Crime Incidents Research Articles

The Garrison and the Jamaican State: A Model for Co-optation

The informal system that is present in communities called garrisons in Jamaica often operate outside of the law. Under the leadership of dons, who were initially appointed to carry out the dictates of politicians, the operations of the garrison accounts for approximately 40% of Jamaica’s homicide and is perceived as a socially disorganized space. Research done on these communities suggests that dismantling these communities will ameliorate the high incidence of crime. The main question of this study is, are these communities socially disorganized spaces? The major argument is, the ineptitude of the Jamaican state has resulted in the institution of various mechanisms by non-state actors within these communities to address their justice concerns, and there is an implicit reliance on their services by the Jamaican state. The problem of crime in Jamaica is complex and requires a multi-dimensional approach to addressing the issue. In this paper, I use a Foucauldian lens to highlight the utility of this instituted informal system and suggest that any strategies geared towards addressing crime and violence that occur in these communities should explore coalescing these informal structures into Jamaica’s formal framework.

Angry and Afraid: Exploring the Impact of Mixed Emotional Reactions to Hate Crimes With LGBT+ and Muslim Communities.

Hate crimes send messages of intolerance that can cause significant emotional and behavioral harm to entire identity groups. Previous research, based on intergroup emotions theory, has helped explain the psychological mechanisms that underpin the indirect effects of anti-LGBT+ hate crime, showing that incidents give rise to perceptions of threat among community members, which in turn elicit certain emotional reactions that trigger specific behavioral outcomes. This article provides two significant contributions to this developing knowledgebase. First, it provides an important replication of the theoretical model with another frequently targeted community: Muslim people. In addition, it offers the first quantitative analysis of how combinations of different emotions trigger discrete behavioral responses in the aftermath of hate crime, thereby providing much-needed nuance to the intergroup emotions theory model. Across two studies (Study 1: N = 589 LGBT+ participants; Study 2: N = 347 Muslim participants), we show that, for both LGBT+ and Muslim participants, indirect experiences of hate crimes are associated with greater perceptions of threat, which are then positively associated with anger, anxiety, and shame, that link to behavioral intentions: avoidance, pro-action, security behaviors, and retaliation. Latent class analyses further revealed that participants' emotional reactions tend to cluster into four distinct profiles in both communities: people scored mid-range on all emotions, or high anger with low shame, or high anger with high anxiety, or low shame. These combinations had direct implications for intended behaviors across both groups: experiencing high anger with high anxiety was a cogent motivator of action. Most significantly, we provide new insights into how and why different emotions interact to predict both similar and divergent behaviors in the aftermath of hate crime incidents. Our findings yield important new knowledge that holds the potential of shaping both public policies and practices aimed at addressing the impacts of hate crimes.

Using Big Data Analytics to Identify Trends and Group Crimes through Clustering

The incidence of crime in a city presents a challenge in the absence of trend analysis that impacts citizen security. The objective of this research was to analyze and visualize crime trends in the area, using the concepts and fundamentals of Big Data Analytics, Data Mining and Clustering, the problem is addressed with a quantitative approach, using the CRISP-DM process, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the K-Means algorithm for clustering. Validation is performed with the Elbow Score and the Average Silhouette method, ensuring the robustness of the data clustering. The results show that crimes against property, such as robbery and theft, are the most frequent. Four crime clusters are identified, each associated with a specific category, providing a detailed view of crime distribution. Comparison with previous studies highlights the effectiveness of Big Data technologies in reducing crime, providing a solid basis for more accurate security strategies.

