Crime Risks Increase in Areas Proximate to Theme Parks: A Case Study of Crime Concentration in Orlando

Abstract

Research has examined the influence of ecological characteristics of cities on spatial crime distributions. Given the potential economic and human impacts, a subset of this work has focused on special events or specific venues, which attract a significant number of people and represent unique logistics. In this context, the spatial attributes of tourist cities, particularly those near heavily trafficked attractions, may be related to elevated risk for property crime and violence. This study examines crime patterns surrounding Universal Studios Florida theme park by analyzing census block data in Orlando. Various statistical techniques are utilized including geospatial mapping, local indicators of spatial association analysis (LISA), and spatial regression analysis controlling for autocorrelation between neighborhoods. Results indicate that the location of the theme park is associated with uneven crime distribution in Orlando, but those impacts are significantly influenced by the consideration of crime-generating/attracting facilities located within census blocks.