The Hidden Connections of Urban Crime: A Network Analysis of Victims, Crime Types, and Locations in Rio de Janeiro

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2024

Authors

Ventorim, FC (Author) Other; Netto, VM (Author) FEUP

Journal

The Journal is awaiting validation by the Administrative Services.

Title: URBAN SCIENCE

Vol. 8 No. 4

Final page: 72

ISSN: 2413-8851

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 1 Citation

Scopus - 0 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-010-PCR

DOI: 10.3390/urbansci8020072

Abstract (EN): Urban crime is a pressing issue in socially unequal regions like Brazil. We investigate the complex relationships between crime, victims, and urban situations in Rio de Janeiro. We analyze the connections between specific types of crime, victim characteristics, and crime locations through complex network analysis. In a large-scale empirical study, we examine 5000 randomly selected crime incidents in Rio between 2007 and 2018. Our analysis reveals a strong association between sex, race, location, and income inequality in the risk of exposure to crime. The results suggest that specific social groups, notably black and brown women, face a higher-than-average vulnerability to particular types of crime in Rio. Our investigation confirms our hypothesis that crime incidents are not random occurrences. Instead, we have discovered meaningful connections between specific types of crime, victim characteristics, and crime locations. These findings indicate a pattern of underlying factors shaping the distribution of crime and vulnerable social groups.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 17