Spatial Analysis of Crime Prone Centers in Different Districts of Yazd City, with Emphasis on Cultural Planning

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Associate Professor of geography and urban planning, Department of Geography, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

Abstract

Introduction
    Physical features and social, economical, and cultural characteristics influencing some parts of a city cause formation of criminal opportunities and criminal intentions. Thus, development of cities creates crime centers in some districts which have higher criminal incidents compared with other ones. One could say that since there are ethnic, cultural, and economical variations, this problem could not be blamed on the city and its physical construct. With population growth a decrease can be observed in social adaptation and solidarity. Thus, control of society is weaker and social unrest and rate of different types of criminal activities may be increased.Study about the relation between location and criminal behavior utilizing the social ecology theory in modern method was started in the first part on nineteen century. Jeffery was the first person who proposed the crime prevention theory by environment designing and emphasized on opportunities that environment provides for criminals and believed these crimes are consequences of these environmental opportunities. In this context, opportunity theory has increased positive role of criminal conditions and negative role of crime prevention factors, and also possibility for a crime to take place. On the contrary, reduction in criminal opportunities decreases the possibility for a crime to take place. Since criminal patterns are affected by the type of field, molding features or population and cultural features, these factors are very effective in formation of criminal centers. This paper investigates the crime potent centers throughout different districts of Yazd with emphasis on cultural planning and development.
 
Methodology
With respect to the components under study, the research method is descriptive and analytical. Statistical population is 42 neighborhoods of Yazd city. For analysis of the information we have used statistical tests such as Average Center (an approximate measure for comparing the spatial distribution of all kinds of crimes), Distance standard deviation (for comparison of the all kinds of crimes or one type of crime in time periods), Ellipse standard deviation (to show levels of dispersion) as well as statistical methods based on graphics including kernel density estimation for demonstration of crime centers. Dedicational statistical tests including simple regression coefficient is employed to analyze and evaluate the relationship between cultural elements and the kinds of crimes.
 
Results and Discussion
     The population of Yazd was 432194 people in 2006. It is spread through 3 communities and 43 districts. District 2-1-3 has the highest population of 27607 and the lowest population of 1311 people. It belongs to district 5-1-1. The average of educated people over the whole city is equal to 87.2 percent in 1996 which is undergoing a change due to the traditional structure and different social groups. Development of Yazd districts especially in the marginal areas has caused movement of new immigrants to the city and these two have a direct interaction. 20 hectares of land in Yazd is used for cultural and 51 hectares is used for religious purposes. Field study of the role of cultural factors shows that social problems and criminal activities have been increased due to unemployment, reduction in religious believes, decrease in family interactions and visiting, increase in level of expectations, different social classes, absence of people in religious milieus, and less conviction towards religion, clash of generations.
 
Conclusion
     For this analysis different statistical data have been used. Based on Cornell's estimation of population, Imam shahr, Azad shahr, airport district, Safaiye, and Atashkadeh have the highest rates of crime. The point of average center shows different kinds of crimes, including drug addiction, kidnapping, drinking, street assaults, and bad checks,  are initiated from central part of the city (Khoramshad, Sare dorahi) and goes on to Imam shahr, Azad shahr in the north and northwest and Akbar abad, Rail road station district in the south and southwest. The elliptical direction of the deviation of the criteria is from south-west (Imam shahr and Khoramshad) to northwest (Azad shahr) and southwest (Rail road station). The index of nearest neighbor also shows crimes such as drug addiction, drinking, and kidnapping are of the cluster type and street assault and bad checks are spread throughout the city in a random fashion. According to the linear regression, an increase in cultural and religious elements decreases the crime level throughout the city. About 99% for F statistic also emphasizes on the importance of the relationship between the two variables.
     Given that the commitment of different kinds of crimes needs its own space, some solutions can be suggested to decrease the rate of crime. The solutions are pathology examination of the areas of crime concentration throughout the city of Yazd, establishment of cultural and religious places in areas of need, informing families through cultural and religious programs for crime prevention, advertising Islamic values and using actors to participate in crime prevention programs, reinforcing the areas of criminal activities against fraud, and improving some of the facilities such as proper lighting and controlling traffic.

