Comparing the Geospatial Patterns of Crime Incidents Using Police Incident Reports and Victimization Survey Reports

• In Event: Studying Victimization Patterns with Local Level Victimization Surveys

Abstract

Since at least the days of the Chicago School of Criminology, research has demonstrated strong geographical patterns of crime. More contemporary research reinforces the strong connection between crime and place. Most of this research is based on official police crime data. The current study adds to this tradition by comparing geospatial patterns of crime in one city in Michigan through the use of both police crime incident data and the results of a local level victimization survey. The analyses examine the consistency between these crime measurement systems and begins to tease out factors that might generate inconsistencies between police and victimization data.

Authors

• Sung Lee, Michigan State University

• Giovanni Circo, Michigan State University

• Edmund F. McGarrell, Michigan State University