Date of Award

2006

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Program

Geography

Supervisor

Jacek Malczewski, Ph.D

Abstract

The aim ofthis thesis is to present analyses ofthe quality of crime related spatial data and the linkages to that data used in research on spatial patterns ofresidential burglaries in London, Ontario. Data of differing quality are often combined for research with little discussion about potential errors in quality, leading to spurious conclusions. The buffer overlay statistics and stochastic methods are employed to establish the quality metrics of positional accuracy, completeness, and miscodings for the data sets. An empirical investigation ofthe data used in mapping residential burglaries is undertaken. A new census dissemination area data set is created to strengthen the linkages ofthe residential burglary locations with the socio-economic census data. Local indicators ofspatial autocorrelation, in the form of crime clusters, are mapped by using local Moran’s I and Getis Ord G; statistics. The findings based on spatial statistical analysis indicate that there is approximately 10 percent variability in significant spatial crime clusters.

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