Spatio-temporal patterns of burglary hotspots in Ahmednagar City, India: a geospatial perspective
摘要
Spatio-temporal aspect is the most useful aspect of crime prevention as it is patterned and predictable. This study is mainly conducted to explore the spatio-temporal hotspots of burglary and to test whether spaces of burglary are constrained by time in Ahmednagar city. The temporal hotspots are identified by their frequency in hours. Spatial hotspots within identified temporal hotspots are visualized through GIS maps prepared using Kernel density estimation with natural break methods. The current results and their probable causation are compared with the theories in crime geography and discussed thoroughly. The burglary hotspots in Ahmednagar city are found to vary by space–time together than individual space or time. Spaces of burglary hotspots in Ahmednagar city are found unstable over time indicating that spatial hotspots of burglary are constrained by temporal hotspots. Consistent with existing literature, probable causation behind spatio-temporal variation and temporal constraint of burglary hotspots is closely associated with the combined effect of the land use pattern of the area, movement of mass population within the area, distribution of targets and offenders in the area, and socio-economic condition of the area. This study proposes tailored measures for each burglary hotspot, considering their unique spatial, temporal, socio-economic, and environmental characteristics, to effectively reduce, control, and prevent burglary incidents in the respective areas.