The impact of strict measures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic on the spatial pattern of the demand for police: case study Antwerp (Belgium)

COVID-19 impacts the daily lives of millions of people. This radical change in our daily activities affected many aspects of life, but acted as well as a natural experiment for research into the spatial distribution of 911 calls. We analyse the impact of the COVID-19 measures on the spatial pattern of police interventions. Crime is not uniformly distributed across street segments, but how does COVID-19 affect these spatial patterns? To this end, Gini coefficients are calculated and a proportion differences spatial point pattern test is applied to compare the similarity of the patterns of incidents before, during, and after the first lockdown in Antwerp, Belgium. With only essential mobility being allowed, the emergency call pattern has not significantly changed before, during or after this lockdown, however, a qualitative shift in police officer’s daily work may have had an effect on the daily operation of the Antwerp police force.

Understanding the Impact of Street Patterns on Pedestrian Distribution: A Case Study in Tianjin, China

This paper investigates the impact of street pattern, metro stations, and density of urban functions on pedestrian distribution in Tianjin, China. Thirteen neighborhoods are selected from the city center and suburbs. Pedestrian and vehicle volumes are observed through detailed gate count from 703 street segments in these neighborhoods. Regression models are constructed to analyze the impact of the street pattern, points of interest (POIs), and vehicle and metro accessibility on pedestrian volumes in each neighborhood and across the city. The results show that when analyzing all neighborhoods together, local street connectivity and POIs had a strong influence on pedestrian distribution. Proximity to metro stations and vehicle accessibility had a minor impact. When analyzing each neighborhood separately, both local- and city-scale street patterns affect pedestrian distributions. These findings suggest that the street pattern provides a base layer for metro stations to attract both the emergence of active urban functions and pedestrian movement.

The impact of strict measures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic on the spatial pattern of the demand for police. Case study Antwerp (Belgium)

COVID-19 impacts the daily lives of millions of people. This radical change in our daily activities affected many aspects of life, but acted as well as a natural experiment for research into the spatial distribution of 911 calls. We analyse the impact of the COVID-19 measures on the spatial pattern of police interventions. Crime is not uniformly distributed across street segments, but how does COVID-19 affect these spatial patterns? To this end, a proportion differences spatial point pattern test is applied to compare the similarity of the patterns of incidents before, during, and after the first lockdown in Antwerp, Belgium. With only essential mobility being allowed, the emergency call pattern has not significantly changed before, during or after this lockdown, however, a qualitative shift in police officer’s daily work may have had an effect on the daily operation of the Antwerp police force.

When Crime Moves Where Does It Go? Analyzing the Spatial Correlates of Robbery Incidents Displaced by a Place-based Policing Intervention

Objective: Examine the place-based correlates of robbery activity displaced by a foot-patrol intervention in Newark, NJ. We use constructs from Crime Pattern and Social Disorganization theories to test hypotheses concerned with associations between the structure of the environment and the displacement of crime. Method: Robbery incidents were spatially joined to street segments to study micro-level displacement processes. Predictor variables were operationalized using data from the Newark Police Department and Infogroup USA. Generalized Linear models tested associations between the characteristics of street segments and displaced robbery in the target area as compared to a control. Results: Environmental structure is important to understanding the settings of displacement, though this varied between spatial and temporal displacement. Relationships between displaced crime activity and model covariates did not always appear in expected directions. For example, bus stops predicted increased spatial displacement while corner stores predicted decreased levels of temporal displacement. Conclusions: While testing for displacement has become commonplace in place-based policing interventions, less attention has been paid to the micro-level factors that may facilitate the displacement of crime events. Both bus stops and corner stores show consistent associations with displaced crime activity, but the directions of these relationships suggest more complex processes requiring further examination.

Street Food Stand Availability, Density, and Distribution Across Income Levels in Mexico City

Street food stands (SFS) are an understudied element of the food environment. Previous SFS studies have not used a rigorous approach to document the availability, density, and distribution of SFS across neighborhood income levels and points of access in Mexico City. A random sample (n = 761) of street segments representing 20 low-, middle-, and high-income neighborhoods were assessed using geographic information system (GIS) and ground-truthing methods. All three income levels contained SFS. However, SFS availability and density were higher in middle-income neighborhoods. The distribution of SFS showed that SFS were most often found near homes, transportation centers, and worksites. SFS availability near schools may have been limited by local school policies. Additional studies are needed to further document relationships between SFS availability, density, and distribution, and current structures and processes.