making process to alleviate such social nuisance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the fact that crime is committed in certain locations in geographic space, it cannot be analyzed in isolation from the environment in which it occurs and where its consequences arouse. Understanding where and why crimes took place can improve the outcomes of the activities undertaken in order to prevent them. This is confirmed by a series of empirical studies that suggest that the choice of the crime targets is not random, but is usually influenced by some psychological and spatial characteristics. In this regard, the paper points to the importance of space in shaping criminal behavior. At the same time, there is a lack of knowledge and awareness in the police practice that better knowing spatial context of crime can improve the actions that have been taken daily to counter crime. As a result, information resources contained in the spatial criminal environment remains largely untapped, leading to the lack of the efficiency of police actions.