Spatial/Temporal Variations of Crime: A Routine Activity Theory Perspective.

Temporal and spatial patterns of crime in Campinas, Brazil, are analyzed considering the relevance of routine activity theory in a Latin American context. We use geo-referenced criminal event data, 2010-2013, analyzing spatial patterns using census tracts and temporal patterns considering seasons, months, days, and hours. Our analyses include difference in means tests, count-based regression models, and Kulldorff's scan test. We find that crime in Campinas, Brazil, exhibits both temporal and spatial-temporal patterns. However, the presence of these patterns at the different temporal scales varies by crime type. Specifically, not all crime types have statistically significant temporal patterns at all scales of analysis. As such, routine activity theory works well to explain temporal and spatial-temporal patterns of crime in Campinas, Brazil. However, local knowledge of Brazilian culture is necessary for understanding a portion of these crime patterns.

Social Disorganization and Homicide in Recife, Brazil.

In this article, we investigate the determinants of homicide in Recife, Brazil, considering social disorganization theory. Using georeferenced homicide data, 2009-2013, and census data, we analyze homicide in Recife using a spatial regression technique that controls for spatial autocorrelation and heteroskedasticity at the census tract level. Overall, we find that homicide in Recife, Brazil, is characterized by social disorganization theory. Specifically, positive relationships are found for inequality, rented houses, and quantity of people, but negative relationships are found for income, literacy, percentage of married people, water supply, public illumination, the percentage of women responsible for the house, and population density. Overall, we find that social disorganization theory provides an instructive framework for understanding homicide in Recife, Brazil. However, there are specific contexts to Brazil that are different from North American contexts.