NCJ Number
74020
Date Published
1980
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Centrography is presented as an alternative spatial methodology, one which is capable of providing information regarding the morphological nature of intraurban criminal distributions and movements.
Abstract
Measures of centrography represent a relatively pure spatial-temporal language, yet they are capable of specifying a variety of important and interesting attributes of social properties of groups. Thus, centrography can be viewed as a spatial methodology which lends itself especially to the analysis of areal criminal distributions. Examination of spatial series by centrographic techniques may provide clues for the development of new theories of urban crime and criminal behavior. Data concerning intraurban criminal activity represents a voluminous mass of observations and generally requires the imposition of some outside order if any meaningful analysis and evaluation are to be made. Centrography aids in this respect by transforming the data into succinct summary spatial statements which can be more easily understood and which allow certain regularities in crime patterns to be isolated. In addition to knowledge about average location and dispersion provided by the mean center and standard distance, another important spatial property of criminal distributions which can be derived from centrography is directionality or alignment of the aggragate distribution. Another area of interest in the study of intraurban criminal behavior is the movement of offenders from their places of residence to places of offense. Bachi has suggested some easily computed centrographic indices which can be used to assess the aggregate spatial movements of criminals. Tabular data, mathematical equations, and 14 notes are provided. For related papers, see NCJ 74011.