Crime analysis and policing implementation

in the space - time context

Ling Wu, Ph.D.Computational Social Science Lab, Kent State University, U.S. & College of Criminal Justice, Zhongnan University of Economics & Law, China

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About myself

Adjunct professor, Computational Social Science Lab, Kent State University, U.S.

Associate professor, College of Criminal Justice, Zhongnan University of Economics & Law, China

Ph.D. Criminal Justice, Sam Houston State University, U.S. (2012)

LL.M. International & Comparative Law, Uppsala University, Sweden

M.A. Legal Philosophy, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, China

Exchange graduate study, Criminal Justice, San Diego State University, U.S.

LL.B. Law, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, China

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Research focus

Main research areas: Environmental criminology Crime analysis and prevention Policing

Other research areas: Legal research in criminal justice Criminal justice education Death penalty

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Projects 2013-2016 Co-PI, Ministry of Public Security of China. National Key Project Program (with

State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing, Wuhan University, China). RMB 1,600,000 (about $ 261,200).

2013-2017 PI, Department of Education of Hubei Province, China. Chutian Scholars Program. RMB 250,000 (about $ 41,000).

2013-2015 Co-PI, Ministry of Science and Technology of China. National Key Technology Support Program 2012BAH35B03 (with State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing, Wuhan University, China). RMB 10,000,000 (about $ 1,632,250).

2013-2016 PI, Ministry of Education of China. Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities 2722013JC030. RMB 30,000 (about $ 5,000).

2012-2015 PI, University Research Center Program. Ministry of Education of China. Technology Improvement Project 31541210702, RMB 30,000 (about $ 5,000).

2010 Summer Research Fellowship, College of Criminal Justice, Sam Houston State University, USA. $6,000.

2009 Summer Research Fellowship, College of Criminal Justice, Sam Houston State University, USA. $6,000.

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Research goal

Study crime and policing behavior at different space-time scales

Examine crime patterns and mechanisms

Integrate theory, methods, and application

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Analytical methods

1. Temporal analysis of crime trend

2. Spatial analysis of crime and policing implementation 2.1 spatial analysis of crime pattern

2.2 hot spots policing research

3. Space-time analysis of crime and policing dynamics 3.1 repeat and near-repeat analysis

3.2 space-time interaction analysis

3.3 policing effect on near-repeat crime

3.4 cross-event space-time analysis

3.5 space-time chain analysis of crime

4. Regression analysis considering social and environmental factors 4.1 spatial panel regression 4.2 street network and Poisson regression

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Wuhan, China (2013 Census):

• 10.22 million people

• 8,494 km2 land area

• 1,203 persons/ km2

Houston, U.S. (2013 Census):

• 2.19 million people

• 1,553 km2 land area

• 1,431 persons/ km2

Study settings

1. Temporal analysis of crime trend

Time-series analysis of burglary data in Wuhan, China (Exponential Smoothing)

Black: average

Red:2010

Green: 2011

Burglary

Time (Day)

Num

ber o

f events

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Software application

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2. Spatial analysis of crime and policing implementation

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2.1 Spatial analysis of crime pattern

Kernel density estimation of burglaries in Wuhan, 2013

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2.2 Hot spots policing research

Texas Major City Research Initiative focuses on comparative data analysis and

evaluation of crime reduction interventions among “Big Six” police agencies in Texas.

Houston enhanced action patrol: Examining the effects of differential deployment lengths with a switched replication design. Justice Quarterly, 2014.

The effects of gun possession arrests made by a proactive police patrol unit. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, 2012.

Dallas’ disruption unit: Efficacy of hot spots deployment. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, 2012.

Geographic information system effects on policing efficacy: A systematic review. International Journal of Applied Geospatial Research, 2013.

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2.2 Hot spots policing research

Houston Example: The study used a switched replication designwith repeated interventions in order to determine the dosage and duration necessary to achieve reasonable crime reduction by rotating directed patrol units.

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3. Space-time analysis of crime and policing dynamics

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3.1 Repeat and near-repeat crime pattern

The analysis examines patterns of gun assaults at the city-level as well as more localized levels in order to understand the spatial distribution of near-repeats with in the city .

Publication: Patterns of near-repeat gun assaults in Houston. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 2012.

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3.1 Repeat and near-repeat crime pattern

• Shenandoah, TX has been experiencing a fast growing economy and annexation process. Auto burglary is a rising concern for small cities that rely highly on revenues from malls and shopping. The research describes the temporal trends of auto burglary offenses and compare hot spots of auto burglary offenses in different time periods.

Publication: Space-time analysis of auto burglary patterns in a fast-growing small city. International Journal of Applied Geospatial Research, 2012.

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Software application

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3.1 Repeat and near-repeat crime mechanisms

Publication: Space-time interaction of residential burglaries in Wuhan, China. Applied Geography, 2014.

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3.2 Space-time interaction analysis of crime

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Publication: Space-time interaction of residential burglaries in Wuhan, China. Applied Geography, 2014.

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3.3 Policing effect on near-repeat crime

Publication: Proactive policing effects on repeat and near-repeat shootings in Houston. Police Quarterly, 2011.

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3.4 Cross-event space-time analysis

We developed AB Calculator Toolbox to study the cross-event space-time interaction, such as that between burglary and auto-theft and that between crime and policing behaviors.

Publication: Deterrence or escalation: A micro-level analysis of firearm arrests’ effects on gun violence in Houston, Texas. Paper under review.

Publication: Police response to repeat and near-repeat shootings in Houston, Texas. Paper under review.

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Near repeat burglary chains: describing the physical and network properties of a network of close burglary pairs. Dr. Michael Townsley, Griffith University

Publication: Physical and network properties of a network of crime events: Computation and implementation in policing practices. Paper under writing.

3.5 Space-time chain analysis of crime

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Software application

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4. Regression analysis considering social and environmental factors

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4.1 Spatial panel regression

It integrates space and time in testing Social Disorganization Theory by examining relationship between homicide rate and socioeconomic factors at community area level in Chicago,1960-1995.

Publication: Analyzing the dynamics of homicide patterns in Chicago: ESDA and spatial panel approaches. Applied Geography, 2011.

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4.2 Street network and crime

It examines residential

burglaries at the street

segment level with

considerable variation

in street network

configuration and

socioeconomic factors.

Street permeability and

residential burglaries in

urban China. Applied

Geography, 2014.

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Publication: A comparison of criminal justice education between U.S. and China: An analysis of faculty’s characteristics. Theoretic Observation, 2014.

Publication: Visualizing research domains of criminology and criminal justice in U.S. Higher Education Review, 2015.

Publication: The constitutionality of police strip searches in U.S. Journal of Comparative Law, 2015.

Publication: A framework of quantitative research on judicial decisions: A study of strip search lawsuits in U.S. (under review)

Publication: The policy and practice of death penalty without immediate execution in U.S. and China. Jilin University Journal Social Sciences Edition, 2014.

Publication: The role of social media in the discussion of wrongful executions in China. (under writing)

Publication: Lethal injection policy and practice in U.S. and China: A comparative perspective. (under writing)

Publication: Gender and victimizations in public space: An integrative theoretical perspective. Human Geography, 2015.

Other research

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The next step

Predictive policing (e.g. PredPol software)

PredPol’s cloud-based software provides each law enforcement agency with customized crime predictions for the places and times that crimes are most likely to occur. PredPol automatically 500*500 feet boxes for each shift of each day.

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Acknowledgement

Dr. William Wells, Sam Houston State University

Dr. Larry Hoover, Sam Houston State University

Dr. Michael Vaughn, , Sam Houston State University

Dr. Xinyan Zhu, Wuhan University, China

Dr. Xinyue Ye, Kent State University

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Police Research Center, SHSU, TX

Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas, TX

Crime Victims’ Institute of Texas, TX

Institute for Legal Studies in Criminal Justice, SHSU, TX

Houston Police Department, TX

Dallas Police Department, TX

Shenandoah Police Department, TX

Wuhan City Police Department, China

State Key Lab of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote

Sensing, Wuhan University, China

Wuhan Prosecutor’s Office, China

Terrorism Research Center, ZUEL & Xinjiang Police College, China

Acknowledgement

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Thanks!

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