GIS-based crime hotspot mapping and its correlation with land use: A case study on assessment of CPTED principle

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to assess the relationship between crime rate and land use, which reflects the principle of crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) at the city level. Crime data for 2022 is taken for Surat city and regressed against various land uses and road networks. These land use and road networks depict three CPTED principles: natural surveillance, access control and activity support. First, crime hotspot mapping is done using various spatial interpolation methods, and relative comparison is done using the root mean square error value. The IDW method is found to be the most suitable method for hotspot mapping of Surat city. The result shows that residential, industrial and recreational land uses have a significant correlation with crime rates. Residential and industrial areas have a positive impact, whereas recreational spaces have a negative impact on crime rates. Increased road connectivity also has a positive correlation with crime rates. This study suggests that the crime rate varies with different land uses and road networks. Hence, CPTED principles do affect at the city level.