Trends and Patterns of Crime against Scheduled Tribes in States of Northern and Western Regions of India

The paper discussed trends and patterns of crime against scheduled tribes in states of northern and western regions of India. It has found that highest crime against scheduled tribe(s) occurred in Rajasthan followed by Maharashtra and Gujrat. There are no incidences of crime against scheduled tribe(s) in Haryana. Incidences and victims of simple hurt, grievous hurt murder, assault on tribal women and attempt to commit murder are highest in Rajasthan followed by Maharashtra and Gujrat. Incidences and number of victims of sexual harassment is highest in Maharashtra followed by Rajasthan and Gujrat. Rajasthan has the highest incidences and victims of stalking followed by Maharashtra and Gujrat. Incidences of assault of children of scheduled tribes is highest in Maharashtra followed by Rajasthan and Gujrat. There are no incidences of kidnapping for ransom in any states of the regions. Incidences of kidnapping and abduction of women to compel her for marriage is highest in Rajasthan followed by Gujrat and Maharashtra. There are no incidences of procuration of minor girls of scheduled tribes in any state of the regions. Incidences of rape of women is higher in Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Rajasthan has the highest incidences of robbery followed by Maharashtra and Gujrat. Therefore, government of the concern states should implement proper policies for minimizing such crimes against scheduled tribes.

Bounded risk disposition explains Turing patterns and tipping points during spatial contagions.

Spatial contagions, such as pandemics, opinion polarization, infodemics and civil unrest, exhibit non-trivial spatio-temporal patterns and dynamics driven by complex human behaviours and population mobility. Here, we propose a concise generic framework to model different contagion types within a suitably defined contagion vulnerability space. This space comprises risk disposition, considered in terms of bounded risk aversion and adaptive responsiveness and a generalized susceptibility acquisition. We show that resultant geospatial contagion configurations follow intricate Turing patterns observed in reaction-diffusion systems. Pattern formation is shown to be highly sensitive to changes in underlying vulnerability parameters. The identified critical regimes (tipping points) imply that slight changes in susceptibility acquisition and perceived local risks can significantly alter the population flow and resultant contagion patterns. We examine several case studies using Australian datasets (COVID-19 pandemic; crime incidence; conflict exposure during COVID-19 protests; real estate businesses and residential building approvals) and demonstrate that these spatial contagions generated Turing patterns in accordance with the proposed model.

Social Justice Coalition & 2 others v Minister of Police and 4 others: Right to City as a Mitigating Concept to Harms on Public Safety

The South African constitution in section 9(3) prohibits unfair discrimination against anyone. This paper aims to unpack a judgement handed down by the Constitutional Court of South Africa on 19 July 2022 relating to the unfair allocation of policing resources in South Africa, thus resulting in unfair discrimination. The case discussed is the case of Social Justice Coalition and 2 others v Minister of Police and 4 others. Systematic discrimination has seen less allocation of police resources amongst poorer communities such as Khayelitsha in Cape Town. The paper further aims to see how local government can play a meaningful role in promoting public safety in its law and policy, thus promoting the ‘right to city’ and adhering to United Nations normative approaches on Urban crime and safety. This may mitigate systematic discrimination that historically disadvantaged areas have in policing resources across South Africa. Generally, South Africa is ranked one of the most violent societies. Murder, robbery, rape, femicide, and domestic violence occur at alarming levels. Cities such as Cape Town rank amongst the twenty most violent cities in the world, with the likes of some Latin and Central American cities, which are countries that are not in any form of civil war or civil unrest. It is a general norm that some areas have developed a reputation of being high risk to public safety because of various violent crimes such as gun shooting, stabbing, and rape. Certain areas in metropolitan cities, such as Khayelitsha Cape Town, are known to have high unreported incidents of violent crimes. It is worth pointing out that the application brought before the courts focuses on the lack of policing resources in Cape Town. This judgement also fits into the reality of the situation across South African townships under-resourced with policing resources to deal with violent crime and other crime. The paper will be structured in a way that first gives a background of the case, secondly a critical analysis of the case through the concept of ‘right to city’ and thirdly, submissions and a conclusion.

Levels and Changes in Defensive Firearm Use by US Crime Victims, 1987‒2021

Objectives. To examine levels and temporal changes in the frequency of defensive gun use by US crime victims. Methods. We computed national-level counts of criminal incidents involving firearm defense during 3 periods: 1993 to 2005, 2007 to 2015, and 2016 to 2021. We also considered earlier national estimates for 1987 to 1990. The data came from the US Bureau of Justice Statistics National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). We counted firearm defenses as incidents in which victims used a gun to threaten or attack an offender. Results. Over the 4 periods, for all crimes, victims reported gun defenses in an average range of between 61 000 and 65 000 incidents per year. This included between 38 000 and 53 000 personal (violent) incidents and between 12 000 and 23 000 household (property) incidents. Conclusions. Firearm defenses occurred at a relatively low and nearly constant level over the 35-year period. Although some victims use guns for defense, these uses are infrequent compared with the incidence of crime. Public Health Implications. The continuing relative rarity of NCVS armed defenses suggests that claims about the protective benefits of widespread firearm ownership may be overstated. ( Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print September 19, 2024:e1–e4. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307838 )

Crime Incidence: High Immigration Versus Low Immigration European Union Countries

Crime Incidence: High Immigration Versus Low Immigration European Union Countries

The impact of gender on routine activities practiced through social media and have an impact on the incidence of crime

تسعى الدراسة إلى التعرف على أثر النوع في الأنشطة الروتينية التي تمارس عبر وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي ولها تأثير على حدوث الجريمة. وقد تم تصميم استبانة موجهة إلى عينة للرجال والنساء في إمارة الشارقة وتم تطبيقها على عينة مكونة من 488 فرد (212 من الرجال و276 من النساء) في إمارة الشارقة، وذلك من خلال استخدام المنهج الوصفي التحليلي منهجًا لهذه الدراسة بأسلوب المسح الاجتماعي بالعينة غير الاحتمالية الغرضية. وتوصلت الدراسة إلى جملة من النتائج من أهمها: أن أخطر الأنشطة الروتينية التي تمارس عبر وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي ولها تأثير على حدوث الجريمة تتمثل في عدم تأمين الحسابات الإلكترونية بالشكل الأنسب، والتعامل مع مواقع غير موثوقة أو مجهولة الهوية، ومشاركة المعلومات الشخصية وتفاصيل الحسابات عبر وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي، وكشفت الدراسة عن وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية لهذه الأنشطة، وأن الإناث لهم النصيب الأكبر عن الذكور في إدراك خطورة هذه الأنشطة الروتينية.

Analyzing shared e-scooter trip frequency on urban road segments in Austin, TX

The expansion of e-scooter sharing system presents a mix of advantages and challenges to the urban transportation system. This research delves into the frequency of shared e-scooter trips on urban road segments in Austin, TX, leveraging a Random Forest model to dissect the influence of built environment and demographic variables on e-scooter trip frequencies. The model was then interpreted using Shapley Additive Explanations and Partial Dependence Plots. Results indicated that presence of bike lanes, distance to city center, violent crime, walkability, and land use are the most important variables. Notably, high shared e-scooter trip frequency often coincides with high incidence of violent crimes. The study further explores the non-linear relationships between e-scooter trip frequency and these key variables, revealing threshold effects and significant shifts in usage patterns. These insights offer valuable guidance for cities in the strategic development and regulation of shared e-scooter services.

Crimes Against Food: Characteristics, Health Risk, and Regulations

ABSTRACTFood safety is paramount for human life as it prevents foodborne illnesses, protects public health, supports economic growth, and ensures compliance with regulatory standards. However, in recent years, various incidents of crimes against food and their significant public health consequences have been observed, seriously damaging consumer confidence. This article explores the emerging scientific discipline of food safety, which focuses on assessing the health status of food and ensuring that it is safe for consumption. It provides a thorough analysis of crimes committed against the food industry and the regulatory measures implemented to safeguard both the industry and consumers. Regulatory requirements and competent bodies play a crucial role in ensuring compliance and maintaining consumer confidence. However, challenges such as adulteration, lack of consistent definitions, and dispersion in food inspection supervision still persist. Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive approach, including consistent guidelines, improved communication, and enhanced employee training. Additionally, there is a need for guidelines and legislation regulating the development and validation of nontargeted methods for quality control in the food sector. By addressing these issues, we can further enhance the food safety practices and protect the health of individuals and communities.

