9.4.1: Spatial Patterns of Crime
- Page ID
- 212742
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Spatial Patterns of Crime
Crime rates vary wildly by location. Some neighborhoods suffer little from crime, while others are plagued by it. These patterns repeat themselves at a variety of scales from the street corner to entire countries. According to the United Nations, Latin America and Africa were the two most dangerous regions on earth in recent years. Europe and East Asia, on the other hand, have very low homicide rates. The United States is somewhere in the middle.
Figure World Map- Homicide Rate or Murders per 100,900 people (2013) . Latin America and Sub- Saharan Africa have the highest murder rates in the world, in some places 10 times the rates found elsewhere.
A good deal of the elevated murder and crime rates worldwide can be attributed to gangs or organized crime syndicates, especially where the production and transportation of illegal drugs is concerned. The illegal drug trade is in turn fueled by the opportunity to make vast sums of money, or in many cases, a meager sum of money where economic opportunities are few, Proximity to the massive drugs markets in the United States and Europe as well as the spatial logics of agricultural production also encourages the drug trade.
Figure US Map - Homicide Rate by States. According to the government, states in the Deep South have the highest murder rate
In the United States, the old “Yankee” region seems to be the safest place to live, while the Deep South is most dangerous. For example, the murder rate is nearly five times higher in Louisiana than it is in Vermont and Iowa. Of course, not all parts of Louisiana are equally as dangerous. Within each state, crime rates vary greatly as well. For example, in Louisiana where the murder rate is very high, of the nearly 500 murders committed in 2013, more than 90% were in cities. In Los Angeles, neighborhoods with the most violent crime experience around four times as much as the statewide average, but hundreds of times more crime than the safest neighborhoods in other parts of the city.
The rate of property crime also varies greatly through space. You are more likely to have your car or truck stolen if you live in California or Washington than if you live in New York or Wisconsin (see map).
What accounts for the amazing variability in crime on the map? Most of it can be traced to the likely suspects: income inequality, lack of opportunity, racism, poverty, poor schools, gang activity, drug, and alcohol abuse.
Figure Los Angeles CA, Homicides in Los Angeles are concentrated near downtown in South LA. The map indicates how important the scale of analysis with crime data is.