Sociologický časopis / Czech Sociological Review 2020, 56(5): 619-638 | DOI: 10.13060/csr.2020.044

The Stability of Crime at Places: A Case Study of a Czech City

Jana Jíchová1, Martin Šimon1,2
1 Přírodovědecká fakulta, Univerzita Karlova, Praha
2 Sociologický ústav AV ČR, v. v. i., Praha

Research into the concentration of crime at places is a long-standing research area in environmental criminology. Studies demonstrate the practical potential of geo-localised data for criminological and security research. Knowledge about crime concentration at places makes it possible to focus repressive and preventive activities in localities where the most effective results can be achieved. In Czech criminology, limited use has as yet been made of geolocalised crime data or knowledge about the concentration of crime at places. Consequently, this article presents a case study of the concentration of crime at places within a Czech city. One-half of crime is concentrated at 8% of street segments in case study of Czech city. The article builds on the knowledge about the spatial stability of crime and provides a model of urban crime that is applicable to Czech cities. This model is based on data from a case study and considers crime rates and crime concentration patterns in different types of urban environment. Our findings are presented in relation to the results of international studies to propose directions for further crime research.

Keywords: crime, crime at places, crime hotspots, law of crime concentration, Czechia

Received: September 29, 2020; Revised: October 12, 2020; Accepted: October 15, 2020; Published: November 30, 2020  Show citation

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Jíchová, J., & Šimon, M. (2020). The Stability of Crime at Places: A Case Study of a Czech City. Sociologický časopis / Czech Sociological Review, 56(5), 619-638. doi: 10.13060/csr.2020.044
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