Mapping Crime: Understanding Hot Spots
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Evaluation of Methods for Classifying Epidemiological Data on Choropleth Maps in Series
Evaluation of Methods for Classifying Epidemiological Data on Choropleth Maps in Series Cynthia A. Brewer* and Linda Pickle** *Department of Geography, The Pennsylvania State University **National Cancer Institute Our research goal was to determine which choropleth classification methods are most suitable for epidemiological rate maps. We compared seven methods using responses by fifty-six subjects in a two-part experiment involving nine series of U.S. mortality maps. Subjects answered a wide range of general map-reading questions that involved indi- vidual maps and comparisons among maps in a series. The questions addressed varied scales of map-reading, from in- dividual enumeration units, to regions, to whole-map distributions. Quantiles and minimum boundary error classi- fication methods were best suited for these general choropleth map-reading tasks. Natural breaks (Jenks) and a hybrid version of equal-intervals classing formed a second grouping in the results, both producing responses less than 70 percent as accurate as for quantiles. Using matched legends across a series of maps (when possible) increased map-comparison accuracy by approximately 28 percent. The advantages of careful optimization procedures in choropleth classification seem to offer no benefit over the simpler quantile method for the general map-reading tasks tested in the reported experiment. Key Words: choropleth, classification, epidemiology, maps. horopleth mapping is well suited for presenta- a range of classification methods in anticipation of in- tion and exploration of mortality-rate data. Of creased production of mortality maps at the NCHS, the C the many options available, epidemiologists cus- National Cancer Institute (NCI), and other health agen- tomarily use quantile-based classification in their map- cies through desktop geographic information systems ping (see Table 5 in Walter and Birnie 1991). -
Crime Mapping and Analysis by Community Organizations
U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs National Institute of Justice National Institute of Justice R e s e a r c h i n B r i e f March 2001 Issues and Findings Crime Mapping and Analysis Discussed in this Brief: An as- sessment of how community orga- by Community Organizations nizations in Hartford, Connecticut, used the Neighborhood Problem Solving (NPS) system, a computer- in Hartford, Connecticut based mapping and crime analysis technology. The NPS system en- By Thomas Rich abled users to create a variety of maps and other reports depicting Crime mapping has become increasingly community policing field offices. Devel- crime conditions by accessing a popular among law enforcement agencies oped with NIJ funding, the system enables database containing the most re- and has enjoyed high visibility at the Fed- users to create a variety of maps and other cent 2 years of incident-level police information. eral level, in the media, and among the reports depicting crime conditions by us- largest police departments in the Nation, ing a database containing the most recent Key issues: The objective in Hart- most notably those in Chicago and New 2 years of incident-level police informa- ford was to extend basic mapping York City. However, there have been few tion, including citizen-initiated calls for and crime analysis technologies efforts to make crime mapping capabilities service, reported crimes, and arrests. Al- beyond the law enforcement com- available to community residents and or- though some police departments routinely munity by putting them into the ganizations, although a National Institute publish aggregate crime statistics and a hands of neighborhood-based organizations so they could analyze of Justice (NIJ)-funded project in Chicago few publish incident-level crime informa- incident-level data and produce in the late 1980s aimed at introducing tion on the Internet, the objective in Hart- their own maps and reports. -
Cartography. the Definitive Guide to Making Maps, Sample Chapter
Cartograms Cartograms offer a way of accounting for differences in population distribution by modifying the geography. Geography can easily get in the way of making a good Consider the United States map in which thematic map. The advantage of a geographic map is that it states with larger populations will inevitably lead to larger numbers for most population- gives us the greatest recognition of shapes we’re familiar with related variables. but the disadvantage is that the geographic size of the areas has no correlation to the quantitative data shown. The intent However, the more populous states are not of most thematic maps is to provide the reader with a map necessarily the largest states in area, and from which comparisons can be made and so geography is so a map that shows population data in the almost always inappropriate. This fact alone creates problems geographical sense