The Effectiveness Of The Regulationn of The Head of The Police Security Manintance Agency Number 1 Of 2017 Concerning patrols To Prevent Criminal Actss Of Beating In The Beating In The Jurisdiction Of The Bali Police

This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of the Chief of the Police Security Maintenance Agency Regulation Number 1 of 2017 concerning Patrols in preventing assault crimes within the jurisdiction of Bali Police. The main issue addressed in this research is the extent to which this regulation can reduce the incidence of assault crimes and the challenges encountered in its implementation.This research employs a qualitative method with a descriptive-analytical approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with police officers, document analysis, and direct observation. The data analysis was conducted by identifying patrol implementation patterns and measuring their success in preventing assault crimes. The research findings indicate that the implementation of the Chief of the Police Security Maintenance Agency Regulation Number 1 of 2017 has been quite effective in reducing the incidence of assault crimes within the jurisdiction of Bali Police, although several challenges remain in its implementation, such as limited human resources and infrastructure to support patrols. The implications of this research suggest the need for enhancing personnel capacity and patrol facilities to improve the effectiveness of crime prevention. Additionally, recommendations for improving regulations and operational procedures are proposed to make them more adaptive to local conditions in Bali.

‘Doesn’t anyone care anymore?’ – Bystander intervention to hate crime

While previous studies have focused on bystander intervention, current understanding specifically in the area of bystander intervention to hate crime is limited. This study seeks to focus on bystander intervention to hate crime in the United Kingdom. This study utilised 10 semi-structure interviews with participants who had personally witnessed a hate crime incident, exploring reasons for intervention, or lack thereof. Results revealed that for some who intervened, the decision to do so often stemmed from an instinctive, impulsive place, whereas for others it was a calculative decision-making process. The findings also reveal that there are various factors which influence participants in deciding whether to intervene. Critically, while all factors were described as pivotal to influencing participants in choosing whether to intervene or remain bystanders, there was no hierarchy of factors which can be generalised. The study concludes that the decision to intervene is a complex multi-faceted process and promotes awareness-raising about the various options available when witnessing a hate crime.

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF INEQUALITIES ON RESIDENTS' PERCEPTION AND CRIME INCIDENTS IN URBAN AND PERI-URBAN NEIGHBOURHOODS

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the issue of inequality to the forefront, exacerbating economic uncertainty and social injustice, which has led to widespread social disorder. This study examines the relationship between inequality and crime in urban and peri-urban neighborhoods in Penang; Moreover, an association between inequality and the incidence of crime will be investigated in two neighborhoods. Having considered the intricate relationship between social inequality and crime in previous studies, a quantitative approach was conducted to investigate how neighborhood locations impact the crime and inequality relationship. A face-to-face survey using a closed-ended questionnaire was conducted with 761 respondents, comprising 329 from Balik Pulau and 432 from Bayan Baru. The findings reveal that economic inequality significantly impacts crime rates in both Bayan Lepas and Balik Pulau, whereas social inequality only shows a negative significant effect in Bayan Lepas. Subsequently, results indicate income does not influence the fear of crime among respondents in Balik Pulau, but residents with higher income levels in Bayan Lepas exhibit a greater fear of crime. However, neighborhood locations do not distinctly affect criminal activity. These insights can help enhance crime prevention strategies, improve security, and foster balanced development in Penang.

God and Group: The Religious Ecology of Hate Crimes Against Jews and Muslims in the United States

In the United States, hate crimes that are motivated by religious bias disproportionately impact minoritized religious groups. This study investigates religious ecological predictors of hate crimes against Jews and Muslims in the US, drawing on theories of religion and intergroup offending. Measures of areal religious composition and change are drawn from two waves of the US Religion Census. Multilevel logistic regression models predict incidence of anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate crimes across county-years (2010–2018), adjusting for law enforcement agency coverage, hate crime reporting, and social and political factors. Christian adherence and overall religious diversity are associated with lower incidence of anti-Jewish hate crime. Jewish and Muslim adherence are positively associated with anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate crime, respectively, and counties undergoing relatively large increases in Muslim adherence have heightened incidence of anti-Muslim hate crime. Implications for theory and policy, as well as opportunities for future research, are discussed.

Addressing Urban Management Challenges for Sustainable Development: Analyzing the Impact of Neighborhood Deprivation on Crime Distribution in Chicago

Urban crime prevention remains a critical challenge intertwined with socioeconomic disparities. This study investigates the spatial nexus between urban deprivation and crime decline in Chicago from 2015 to 2022, addressing the question: How do changes in neighborhood deprivation relate to crime reduction patterns? Using comprehensive crime incident and census tract Area Deprivation Index (ADI) data, this study conducted exploratory spatial analysis, regression modeling, and local bivariate relationship analysis. The findings reveal persistent hotspots of concentrated deprivation on Chicago’s south and west sides, alongside a general citywide crime decline. However, the current research uncovered significant spatial heterogeneity in both deprivation patterns and crime reduction, challenging the achievement of equitable public safety outcomes. Surprisingly, while crime incidents in 2015 and 2022 significantly predicted crime change, ADI scores were not statistically significant predictors in our regression model. Local bivariate analysis exposed diverse relationships between ADI changes and crime rate changes across neighborhoods, with 72.2% of census tracts showing no statistically significant relationship. This underscores the complexity of urban crime dynamics and the importance of local context in understanding these patterns. Our research contributes a nuanced understanding of the intricate relationship between urban deprivation and crime patterns, providing valuable insights for policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and urban planners. These findings highlight the need for integrated, long-term strategies that address both crime prevention and socioeconomic disparities, ultimately fostering safer, more equitable urban environments and informing evidence-based interventions tailored to specific neighborhood contexts.

Characterization Study of the Fraud Crime in Trap Loan

In recent years, the eastern part of China has seen a high incidence of loan lending crimes and there was an explosive growth after 2017. Most of the loan crimes in the "trap" means for the victim is aware of, so does not constitute the crime of fraud. The use of false water vouchers by the perpetrator of false lawsuits can constitute triangular fraud. The perpetrator randomly identified default cases can constitute ordinary fraud. Due to the loan crime "trap set" part can not become the basis for the perpetrator to claim debts, so most of the loan crime can not constitute illegal debt collection crime but extortion, in some cases, the two crimes can be trap set to be coincidence. When it coming to fraud and coercion dual nature means of debt collection cases, the selection of specific crime could be based on the nature of the main behavior and the victim to deliver the property psychology.

A Geospatial Drug Abuse Risk Assessment and Monitoring Dashboard Tailored for School Students: Development Study With Requirement Analysis and Acceptance Evaluation.

The enormous consequences of drugs include suicides, traffic accidents, and violence, affecting the individual, family, society, and country. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly identify and monitor the drug abuse rate among school-going youth. A geospatial dashboard is vital for the monitoring of drug abuse and related crime incidence in a decision support system. This paper mainly focuses on developing MyAsriGeo, a geospatial drug abuse risk assessment and monitoring dashboard tailored for school students. It introduces innovative functionality, seamlessly orchestrating the assessment of drug abuse usage patterns and risks using multivariate student data. A geospatial drug abuse dashboard for monitoring and analysis was designed and developed in this study based on agile methodology and prototyping. Using focus group and interviews, we first examined and gathered the requirements, feedback, and user approval of the MyAsriGeo dashboard. Experts and stakeholders such as the National Anti-Drugs Agency, police, the Federal Department of Town and Country Planning, school instructors, students, and researchers were among those who responded. A total of 20 specialists were involved in the requirement analysis and acceptance evaluation of the pilot and final version of the dashboard. The evaluation sought to identify various user acceptance aspects, such as ease of use and usefulness, for both the pilot and final versions, and 2 additional factors based on the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire and Task-Technology Fit models were enlisted to assess the interface quality and dashboard sufficiency for the final version. The MyAsriGeo geospatial dashboard was designed to meet the needs of all user types, as identified through a requirement gathering process. It includes several key functions, such as a geospatial map that shows the locations of high-risk areas for drug abuse, data on drug abuse among students, tools for assessing the risk of drug abuse in different areas, demographic information, and a self-problem test. It also includes the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test and its risk assessment to help users understand and interpret the results of student risk. The initial prototype and final version of the dashboard were evaluated by 20 experts, which revealed a significant improvement in the ease of use (P=.047) and usefulness (P=.02) factors and showed a high acceptance mean scores for ease of use (4.2), usefulness (4.46), interface quality (4.29), and sufficiency (4.13). The MyAsriGeo geospatial dashboard is useful for monitoring and analyzing drug abuse among school-going youth in Malaysia. It was developed based on the needs of various stakeholders and includes a range of functions. The dashboard was evaluated by a group of experts. Overall, the MyAsriGeo geospatial dashboard is a valuable resource for helping stakeholders understand and respond to the issue of drug abuse among youth.

Crime against women in India: district-level risk estimation using the small area estimation approach.

The global prevalence of crimes against women has made it an enduring public health challenge that has persisted over time. The achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) is intricately tied to the actions taken to prevent these crimes as their repercussions directly affect progress across various SDGs. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive examination of the prevalence of crimes against women across districts and states in India, analyzing changes from 2020 to 2022, and subsequently identifying associated factors. The study is an ecological analysis conducted across all districts of India using the data on crimes against women for the period 2020 and 2022 obtained from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) of India. A small area estimation method was used to obtain district-level relative risks of crime against women for both periods. Hotspot analysis was carried out to identify the current hotspots and coldspots. Further spatial regression was used to identify the factors associated with crimes against women in the year 2022. The results indicated a rise in the reported crime against women cases between 2020 and 2022. The rate of crimes against women at the national level was found to be 57 in the year 2020, whereas, in 2022, it increased to 67. The highest crime rate in the year 2022 was found to be 145 in Delhi, while Nagaland had the lowest crime rate of 5. The relative risk of crime against women varied from 0.046 to 4.68 in 2020, while in 2022, it spanned from 0.02 to 6.10. Significant hotspots were found in parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana, and Odisha. The results of the spatial error regression model showed that the sex ratio and the population density of the district have significant associations with the occurrence of crimes against women. The rise in the incidence of crime against women emphasizes the importance of tackling the spatial inequality in relative risk across Indian districts. By thoughtfully addressing this variation and conducting targeted studies in high-risk areas, we can enhance our understanding of the obstacles to implementing effective measures against violence targeting women.

Effect of pachinko parlour openings and closings on neighbourhood income-generating crimes in Japan: 6.5 years of observations

BackgroundElectronic gambling machines (EGMs) in gambling venues cause gambling-related harm and are a public health concern. This study focused on pachinko parlours as gambling venues and income-generating crimes as gambling-related harm. We aimed to verify whether income-generating crime rates increase in proximity to pachinko parlours and during the opening and post-closing periods of pachinko parlours relative to the pre-opening periods.MethodsWe used crime records spanning 6.5 years, including data on the opening and closing days of pachinko parlours for 6.5 years. We also sampled the addresses of convenience stores, bowling alleys, and households with official land prices all over Japan. The dependent variable was the daily income-generating crime incidence rate. Areas within 0.5 km, 0.5–1 km, 1–5 km, and 5–10 km radii of the pachinko parlours were the independent variables. The pre-, opening-, and post-closing periods of the pachinko parlours were also independent variables. The covariates included the number of convenience stores and always open pachinko parlours near pachinko parlours. Data were analysed using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) and covariance (ANCOVA). We also used differences-in-differences analysis (DD) to reveal the increase in income-generating crime rates in neighbourhoods exposed to the opening or closing of pachinko parlours.ResultsThe daily income-generating crime incidence rate was significantly higher in areas within 0.5–1 km and 1–5 km radii of pachinko parlours than in those within 0.5 km and 5–10 km radii of them. The daily income-generating crime incidence rate was also significantly higher during the opening and post-closing periods than during the pre-opening period, even when controlling for the number of convenience stores and always open pachinko parlours. In particular, fraud crime rates increased with the opening and closing of pachinko parlours.ConclusionsThe highest income-generating crime incidence rate was observed within a 0.5–1 km and 1–5 km radius of pachinko parlours. The opening of pachinko parlours also increased income-generating crime incidence rates, which increased after closing. Pachinko parlours are considered to be creating public harm because the corporate activities of these parlours make the youth in their neighbourhood perpetrators of fraud and older adults its victims. Future research should examine the current findings using official crime records.