Keywords

Main Subjects


  1. افروغ، عماد، 1377، فضا و نابرابری اجتماعی، دانشگاه تربیت مدرس، تهران.
  2. خاکپور، براتعلی و مرتضی رمضانی، 1388، ارزیابی تأثیر امکانات و خدمات فرهنگی بر کاهش جرایم شهر مشهد در راستای توسعة پایدار شهری، همایش منطقه­ای جغرافیا و توسعة پایدار شهری، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد شیروان.
  3. سلامی، مهرداد، زهری، زهرا و علی اشرفی، 1391، شناسایی و پهنه­بندی کانون‌های وقوع جرم سرقت در شهر بیرجند، پژوهش­‌های راهبردی امنیت و نظم اجتماعی، دورة 1، شمارة 2.
  4. سلطانی، محمدعلی، 1374، اثرات جمعیت بر ناهنجاری­های اجتماعی، فصلنامة تحقیقات جغرافیایی، شمارة 39.
  5. سلیمی، علی و محمد داوری، 1380، جامعه­شناسی کجروی، پژوهشکدة حوزه و دانشگاه، تهران.
  6. شکویی، حسین، 1372، جغرافیای اجتماعی شهرها، اکولوژی اجتماعی شهر، نشر جهاد دانشگاهی.
  7. طاهرخانی، حبیب­اله، 1381، میزگرد ماهنامة شهرداری پیرامون امنیت شهری، ماهنامة شهرداری­ها، شمارة 41.
  8. علیخواه، فردین و مریم نجیبی ربیعی، 1385، زنان و ترس از جرم در فضاهای شهری، فصلنامة رفاه اجتماعی، سال پنجم، شمارة 22.
  9. فکوهی، ناصر، 1385، انسان­شناسی شهری، نشر نی، تهران.
  10. قرایی، فریبا، راد جهانبانی، نفیسه و نازیلا رشیدپور، 1389، بررسی و سنجش حس امنیت در مناطق مختلف شهری (نمونة موردی: منطقة 2 و 11 تهران)، مجلة آرمانشهر، شمارة 4.
  11. کلانتری، محسن و سمیه قزلباش، 1388، شناسایی کانون‌های جرم‌خیز شهری با استفاده از مدل‌های آماری گرافیک مبنا و سامانة اطلاعات جغرافیایی GIS (مطالعة موردی: سرقت در شهر زنجان)، فصلنامة مطالعات پیشگیری از جرم، سال چهارم، شمارة 11.
  12. کلانتری، محسن، هندیانی، عبدالله و محمدرضا سرمد، 1389، نقش ابرکانون‌های جرم‌خیز در شکل­گیری الگوهای فضایی بزهکاری (مطالعة موردی: ایستگاه بازرسی علی­آباد شهر بیرجند)، فصلنامة مطالعات نیروی انتظامی، سال پنجم، شمارة 4.
  13. کلانتری، محسن، 1380، بررسی جغرافیایی جرم و جنایت در مناطق شهر تهران، پایان­نامة دکتری، دانشگاه تهران، تهران.
  14. کلانتری، محسن و مهدی توکلی، 1386، شناسایی و تحلیل کانون­های جرم­خیز شهری، فصلنامة مطالعات پیشگیری از جرم، نشریة پلیس پیشگیری نیروی انتظامی، سال دوم، شمارة 2.
  15. مافی، عزت­اله، 1378، جغرافیای تطبیقی پاتولوژی شهری، فصلنامة تحقیقات جغرافیایی، شمارة 52 و 53.
  16. مرکز آمار ایران، 1390، سرشماری عمومی نفوس و مسکن شهر یزد.
  17. مهندسان مشاور عرصه، 1385، طرح جامع شهر یزد.
  18. نجفی ابرندآبادی، علی­حسین، 1383، تقریرات درس جرم­شناسی، مجموعة دوجلدی، جزوة کارشناسی ارشد، مجتمع آموزش عالی قم.
  19. نصیری، معصومه، 1382، اعتیاد و رابطة آن با مشاغل شهری، فصلنامة تحقیقات جغرافیایی، شمارة 70.

 

 

 

 

 

1)      Adedayo, A, Faleti, S. A. and Durojaye O. B., 2011, Urban Violence and Security, Published National Open University of Nigeria, ISBN: 978-058-465-X.

