The Effect of Weather on Assault

This paper examines the role of local weather conditions in explaining variations in assault, in sub-tropical Brisbane, Australia. It details the extent to which local variations in weather are important in shaping the necessary preconditions for assault to take place. Results suggest that higher daily temperatures are associated with an increased propensity for assault at the neighborhood level after controlling for seasonal effects. Assaults occur significantly less frequently in summer than in spring and there is a greater propensity for assaults to occur on weekends compared to weekdays. Neighborhood disadvantage, ethnic diversity, and the presence of risky facilities such bars, schools, or shops increased the propensity for assault above and beyond the effect of temperature. Findings are important in their capacity to isolate the effect of the prevailing local weather conditions whilst controlling for seasonal variations, land use, and the socio-economic and demographic context within which assaults took place.

Risky Business: Examining the 80-20 Rule in Relation to a RTM Framework

The spatial elements of crime occurrence and the identification of crime generators/attractors have remained a prominent area of research. We focus on the utility of the 80-20 rule and the labeling of risky facilities in crime forecasting models with risk terrain modeling (RTM). We first examine whether the rule holds across types of crime generating places including liquor stores, department stores, hotels/motels, restaurants/bars, and apartment complexes. Next, we use our findings to test whether conducting preliminary analyses to identify risky facilities increases the predictive power of RTM versus using all possible facilities. When restricting the RTM approach to only risky facilities, results were more accurate than a traditional RTM approach. Findings and implications are nested in the utilization of the wider body of environmental criminology research to increase our understanding of where crime is likely to occur.

The geographic concentration of use of force incidents at subway stations mimics the law of crime concentration bandwidths: A research note

The Law of Crime Concentration states that a small percent of microplaces will account for large portions of crime. In this research, we demonstrate that police use of force incidents likewise occur at a small percentage of subway stations in Philadelphia, a category of ‘risky facilities’, where crime concentration is also expected. Those percentages mimic the bandwidths of the Law of Crime Concentration. We sketch pertinent data collection needs and future research questions that should be explored if a crime and place perspective is to play a role in understanding and informing policies geared toward reducing the extent to which police use force against the public.

Riots, Space, and Place

This chapter reanalyzes data concerning the 2011 riots in Greater London. The authors extended prior work in a number of directions, using variables more representative of the areas in which rioting took place, using smaller geographical units of analysis, and extending the analysis to examine the role of risky facilities. The results show support for crime pattern and social disorganization theories, as well as the precipitating influence of crowds, in explaining rioter decision-making. In addition, it is shown that different types of facilities appear to have different influences on the spatial decision-making of those engaged in the riots. In explaining these differences, the chapter draws attention to the fact that some facilities are more common on the high street and visited more spontaneously, while others require a more purposeful visit, are likely to provide more guardianship, and are more likely to have formal place management practices.