Crime, Space, and Race: A Spatial Analysis of Assaults with Victim Race and Residence as Predictors

Abstract

While it is clear that space matters when it comes to explaining crime, there is a lack of research exploring whether such spatial effects remain significant if victim characteristics are introduced into the analysis. This paper addresses this gap by applying risk terrain modeling to predict assaults for victims of different racial backgrounds and local versus non-local residents. The results show spatial risk factors have different impact on the likelihood of victimization for individuals of different racial backgrounds and those who live in the city where the crime occurs versus those who are visiting. The findings suggest that more attention should be given to integrating the victim characteristics with the characteristics of space when predicting violent crime using spatial analysis.