A cross-national spatial study of crime using variables informed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

Cross-national spatial studies of crime are rare. Reasons are manifold but include the lack of standardization of variables across, often diverse, contexts. In this study, we propose a potential solution to this impasse by examining the spatial causes of violent crime across two axiomatically different contexts: Khayelitsha (in South Africa) and Fort Lauderdale (in the United States). In a departure from previous research, our variable selection for this study is guided by the Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards, specifically ISO 37210 indicators—which relate to the Sustainable Development of Communities. We use these standards to operationalize the seminal spatial theory of crime, namely the social disorganization theory. Results show some similarity in the spatial risk factors associated with violent crime. We conclude by arguing for the benefits of using standardized variables in cross-national spatial crime research but also highlight the challenges of such an approach.https://journals.sagepub.com/home/ICJhj2023Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorolog

The vagaries of variables : towards a standardised approach for variable selection in spatial crime research

Studies using the social disorganisation theory as a framework to explain crime are commonplace globally. There are numerous inconsistencies however in the operationalisation of the theory with researchers using a plethora of different variables to represent the central tenets of the theory namely socio-economic deprivation, family disruption, residential mobility and ethnic heterogeneity. These inconsistencies bring into question the validity and reliability of the results especially when the selection of variables varies so considerably across local and international contexts. In this study we show how the use of different variables to operationalise these tenets can produce vastly different results when examining the causes of crime in the township of Khayelitsha in South Africa. We conclude by arguing for the potential standardisation of variable selection in spatial crime research using the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) global indicators as a guiding framework. We believe this is particularly pertinent if researchers are interested in undertaking cross-national comparative studies of crime.https://journals.sagepub.com/home/mioam2023Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorolog