Identifying the appropriate spatial resolution for the analysis of crime patterns.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A key issue in the analysis of many spatial processes is the choice of an appropriate scale for the analysis. Smaller geographical units are generally preferable for the study of human phenomena because they are less likely to cause heterogeneous groups to be conflated. However, it can be harder to obtain data for small units and small-number problems can frustrate quantitative analysis. This research presents a new approach that can be used to estimate the most appropriate scale at which to aggregate point data to areas.

Data and methods

The proposed method works by creating a number of regular grids with iteratively smaller cell sizes (increasing grid resolution) and estimating the similarity between two realisations of the point pattern at each resolution. The

SUBMITTER: Malleson N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6594600 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature