Spatio-temporal analysis of theft-related crimes in inefficient urban textures: A case study of the central part of Tehran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran.

2 Professor, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

3 Ph.D. student, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

4 MSc, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, University Of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

5 MSc student, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, University Of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Crimes are taken into account as the most common social problems observed in most cities across the world which can also bring about negative effects on mental, physical, and financial aspects of individuals’ lives. Thus, the aim of this study was to perform a spatio-temporal analysis of theft-related crimes in inefficient urban spaces and textures of the central part of Tehran (Districts 11 and 12), Iran. To this end, a comparative analysis research design was used and then the spatio-temporal patterns of theft-related crimes committed in the central part of Tehran were identified and investigated through statistical and graphic-based tests within the geographic information system (GIS). The information required in terms of the types and the number of crimes was also obtained via library method from the Law Enforcement Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Islamic Republic of Iran Police) in Tehran metropolitan area. The findings of the present study revealed that the crime hotspots had been distributed in a clustered pattern in the central part of Tehran. Moreover; temporal analysis of months, days of the week, and overnight hours of the opportunities for the occurrence of all theft-related crimes in the central part of Tehran demonstrated that the third ten days of the month, three final seasons of the year, and the first starting days of the week between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. were the peak times of the crimes committed. The findings suggested that the large number of urban worn-out textures, high levels of intrusiveness in these areas, presence of abandoned lands, as well as lack or absence of some public urban services and facilities for citizens could affect the geographical distribution of types and number of crimes as well as the formation of their spatial patterns. It was assumed that renovation and reconstruction of worn-out textures, organization of buildings including the removal of corners, unfinished buildings, as well as ruined ones, modification of the physical structure of residential areas, widening streets under 6 meters, creating passages for blind alleys, encouraging residents to maintain beauty and security through holding sociocultural programs, locating police stations, and establishing healthy entertainment and recreational centers to increase official surveillance in the central part of Tehran could reduce the possibility of the damage caused by such textures and finally lower crime rates.

