Digital Space: Using Google Street View in the Study of Place

• In Event: Innovative Methods for Exploring the Spatial Distribution of Crime in Small Geographic Units

Abstract

The advent of new technologies continually shapes how, where, and with whom social scientists conduct research across the social landscape. One particular technology, Google Street View, provides innovative opportunities for scholars interested in the study of place. Google Street View is an online application that draws on archived imagery, periodically collected by Google, to create a digital representation of the actual physical environment. In effect, this program allows users to visit locations and observe the characteristics of these places without the need for physical travel. Moreover, a recent addition to Google Street View establishes a temporal element to the program, allowing users to switch between current and previous years of imagery. We discuss the methodological application of Google Street View in two ongoing research projects: 1) studying the relationship between fringe banking establishments (e.g. payday lenders, check cashers, and pawn shops) and crime, and 2) examining the relationship between public parks and crime. In particular, we illustrate how Google imagery allows researchers to code the unique contextual features of areas and incorporate these data into statistical analysis. We also discuss insights from these coding projects that may inform future research.

Authors

• Nicholas Branic, University of California, Irvine

• Charis Kubrin, University of California, Irvine

• John R. Hipp, University of California, Irvine