Principal Component Analysis of Crime Data in Gwagwalada Area Command, Abuja from 1995 – 2015

Abstract

This paper analyses Abuja crime data which consists of the averages of twenty major crimes reported to the police for the period 1995 – 2015. Correlation analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were employed to explain the correlation between the crimes and to determine the distribution of the crimes over the three Area Councils under the Gwagwalada Area Command. The result has shown a significant correlation between robbery and rape, grievous hurt and wound (GHW), theft, assault, murder and unlawful escape. Gwagwalada Area Council has the highest overall crime rate i.e. Rape, Robbery, GHW, Theft, Assault, Murder and unlawful escape in the Area Command. Unlawful possession, breach of peace and broken store are more prevalence in Kwali Area Council while Vehicle theft, car stealing and burglary are more prevalence in Kuje Area Council Area. The PCA has suggested retaining three components (Rape, Robbery and GHW) that explain about 86.873 percent of the total variability of the data set.