Place-Based Data, Methods, and Analysis: Past, Present, and Future

Abstract

Place-based research in criminology considers the micro-place (street segments, for example) as the unit of analysis. Though research considering criminal events, or police calls for service, occurring at the micro-place has a long history, the contemporary “crime and place” literature that considers citywide analyses of criminal events or police calls for service emerged 30 years ago. This research has shown that the micro-place is an important component of understanding the spatial dimension of criminal events, both descriptively and inferentially. In this chapter, we review the crime and place literature, considering place-based data, methods, and forms of analysis. We discuss the significant strides that have been made within the spatial criminology literature using a place-based approach, but conclude that there remains work to be done to move the field forward.