inevitably skews our perception of the distribution of that data for perception and cognition. Accounting for these problems because the geography becomes dominant. might be addressed in many ways such as manipulating the We end up with a misleading map because data itself. Alternatively, instead of changing the data and densely populated states are relatively small maintaining the geography, you can retain the data values but and vice versa. Cartograms will always give modify the geography to create a cartogram. the map reader the correct proportion of the mapped data variable precisely because it modifies the geography to account for the There are four general types of cartogram. They each problem. distort geographical space and account for the disparities caused by unequal distribution of the population among The term cartogramme can be traced to the areas of different sizes. -
BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT | BOSTON REGIONAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER Alexa Lambros, Class of 2018
BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT | BOSTON REGIONAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER Alexa Lambros, Class of 2018 The BRIC interns with the BPD Chief of Police! MY ROLE: ASSISTANT CRIME ANALYST/RESEARCH ASSISTANT SPECIAL PROJECT • Mission/Goal Community policing; “working in partnership with the community to fight crime, STANDARD RESPONSIBILITIES reduce fear and improve the quality of life in our • Took raw data from UASI neighborhoods” (BPDnews.com) DAILY INFORMATION INFORMATION crime mapping database of all property stolen from • Size 20th largest LEA in the country; 3rd largest in SUMMARY REQUESTS • Fulfilled information retrieval 9/2015 – 2/2016 New England (Wikipedia) • Assembled packets of recent gang • Utilized Excel skills to • Organization 8 Bureaus and 12 districts incidents and summarized reports requests for Boston/UASI police, correctional, and probation officers organize/categorize data • Focus/Success Utilizes unique combination of • Researched arrests from Urban • Evaulated relationships community relations and statistical analysis to Area Security Initiative (UASI) between numerous elements of reduce crime throughout city; over the last four districts and summarized reports BULLETINS collected data and drew decades, Boston has achieved a large decrease in • Compiled incident summaries on • Created ID Wanted, Wanted, relevant conclusions its overall crime rate (BPDnews.com) violent and property crime within Missing Person, and BOLO bulletins • IMPORTANCE: Created Boston and UASI districts into BRIC's at request of Boston/UASI officers infographic -
Motor Vehicle Theft: Crime and Spatial Analysis in a Non-Urban Region
The author(s) shown below used Federal funds provided by the U.S. Department of Justice and prepared the following final report: Document Title: Motor Vehicle Theft: Crime and Spatial Analysis in a Non-Urban Region Author(s): Deborah Lamm Weisel ; William R. Smith ; G. David Garson ; Alexi Pavlichev ; Julie Wartell Document No.: 215179 Date Received: August 2006 Award Number: 2003-IJ-CX-0162 This report has not been published by the U.S. Department of Justice. To provide better customer service, NCJRS has made this Federally- funded grant final report available electronically in addition to traditional paper copies. Opinions or points of view expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. This document is a research report submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice. This report has not been published by the Department. Opinions or points of view expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Crime and Spatial Analysis of Vehicle Theft in a Non-Urban Region Motor vehicle theft in non-urban areas does not reveal the well-recognized hot spots often associated with crime in urban areas. These findings resulted from a study of 2003 vehicle thefts in a four-county region of western North Carolina comprised primarily of small towns and unincorporated areas. While the study suggested that point maps have limited value for areas with low volume and geographically-dispersed crime, the steps necessary to create regional maps – including collecting and validating crime locations with Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates – created a reliable dataset that permitted more in-depth analysis. -
Crime Mapping: Spatial and Temporal Challenges
