Using Spatial Video and Geo-Narratives to Understand Crime Hot Spots

• In Event: Innovative Approaches for Assessing Crime at Place

Abstract

In this study we use a multi-method approach to understand how place and space shape criminal activity. We use spatial video technology to collect fine-scale visual data on three urban neighborhoods in northeast Ohio. Spatial video allows for the collection of visual information that can be linked to specific GPS coordinates. We also collect these data during "ride-alongs" with police officers, ex-offenders, and local community members, who are asked to share their perceptions and knowledge of study areas. By combining official crime data on crime location, visual data on the urban environment, and crime insights of participants, we gain a better understanding of why crime tends to be relatively concentrated in few "micro-places" and why certain places are more attractive for certain types of illicit activity.

Authors

• Lauren Porter, Kent State University

• Eric Jefferis, Kent State University

• Andrew Curtis, Kent State University