Geographical Distribution of Crime: A Spatial Econometric Analysis

Since long time social sciences have focused their attention on the causes of crime activities and this attention evolved over time. The sociological school emphasised the role of neighbourhood in delinquency activities, their stability over time and the existence of a negative relation between crimes and business centres (Shaw and McKay, 1942). This perspective stimulated the analysis of the existing nexus between crime activities and their geographical proximity. The economics approach moved differently. Since late 60s the economic analyses devoted their attention to the detection of mechanisms affecting the choice and behaviour of criminals (Becker, 1968; Stigler, 1970; Ehrlich, 1973). B…