CHAPTER 2 Crime Mapping: Spatial and Temporal Challenges JERRY RATCLIFFE INTRODUCTION Crime opportunities are neither uniformly nor randomly organized in space and time. As a result, crime mappers can unlock these spatial patterns and strive for a better theoretical understanding of the role of geography and opportunity, as well as enabling practical crime prevention solutions that are tailored to specific places. The evolution of crime mapping has heralded a new era in spatial criminology, and a re-emergence of the importance of place as one of the cornerstones essential to an understanding of crime and criminality. While early criminological inquiry in France and Britain had a spatial component, much of mainstream criminology for the last century has labored to explain criminality from a dispositional per- spective, trying to explain why a particular offender or group has a propensity to commit crime. This traditional perspective resulted in criminologists focusing on individuals or on communities where the community extended from the neighborhood to larger aggregations (Weisburd et al. 2004). Even when the results lacked ambiguity, the findings often lacked policy relevance. However, crime mapping has revived interest and reshaped many criminol- ogists appreciation for the importance of local geography as a determinant of crime that may be as important as criminal motivation. Between the individual and large urban areas (such as cities and regions) lies a spatial scale where crime varies considerably and does so at a frame of reference that is often amenable to localized crime prevention techniques. For example, without the opportunity afforded by enabling environmental weaknesses, such as poorly lit streets, lack of protective surveillance, or obvious victims (such as overtly wealthy tourists or unsecured vehicles), many offenders would not be as encouraged to commit crime. -
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1 WHAT IS CRIME SCIENCE? Richard Wortley, Aiden Sidebottom
WHAT IS CRIME SCIENCE? Richard Wortley, Aiden Sidebottom, Nick Tilley and Gloria Laycock To cite: Wortley, R., Sidebottom, A., Tilley, N., & Laycock, G. (2019). What is crime science? In R. Wortley, A. Sidebottom, N. Tilley, & G. Laycock (eds). The Handbook of Crime Science. London: Routledge 1 ABSTRACT This chapter provides an introduction to the Handbook of Crime Science. It describes the historical roots of crime science in environmental criminology, providing a brief overview of key theoretical perspectives, including crime prevention through environmental design, defensible space, situational crime prevention, routine activities approach, crime pattern theory and rational choice perspective. It sets out three defining features of crime science: its outcome focus on crime reduction, its scientific orientation, and its embracing of diverse scientific disciplines across the social, natural, formal and applied sciences. Key words: crime science; situational crime prevention; 2 INTRODUCTION Crime science is precisely what it says it is – it is the application of science to the phenomenon of crime. Put like this, it might seem that crime science simply describes what criminologists always do, but this is not the case. First, many of the concerns of criminology are not about crime at all – they are about the characteristics of offenders and how they are formed, the structure of society and the operation of social institutions, the formulation and application of law, the roles and functions of the criminal justice system and the behaviour of actors within it, and so on. For crime scientists, crime is the central focus. They examine who commits crime and why, what crimes they commit and how they go about it, and where and when such crimes are carried out. -
The Law of Crime Concentration in Midsized Cities: a Spatial Analysis Hannah Ridner
Western Kentucky University TopSCHOLAR® Masters Theses & Specialist Projects Graduate School Summer 2019 The Law of Crime Concentration in Midsized Cities: A Spatial Analysis Hannah Ridner Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses Part of the Criminology Commons, and the Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by TopSCHOLAR®. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses & Specialist Projects by an authorized administrator of TopSCHOLAR®. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE LAW OF CRIME CONCENTRATION IN MIDSIZED CITIES: A SPATIAL ANALYSIS A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Department of Sociology Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, Kentucky In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts By Hannah Rebecca Ridner August 2019 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The completion of this thesis would not be possible without the support of my committee: Dr. Rick Jones, Dr. James Kanan, and Dr. Pavel Vasiliev. I am grateful for the support, feedback, and advice given to me throughout the process of this thesis. To my thesis chair, Dr. Jones, I cannot express my gratitude for your mentorship throughout my two years at Western Kentucky. I have learned so much from you, developed many skills, and would not be going to a PhD program without the hours of time and effort you have put into me, and this thesis. Thank you for being so dedicated to me. I would also like to thank my undergraduate mentor, Dr. Steve Seiler. Without his constant dedication and support for me, I would potentially have never even gone to graduate school in the first place. -
Venturing in the Slipstream
VENTURING IN THE SLIPSTREAM THE PLACES OF VAN MORRISON’S SONGWRITING Geoff Munns BA, MLitt, MEd (hons), PhD (University of New England) A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Western Sydney University, October 2019. Statement of Authentication The work presented in this thesis is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, original except as acknowledged in the text. I hereby declare that I have not submitted this material, either in full or in part, for a degree at this or any other institution. .............................................................. Geoff Munns ii Abstract This thesis explores the use of place in Van Morrison’s songwriting. The central argument is that he employs place in many of his songs at lyrical and musical levels, and that this use of place as a poetic and aural device both defines and distinguishes his work. This argument is widely supported by Van Morrison scholars and critics. The main research question is: What are the ways that Van Morrison employs the concept of place to explore the wider themes of his writing across his career from 1965 onwards? This question was reached from a critical analysis of Van Morrison’s songs and recordings. A position was taken up in the study that the songwriter’s lyrics might be closely read and appreciated as song texts, and this reading could offer important insights into the scope of his life and work as a songwriter. The analysis is best described as an analytical and interpretive approach, involving a simultaneous reading and listening to each song and examining them as speech acts. -
Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS
International Journal of Geo-Information Editorial Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS Alina Ristea 1 and Michael Leitner 2,* 1 Boston Area Research Initiative, School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; [email protected] 2 Department of Geography and Anthropology, Louisiana State University, E-104 Howe Russell Geoscience Complex, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-225-578-2963 Received: 18 August 2020; Accepted: 20 August 2020; Published: 25 August 2020 On 22 April 2018, the authors were invited by the Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Wolfgang Kainz, to establish a Special Issue in the ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information on “Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS”. On 10 June 2020, more than two years after this initial invitation, the final of a total of 17 articles was published, bringing this Special Issue to a very successful conclusion. This Special Issue is a follow-up publication of an edited book [1] and two previously published Special Issues [2,3] on crime analysis, modeling, and mapping. In our first call for papers, sent out on 4 December 2018, we believed that this new collection of papers would contribute to the contemporary research agenda on spatial and temporal crime-related issues. We encouraged submissions of both theoretical as well as application-oriented papers dealing with these emerging issues. Specifically, our interest was in papers that covered a wide spectrum of methodological and domain-specific topics, highlighting both the breadth and the depth of current research and application in the geography of crime. -
Making Sense of Crime
MAKING SENSE OF CRIME The challenges of evidence on the causes of crime and policies to reduce it. Published in 2015 CONTRIBUTORS The contributors met over 2014 and 2015 to review the public debate on crime and crime policy; to identify insights from research that put this debate into context; and to edit the guide. With thanks to everyone else who reviewed all or part of the guide, including: Geoffrey Payne, Niral Vadera, Milly Zimeta, Jonathan Breckon, David Derbyshire and Rachel Tuffin and to the Alliance for Useful Evidence for hosting a meeting of the contributors. DR ALEX DR ALEX PROFESSOR PROFESSOR JON SUTHERLAND THOMPSON JONATHAN SILVERMAN Research leader in Research and SHEPHERD Research professor of communities, safety and Policy Officer, Director, Violence media and criminal justice, RAND Europe; Sense About Science Research Group and justice, University of research associate, professor of oral and Bedfordshire; former Institute of Criminology, maxillofacial surgery, BBC Home Affairs University of Cambridge Cardiff University correspondent PROFESSOR DR LISA NICK DR PRATEEK KEN PEASE MORRISON- ROSS BUCH Visiting professor of COULTHARD Chairman, UCL Jill Policy director, crime science, Lead policy Dando Institute of Evidence Matters Department of Security advisor, British Security and Crime campaign, Sense and Crime Science, Psychological Society Science; former About Science University College Crimewatch presenter London, and University of Loughborough PROFESSOR TRACEY RICHARD WORTLEY BROWN Director, UCL Jill Dando Director, Sense Institute of Security and About Science Crime Science CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 01. HOW POLITICIANS AND THE MEDIA SHAPE WHAT WE THINK ABOUT CRIME 02. THERE ARE MORE RELIABLE WAYS OF MEASURING CRIME THAN POLICE STATISTICS 03.