Keywords


  • Abdali, Yaghob (2017). Spatial analysis of quality of life and crime in inefficient urban textures (A case study: The central part of Tehran). Master’s Thesis in Geography and Urban Planning, Supervisor: Mohsen Kalantari, Faculty of Geography, Tehran University.
  • Adibi Sa’adinejad, Fatemeh., Azimi, Azadeh (2011). Explaining security in urban areas based on physical parameters and design (A case study: The city of Babolsar). The Quarterly Journal of Environmental Studies, Issue 4, No.15: 81-105.
  • Anselin, L., Cohen, J., Cook, D., Gorr, W., & Tita, G (2000), “Spatial analyses of crime”, Criminal justice, 4(2), 213-262.
  • Bayat Rostami, Rouhollah; Kalantari, Mohsen., Hassani, Saeed (2010). Empowering urban passages and neighborhoods against crimes using crime prevention through CPTED. The Second Conference on Urban Planning and Management, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.
  • Bratton, W., & Knobler, P (2009). The Turnaround: How America's top cop reversed the crime epidemic. Random House.‏
  • Carmona, M. Heath, T.T, O. T dell Steven (2003), “public places urban space”, Architectural press, 312P.
  • Clarke, Ronald (2008). Theory of crime prevention through environmental design. Translated by Mohammad Hassan Ja’afarian. The Quarterly Journal of Police Management Studies, Issue 3, No.3: 344-356.
  • ERDOĞAN, S., DERELİ, M. A., & YALÇIN, M (2011), “Spatial analysis of five crime statistics in Turkey”.
  • Farhadikhah, Hossein (2016). Making indefensible urban spaces secure (A case study: Shahid Harandi Neighborhood). Master’s Thesis in Geography and Urban Planning, Supervisor: Karamatollah Zayari, Faculty of Geography, Tehran University.
  • Hipp, J. R., & Kane, K (2017), “Cities and the larger context: What explains changing levels of crime?”, Journal of criminal justice, 49, 32-44.
  • Home Office (2003), Home Office Crime Reduction Toolkits, Online at.
  • Jason, Susan., Wilson, Paul. R (2011). Environmental Design against Crimes. Translated by Mohsen Kalantari and Aboozar Salami Beyrami, Zanjan: Azar Kelk Publications.
  • Jeffery, C. R., & Zahm, D. L (1993), “Crime prevention through environmental design, opportunity theory, and rational choice models”, Routine activity and rational choice, 5, 323-350.
  • Kalantari, Mohsen (2001). Evaluating the geography of crime in the districts of the city of Tehran. PhD Dissertation in Geography and Urban Planning, Supervisor: Mohammad Taghi Rahnamaie, Faculty of Geography, Tehran University.
  • Kalantari, Mohsen., Heydariyan, Masoud., and Mahmoudi, Atefeh (2011). Making the physical areas of cities secure against crime using the crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED). The Quarterly Journal of Law Enforcement Science, Issue 12, No.3: 51-74.
  • Kalantari, Mohsen., Jabbari. Mohammad Kazem (2013). Physical pathology of hotspots in District 19 in the city of Tehran (A case study of crimes related to robbery, rape, and drugs). Journal of Geography, Issue 11, No.36: 139-157.
  • Kalantari, Mohsen., Tavakoli, Mahdi (2008). Identifying and analyzing urban hotspots. The Quarterly Journal of Crime Prevention Studies, Issue 2, No.2: 75-100.
  • Kamali, Mandana (2011). Urban design in order to achieve urban security with an emphasis on CPTED. Journal of Explorations in Urbanizations, No. 36: 72-77.
  • Kamran, Hassan., Shoaa Barabadi, Ali (2009). Investigating security in border cities (A case study: The city of Taybad). The Quarterly Journal of Geography, Issue 8, No.25: 25-46.
  • McCollister, K. E., French, M. T., & Fang, H (2010), “The cost of crime to society: New crime-specific estimates for policy and program evaluation”, Drug and alcohol dependence, 108(1), 98-109.
  • Modiri, Atousa (2006). Crime, violence, and sense of security in urban public spaces. Journal of Social Welfare, Issue 6, No. 22: 11-28.
  • Piopiunik, M., & Ruhose, J (2017), “Immigration, regional conditions, and crime: Evidence from an allocation policy in Germany”, European Economic Review, 92, 258-282.
  • Pishgahifard, Zahra., Kalantari, Mohsen., Parhiz, Faryad., Haghpanah, Ehsan (2011). Geographic analysis of drug-related hotspots in the city of Kermanshah. The Quarterly Journal of Urban and Regional Research Studies, Issue 3, No.11: 75-96.
  • Police Department of Tehran Metropolitan Area (2010). The statistics of theft-related crimes in Districts 11 and 12 of Tehran Municipality in 2010.
  • Pourahmad, Ahmad., Zanganeh Shahraki, Saeed., Abdali, Yaghoub., Allah Gholipour, Sara (2016). The role of environmental design in preventing urban crimes (A case study: The city of Noorabad), Scientific-Specialized Journal of Lorestan Law Enforcement Science, Issue 1, No.17: 111-136.
  • Rahimi Nader, Hossein (2006). Spatial analysis of crimes in the city of Karaj using the GIS. Master’s Thesis in Geography and Urban Planning, Supervisors: Ali Zangiabadi & Hossein Sarrami, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Isfahan.
  • Ratcliffe, J. H (2004). The hotspot matrix: A framework for the spatio‐temporal targeting of crime reduction. Police practice and research, 5(1), 5-23.‏
  • Rouhi, Mahdi (2002). The study of physical changes in the central part of Tehran with an emphasis on land use changes in District 11. Master’s Thesis in Geography and Urban Planning, Supervisors: Asghar Nazarian, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Tarbiat Moallem University of Tehran.