2)      Adedayo, A, Faleti, S. A. and Durojaye O. B., 2011, Urban Violence and Security, Published National Open University of Nigeria, ISBN: 978-058-465-X.

3)      Afrough, E., 1998, Space and Social Inequality, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran. (In Persian)

4)      Alikhah, F. and Najibi Rabiei, M., 2006, Women and Fear of Crime in Urban Areas, Journal of Social Welfare, Vol. 5, No. 22. (In Persian)

5)      Clarke, R., 1997, Situational Crime Prevention: Successful Case Studies, 2nd Ed, Harrow and Hetson, New York.

6)      Consulting Engineers of Arse, 2006, Master Plan City of Yazd. (In Persian)

7)      Fakohi, N., 2006, Urban Anthropology, Nashre Ney, Tehran. (In Persian)

8)      Felson, M. and Clarke, R. V., 2008, Opportunity Makes the Thief Practical Theory For Crime Prevention, Police Research Series Paper 98. Home office, Policing and Reducing Crime Unit, London Neighborhood Safety, Atlantic Monthly, Vol, 29.

9)      Gharaei, F., Rad Jahanbani, N. and Rashidpoor, N., 2010, Survey and Assessment Sense of Security in Urban Areas (Case Study: Regions 2 and 11 of Tehran), Utopia Journal, No. 4. (In Persian)

10)  Kalantari, M. and Ghezelbash, S., 2009, Urban Crime Hotspot Detection Using Statistical Models Based Graphics and GIS (Case Study: Robbery in Zanjan City), Journal Studies of Crime Prevention, Vol. 4, No. 11. (In Persian)

11)  Kalantari, M. and Tavakoli, M., 2007, Identification and Analysis of Crime Prone Urban Centers, Crime Prevention Studies, Journal of The Police Prevented the Police, Vol. 2, No.(In Persian)

12)  Kalantari, M., 2001, Investigateing Crime in the Geographic Areas of Tehran, PhD Thesis, Tehran University, Tehran.

13)  Kalantari, M., Handiyani, A. and Sarmad, M. R., 2010, Role of Crime Great Central in Shaping Spatial Patterns of Crime (Case Study: Ali Abad Checkpoint of Birjand City), Journal of Police Force Studies, Vol. 5, No. 4. (In Persian)

14)  Khakpour, B. A. and Ramezani, M., 2009, Assessing the Impact of Cultural Facilities and Services on Reducing Crime in City of Mashhad in the Direction of Sustainable Urban Development, Regional Conference on Geographic and Sustainable Development Urban, Islamic Azad University, Shirvan. (In Persian)

15)  Mafi, E., 1999, Comparative Pathology, Urban Geography, Geographical Research Quarterly, No. 52 & 53. (In Persian)

16)  Najafi Abrndabadi, A. H., 2004, Predicates Course Criminology, 2 Volumes, Brochure of M.A., Higher Education Center of Qom. (In Persian)

17)  Nassiri, M., 2003, Addiction and Its Relation to Urban Jobs, Geographical Researches Quarterly, No. 70. (In Persian)

18)  Salami, M., Zahri, Z. and Ashrafi, A., 2012, Identification and Zoning of Focus Occurrence of Robbery Crime in City of Birjand, Security and Social Regularity Strategic Studies, Vol. 1, No. 2. (In Persian)

19)  Salimi, A. and Davari, M., 2001, Sociology of Distortions, Institute of Science, Tehran. (In Persian)

20)  Shokoee, H., 1993, The Social Geography of Cities, Urban Social Ecology, The Publication Of The University Jihad. (In Persian)

21)  Soltani, M. A., 1995, Effects on Population, Social Disorders, Geographical Researches Quarterly, No. 39. (In Persian)

22)  Statistical Center of Iran, 2006, General Population and Housing Census, City of Yazd. (In Persian)

23)  Taherkhani, H., 2002, Monthly Panel Discussion about the Safety of Municipal Utilities, Municipal Monthly, No. 41. (In Persian)

24)  Taylor, R. B., 1998, Crime and Small Scale places, National Institute of Justice (NIJ), It’s online at: http://www.nij.com

25)   Weisburd, D., 2004, Criminal Careers of Places: A Longitudinal Study, U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice.