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Table of Contents | Background
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Spatially Integrated Social Science: Chapter 7
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Spatial
Analyses of Homicide with Areal Data
Steven F. Messner and
Luc Anselin
Abstract
This chapter highlights the ways in which the application
of recently developed techniques for spatial analysis contributes
to our understanding of homicide. We begin with a brief historical
review of the role of geographic space in the sociological
study of crime and then discuss generic methodological issues
involved in the study of areal units. The logic of important
techniques for spatial analysis is explained and illustrated
using two empirical case studies of variation in homicide
rates across U.S. counties. One case study involves the use
of techniques of Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA),
and the other applies spatial regression modeling. The analyses
yield suggestive evidence of diffusion processes and also
reveal the incompleteness of well-accepted baseline models
of homicide rates. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion
of pressing issues for future research on the spatial dynamics
of crime.
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