ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information

Editorial

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8 pages, 213 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS

by Alina Ristea and Michael Leitner

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2020, 9(9), 511; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi9090511 - 25 Aug 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 8654

Abstract

On 22 April 2018, the authors were invited by the Editor-in-Chief, Prof [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

Research

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18 pages, 3242 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Evaluating Temporal Approximation Methods Using Burglary Data

by Lukas Oswald and Michael Leitner

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2020, 9(6), 386; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi9060386 - 10 Jun 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4184

Abstract

Law enforcement is very interested in knowing when a crime has happened. Unfortunately, the occurrence time of a crime is often not exactly known. In such circumstances, estimating the most likely time that a crime has happened is crucial for spatio-temporal analysis. The [...] Read more.

Law enforcement is very interested in knowing when a crime has happened. Unfortunately, the occurrence time of a crime is often not exactly known. In such circumstances, estimating the most likely time that a crime has happened is crucial for spatio-temporal analysis. The main purpose of this research is to introduce two novel temporal approximation methods, termed retrospective temporal analysis (RTA) and extended retrospective temporal analysis (RTA_ext). Both methods are compared to six existing temporal approximation methods and subsequently evaluated in order to identify the method that can most accurately estimate the occurrence time of crimes. This research is conducted with 100,000+ burglary crimes from the city of Vienna, Austria provided by the Criminal Intelligence Service Austria, from 2009–2015. The RTA method assumes that crimes in the immediate past occur at very similar times as in the present and in the future. Historical crimes with accurately known time stamps can therefore be applied to estimate when crimes occur in the present/future. The RTA_ext method enhances one existing temporal approximation method, aoristic_ext, with probability values derived from historical crime data with accurately known time stamps. The results show that the RTA method performs superiorly to all other temporal approximation methods, including the novel RTA_ext method, in two out of the three crime types analyzed. Additionally, the RTA_ext method shows very good results that are similar to the best performing existing approximation methods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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11 pages, 694 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Construction, Detection, and Interpretation of Crime Patterns over Space and Time

by Zengli Wang and Hong Zhang

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2020, 9(6), 339; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi9060339 - 26 May 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3918

Abstract

Empirical studies have focused on investigating the interactive relationships between crime pairs. However, many other types of crime patterns have not been extensively investigated. In this paper, we introduce three basic crime patterns in four combinations. Based on graph theory, the subgraphs for [...] Read more.

Empirical studies have focused on investigating the interactive relationships between crime pairs. However, many other types of crime patterns have not been extensively investigated. In this paper, we introduce three basic crime patterns in four combinations. Based on graph theory, the subgraphs for each pattern were constructed and analyzed using criminology theories. A Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to examine the significance of these patterns. Crime patterns were statistically significant and generated different levels of crime risk. Compared to the classical patterns, combined patterns create much higher risk levels. Among these patterns, “co-occurrence, repeat, and shift” generated the highest level of crime risk, while “repeat” generated much lower levels of crime risk. “Co-occurrence and shift” and “repeat and shift” showed undulated risk levels, while others showed a continuous decrease. These results outline the importance of proposed crime patterns and call for differentiated crime prevention strategies. This method can be extended to other research areas that use point events as research objects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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14 pages, 2765 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

GIS-Based Statistical Analysis of Detecting Fear of Crime with Digital Sketch Maps: A Hungarian Multicity Study

by Ákos Jakobi and Andrea Pődör

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2020, 9(4), 229; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi9040229 - 9 Apr 2020

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5758

Abstract

This study evaluates fear of crime perception and official crime statistics in a spatial context, by applying digital sketch maps and statistical GIS methods. The study aims to determine explanatory motives of fear of crime by comparing results of selected large, medium and [...] Read more.

This study evaluates fear of crime perception and official crime statistics in a spatial context, by applying digital sketch maps and statistical GIS methods. The study aims to determine explanatory motives of fear of crime by comparing results of selected large, medium and small sized Hungarian cities. Fear of crime information of residents were collected by using a web application, which gave the possibility to mark regions on a map, where respondents have a sense of safety or feel fear. These digital sketch maps were processed by GIS tools, and were converted to grid data, in order to calculate comparable explanatory variables for fear of crime analysis. The grid-based normalised model reflected some similarities and differences between the observed cities. According to the outcomes, examples were found both in coincidences and opposite correlations of crime statistics and perception of unsafe places, highlighting the importance of locality in fear of crime research. Additionally, the results mirrored that the size of the city or the respondent’s sex does not significantly influence the overall judgment of places, rather the absolute number of safe markings and the local number of registered crime events could affect local results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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18 pages, 1518 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of “Strike Hard” on Repeat and Near-Repeat Residential Burglary in Beijing

by Peng Chen and Justin Kurland

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2020, 9(3), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi9030150 - 6 Mar 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4932

Abstract

“Strike Hard” is an enhanced law-enforcement strategy in China that aims to suppress crime, but measurement of the crime-reducing effect and potential changes in the spatiotemporal concentration of crime associated with “Strike Hard” remain unknown. This paper seeks to examine the impact, if [...] Read more.

“Strike Hard” is an enhanced law-enforcement strategy in China that aims to suppress crime, but measurement of the crime-reducing effect and potential changes in the spatiotemporal concentration of crime associated with “Strike Hard” remain unknown. This paper seeks to examine the impact, if any, of “Strike Hard” on the spatiotemporal clustering of burglary incidents. Two and half years of residential burglary incidents from Chaoyang, Beijing are used to examine repeat and near-repeat burglary incidents before, during, and after the “Strike Hard” intervention and a new technique that enables the comparison of repeat and near repeat patterns across different temporal periods is introduced to achieve this. The results demonstrate the intervention disrupted the repeat pattern during the “Strike Hard” period reducing the observed ratio of single-day repeat burglaries by 155%; however, these same single-day repeat burglary events increased by 41% after the cessation of the intervention. Findings with respect to near repeats are less remarkable with nominal evidence to support that the intervention produced a significant decrease, but coupled with other results, suggest that spatiotemporal displacement may have been an undesired by-product of “Strike Hard”. This study from a non-Western setting provides further evidence of the generalizability of findings related to repeat and near repeat patterns of burglary and further highlights the limited preventative effect that the “Strike Hard” enhanced law enforcement campaign had on burglary. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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19 pages, 1291 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Physical, Social, and Housing Disorder on Neighborhood Crime: A Contemporary Test of Broken Windows Theory

by Rebecca Headley Konkel, Dominick Ratkowski and Susannah N. Tapp

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2019, 8(12), 583; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi8120583 - 12 Dec 2019

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 7740

Abstract

The current study tests neighborhood (i.e., block group) effects reflective of broken windows theory (i.e., neighborhood, public space, social, housing disorder) on crime. Furthermore, these effects are tested independently on serious (i.e., Part I), and less serious (i.e., Part II) crime rates. Disorder [...] Read more.

The current study tests neighborhood (i.e., block group) effects reflective of broken windows theory (i.e., neighborhood, public space, social, housing disorder) on crime. Furthermore, these effects are tested independently on serious (i.e., Part I), and less serious (i.e., Part II) crime rates. Disorder data on a racially/ethnically stratified sample of block groups (N = 60) within Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.A. were collected through systematic observations. Using these data, along with census and crime data, linear regression modeling was employed to test the effect of disorder measures on each crime outcome measure. Consistent with broken windows theory, disorder was associated with crime rates; however, the effect of disorder on crime was limited to the public space disorder measure. Furthermore, the effects of disorder on Part I crime rates were mediated by Part II offenses. Partial support was found for broken windows theory, in which neighborhood context had a greater effect on less serious offenses. Neighborhoods with increasing frequencies of disorder may benefit from bolstering partnerships between law enforcement officers, community members, and other local stakeholders with the aim of deterring offending at all levels, and consequently, decreasing indices of disorder and crime. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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16 pages, 2983 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Types of Crime, Poverty, Population Density and Presence of Police in the Metropolitan District of Quito

by Pablo F. Cabrera-Barona, Gualdemar Jimenez and Pablo Melo

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2019, 8(12), 558; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi8120558 - 4 Dec 2019

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 9216

Abstract

This exploratory study identifies spatial patterns of crimes and their associations with the index of Unsatisfied Basic Needs (UBN), with Communitarian Policy Units (CPU) density, as well as with population density. The case study is the Metropolitan District of Quito. Correlation analyses were [...] Read more.

This exploratory study identifies spatial patterns of crimes and their associations with the index of Unsatisfied Basic Needs (UBN), with Communitarian Policy Units (CPU) density, as well as with population density. The case study is the Metropolitan District of Quito. Correlation analyses were applied between number of registers of each type of crime, and the UBN index, CPU density and population density measures. The spatial autocorrelation index of Getis-Ord Gi* was calculated to identify hotspots of the different types of crime. Ordinary least squares regressions and geographically weighted regressions considering types of crime as dependent variables, were calculated. Larceny and robbery were found to be the predominant crimes in the study area. An inverse relationship between the UBN index and number of crimes was identified for each type of crime, while positive relationships were found between crimes and CPU density, and between crimes and population density. Significant hotspots of fraud, homicide, larceny, murder, rape and robbery were found in all urban parishes. Additionally, crime hotspots were identified in eastern rural parishes adjacent to urban parishes. This study provides important implications for crime prevention in the Metropolitan District of Quito (MDQ), and the obtained results contribute to the ecology of crime research in the study area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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17 pages, 4636 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analyzing the Relationship between Perception of Safety and Reported Crime in an Urban Neighborhood Using GIS and Sketch Maps

by Yelena Ogneva-Himmelberger, Laurie Ross, Thomas Caywood, Marina Khananayev and Casey Starr

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2019, 8(12), 531; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi8120531 - 27 Nov 2019

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5143

Abstract

This study analyzes the perception of safety among residents of Main South neighborhood in Worcester, MA, USA and compares it to reported crimes. This neighborhood is the focus of a community-based crime reduction project funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the policy [...] Read more.

This study analyzes the perception of safety among residents of Main South neighborhood in Worcester, MA, USA and compares it to reported crimes. This neighborhood is the focus of a community-based crime reduction project funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the policy development arm of the U.S. Department of Justice. We collected social disorder and violent crime data from the Worcester Police Department and conducted 129 household surveys to understand residents’ perception of safety in the neighborhood and trust in community institutions. The surveys included a map on which residents indicated where they felt unsafe. The goal of this research was twofold: (1) to use geographic information systems (GIS) to analyze the differences in perception of neighborhood safety by gender and length of residency in the neighborhood and (2) to explore the relationship between reported crime and perception of safety in the community. Findings indicate that the strength of the correlation between perceived safety and reported crime varies and that gender and length of residency are significant factors that shape perceptions of safety. Implications of this research suggest the need for comprehensive community-based development initiatives to offer differentiated strategies that address a broad range of safety perceptions and crime experiences among a diverse group of residents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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17 pages, 2250 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating Contextual Effects on Burglary Risks: A Contextual Effects Model Built Based on Bayesian Spatial Modeling Strategy

by Hongqiang Liu, Xinyan Zhu, Dongying Zhang and Zhen Liu

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2019, 8(11), 488; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi8110488 - 30 Oct 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2844

Abstract

A contextual effects model, built based on Bayesian spatial modeling strategy, was used to investigate contextual effects on neighborhood burglary risks in Wuhan, China. The contextual effects denote the impact of the upper-level area on the lower-level units of analysis. These effects are [...] Read more.

A contextual effects model, built based on Bayesian spatial modeling strategy, was used to investigate contextual effects on neighborhood burglary risks in Wuhan, China. The contextual effects denote the impact of the upper-level area on the lower-level units of analysis. These effects are often neglected in Bayesian spatial crime analysis. The contextual effects model accounts for the effects of independent variables, overdispersion, spatial autocorrelation, and contextual effects. Both the contextual effects model and the conventional Bayesian spatial model were fitted to our data. Results showed the two models had almost the same deviance information criterion (DIC). Furthermore, they identified the same set of significant independent variables and gave very similar estimates for burglary risks. Nonetheless, the contextual effects model was preferred in the sense that it provides insights into contextual effects on crime risks. Based on the contextual effects model and the map decomposition technique, we identified, worked out, and mapped the relative contribution of the neighborhood characteristics and contextual effects on the overall burglary risks. The research contributes to the increasing literature on modeling crime data by Bayesian spatial approaches. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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21 pages, 6993 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Spill Over of Crime from Urban Centers: An Account of the Changing Spatial Distribution of Violent Crime in Guyana

by Anthony R. Cummings, Nakul Markandey, Hannah Das, Celina Arredondo, Aaran Wehenkel, Brittany L. Tiemann and Giyol Lee

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2019, 8(11), 481; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi8110481 - 25 Oct 2019

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4717

Abstract

As the rate of crime decelerates in the developed world, the opposite phenomenon is being observed in the developing world, including Latin America and the Caribbean. Crime in Latin America and the Caribbean has been concentrated in urban settings, but the expertise for [...] Read more.

As the rate of crime decelerates in the developed world, the opposite phenomenon is being observed in the developing world, including Latin America and the Caribbean. Crime in Latin America and the Caribbean has been concentrated in urban settings, but the expertise for studying crime and providing guidance on policing remain heavily rooted in the developed world. A hindrance to studying crime in the developing world is the difficulty in obtaining official data, allowing for generalizations on where crime is concentrated to persist. This paper tackles two challenges facing crime analysis in the developing world: the availability of data and an examination of whether crime is concentrated in urban settings. We utilized newspaper archival data to study the spatial distribution of crime in Guyana, South America, across the landscape, and in relation to rural indigenous villages. Three spatial analysis tools, hotspot analysis, mean center, and standard deviation ellipse were used to examine the changing distribution of crime across 20 years. Based on 3900 reports of violent crime, our analyses suggest that the center of the gravity of crime changed over the years, spilling over to indigenous peoples’ landscapes. An examination of murder, where firearms and bladed weapons were the weapons of choice, suggests that these weapons moved beyond the coastal zone. The movement of weapons away from the coast raises concerns for the security of indigenous peoples and their associated wildlife. Our analysis suggests that policing measures should seek to extend towards Amerindian landscapes, and this is perhaps indicative of Latin American states with demographics similar to Guyana’s. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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21 pages, 3999 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Income Inequality Explain the Geography of Residential Burglaries? The Case of Belo Horizonte, Brazil

by Rafael G. Ramos

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2019, 8(10), 439; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi8100439 - 7 Oct 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4000

Abstract

The relationship between crime and income inequality is a complex and controversial issue. While there is some consensus that a relationship exists, the nature of it is still the subject of much debate. In this paper, this relationship is investigated in the context [...] Read more.

The relationship between crime and income inequality is a complex and controversial issue. While there is some consensus that a relationship exists, the nature of it is still the subject of much debate. In this paper, this relationship is investigated in the context of urban geography and whether income inequality can explain the geography of crime within cities. This question is examined for the specific case of residential burglaries in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, where I tested how much burglary rates are affected by local average household income and by local exposure to poverty, while I controlled for other variables relevant to criminological theory, such as land-use type, density and accessibility. Different scales were considered for testing the effect of exposure to poverty. This study reveals that, in Belo Horizonte, the rate of burglaries per single family house is significantly and positively related to income level, but a higher exposure to poverty has no significant independent effect on these rates at any scale tested. The rate of burglaries per apartment, on the other hand, is not significantly affected by either average household income or exposure to poverty. These results seem consistent with a description where burglaries follow a geographical distribution based on opportunity, rather than being a product of localized income disparity and higher exposure between different economic groups. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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12 pages, 1672 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Crime Geographical Displacement: Testing Its Potential Contribution to Crime Prediction

by Zengli Wang, Lin Liu, Hanlin Zhou and Minxuan Lan

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2019, 8(9), 383; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi8090383 - 2 Sep 2019

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4316

Abstract

Crime geographical displacement has been examined in many Western countries. However, little is known about its existence, distribution, and potential predictive ability in large cities in China. Compared to the existing research, this study contributes to the current research in three ways. (1) [...] Read more.

Crime geographical displacement has been examined in many Western countries. However, little is known about its existence, distribution, and potential predictive ability in large cities in China. Compared to the existing research, this study contributes to the current research in three ways. (1) It provides confirmation that crime geographical displacement exists in relation to burglaries that occur in a large Chinese city. (2) A crime geographical displacement detector is proposed, where significant displacements are statistically detected and geographically displayed. Interestingly, most of the displacements are not very far from one another. These findings confirm the inferences in the existing literature. (3) Based on the quantitative results detected by the crime geographical displacement detector, a crime prediction method involving crime geographical displacement patterns could improve the accuracy of the empirical crime prediction method by 7.25% and 3.1 in the capture rate and prediction accuracy index (PAI), respectively. Our current study verifies the feasibility of crime displacement for crime prediction. The feasibility of the crime geographical displacement detector and results should be verified in additional areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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16 pages, 6762 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Traffic Accident Spatial Simulation Modeling for Planning of Road Emergency Services

by Amin Naboureh, Bakhtiar Feizizadeh, Abbas Naboureh, Jinhu Bian, Thomas Blaschke, Omid Ghorbanzadeh and Meisam Moharrami

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2019, 8(9), 371; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi8090371 - 25 Aug 2019

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4900

Abstract

The appropriate locations of road emergency stations (RESs) can help to decrease the impact of traffic accidents that cause around 50 million injuries per year worldwide. In this research, the appropriateness of existing RESs in the Khuzestan province, Iran, was assessed using an [...] Read more.

The appropriate locations of road emergency stations (RESs) can help to decrease the impact of traffic accidents that cause around 50 million injuries per year worldwide. In this research, the appropriateness of existing RESs in the Khuzestan province, Iran, was assessed using an integrated fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) and geographic information system (GIS) approach. The data used in this research were collected from different sources, including the department of roads, the department of health, the statistics organization, forensics, police centers, the surveying and geological department, remotely-sensed and global positioning system (GPS) data of accident high crash zones. On the basis of previous studies and the requirements of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, as well as the department of roads of Iran for the location of RESs, nine criteria and 19 sub-criteria were adopted, including population, safety, environmental indicators, compatible area in RES, incompatible area in RES, type of road, accident high crash zones, traffic level and performance radius. The FAHP yielded the criteria weights and the ideal locations for establishing RESs using GIS analysis and aggregation functions. The resulting map matched the known road accident and high crash zones very well. The results indicated that the current RES stations are not distributed appropriately along the major roads of the Khuzestan province, and a re-arrangement is suggested. The finding of the present study can help decision-makers and authorities to achieve sustainable road safety in the case study area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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16 pages, 1806 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Analysis of Firearm Discharge Recorded by Gunshot Detection Technology and Calls for Service in Louisville, Kentucky

by William Renda and Charlie H. Zhang

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2019, 8(6), 275; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi8060275 - 13 Jun 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4963

Abstract

Gunshot detection technology (GDT) has been increasingly adopted by law enforcement agencies to tackle the problem of underreporting of crime via 911 calls for service, which undoubtedly affects the quality of crime mapping and spatial analysis. This article investigates the spatial and temporal [...] Read more.

Gunshot detection technology (GDT) has been increasingly adopted by law enforcement agencies to tackle the problem of underreporting of crime via 911 calls for service, which undoubtedly affects the quality of crime mapping and spatial analysis. This article investigates the spatial and temporal patterns of gun violence by comparing data collected from GDT and 911 calls in Louisville, Kentucky. We applied hot spot mapping, near repeat diagnosis, and spatial regression approaches to the analysis of gunshot incidents and their associated neighborhood characteristics. We observed significant discrepancies between GDT data and 911 calls for service, which indicate possible underreporting of firearm discharge in 911 call data. The near repeat analysis suggests an increased risk of gunshots in nearby locations following an initial event. Results of spatial regression models validate the hypothesis of spatial dependence in frequencies of gunshot incidents and crime underreporting across neighborhoods in the study area, both of which are positively associated with proportions of African American residents, who are less likely to report a gunshot. This article adds to a growing body of research on GDT and its benefits for law enforcement activity. Findings from this research not only provide new insights into the spatiotemporal aspects of gun violence in urban areas but also shed light on the issue of underreporting of gun violence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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13 pages, 2603 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Assessment of Police Officers’ Perception of Hotspots: What Can Be Done to Improve Officer’s Situational Awareness?

by Venezija Ilijazi, Nenad Milic, Dragan Milidragovic and Brankica Popovic

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2019, 8(6), 260; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi8060260 - 1 Jun 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5316

Abstract

The idea behind patrol activity is that police officers should be the persons best acquainted with the events and people in their patrol area. This implies that they should have access to relevant data and information (e.g., where and how to pay attention, [...] Read more.

The idea behind patrol activity is that police officers should be the persons best acquainted with the events and people in their patrol area. This implies that they should have access to relevant data and information (e.g., where and how to pay attention, when and how crimes are committed) in order to effectively perform their police duties. To what extent their perceptions of the places prone to crime (hotspots) are accurate and what the implications are for police efficiency if they are incorrect is an important question for law enforcement officials. This paper presents the results of a study on police practice in Serbia. The study was conducted on a sample of 54 police officers and aimed to determine the accuracy of the perception of residential burglary hotspots and to evaluate the ways police officers are informed about crimes. The results of the study have shown that the situational awareness of police officers is not at a desired level, with ineffective dissemination of relevant data and information as one of the possible reasons. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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21 pages, 12379 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anisotropic Diffusion for Improved Crime Prediction in Urban China

by Yicheng Tang, Xinyan Zhu, Wei Guo, Ling Wu and Yaxin Fan

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2019, 8(5), 234; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi8050234 - 20 May 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4395

Abstract

As a major social issue during urban development, crime is closely related to socioeconomic, geographic, and environmental factors. Traditional crime prediction models reveal the spatiotemporal dynamics of crime risks, but usually ignore the environmental context of the geographic areas where crimes occur. Therefore, [...] Read more.

As a major social issue during urban development, crime is closely related to socioeconomic, geographic, and environmental factors. Traditional crime prediction models reveal the spatiotemporal dynamics of crime risks, but usually ignore the environmental context of the geographic areas where crimes occur. Therefore, it is difficult to enhance the spatial accuracy of crime prediction. We propose the use of anisotropic diffusion to include environmental factors of the evaluated geographic area in the traditional crime prediction model, thereby aiming to predict crime occurrence at a finer scale regarding spatiotemporal aspects and environmental similarity. Under different evaluation criteria, the average prediction accuracy of the proposed method is 28.8%, improving prediction accuracy by 77.5%, as compared to the traditional methods. The proposed method can provide strong policing support in terms of conducting targeted hotspot policing and fostering sustainable community development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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15 pages, 1533 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Could Crime Risk Be Propagated across Crime Types?

by Zengli Wang and Hong Zhang

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2019, 8(5), 203; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi8050203 - 4 May 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3566

Abstract

It has long been acknowledged that crimes of the same type tend to be committed at the same location or proximity in a short period. However, the investigation of whether this phenomenon exists across crime types remains limited. The spatial-temporal clustered patterns for [...] Read more.

It has long been acknowledged that crimes of the same type tend to be committed at the same location or proximity in a short period. However, the investigation of whether this phenomenon exists across crime types remains limited. The spatial-temporal clustered patterns for two types of crimes in public areas (pocket-picking and vehicle/motor vehicle theft) are separately examined. Compared with existing research, this study contributes to current research from three aspects: (1) The repeat and near-repeat phenomenon exists in two types of crimes in a large Chinese city. (2) A significant spatial-temporal interaction between pocket-picking and vehicle/motor vehicle theft exists within a range of 100 m. Some cross-crime type interactions seem to have a stronger ability of prediction than does single-crime type interaction. (3) A risk-avoiding activity is identified after spatial-temporal hotspots of another crime type. The spatial extent with increased risk is limited to a certain distance from the previous hotspots. The experimental results are analyzed and interpreted with current criminology theories. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

17 pages, 647 KiB

Open AccessReview

Analysing the Police Patrol Routing Problem: A Review

by Maite Dewinter, Christophe Vandeviver, Tom Vander Beken and Frank Witlox

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2020, 9(3), 157; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi9030157 - 9 Mar 2020

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 18391

Abstract

Police patrol is a complex process. While on patrol, police officers must balance many intersecting responsibilities. Most notably, police must proactively patrol and prevent offenders from committing crimes but must also reactively respond to real-time incidents. Efficient patrol strategies are crucial to manage [...] Read more.

Police patrol is a complex process. While on patrol, police officers must balance many intersecting responsibilities. Most notably, police must proactively patrol and prevent offenders from committing crimes but must also reactively respond to real-time incidents. Efficient patrol strategies are crucial to manage scarce police resources and minimize emergency response times. The objective of this review paper is to discuss solution methods that can be used to solve the so-called police patrol routing problem (PPRP). The starting point of the review is the existing literature on the dynamic vehicle routing problem (DVRP). A keyword search resulted in 30 articles that focus on the DVRP with a link to police. Although the articles refer to policing, there is no specific focus on the PPRP; hence, there is a knowledge gap. A diversity of approaches is put forward ranging from more convenient solution methods such as a (hybrid) Genetic Algorithm (GA), linear programming and routing policies, to more complex Markov Decision Processes and Online Stochastic Combinatorial Optimization. Given the objectives, characteristics, advantages and limitations, the (hybrid) GA, routing policies and local search seem the most valuable solution methods for solving the PPRP. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Crime Mapping and Analysis Using GIS)

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