A Spatial Analysis of Homicide Crime’s Distribution and Association with Deprivation in Stockholm Between 2010-2017

Abstract: A Spatial Analysis of Homicide Crime’s Distribution and Association with Deprivation in Stockholm Between 2010-2017 Homicide crimes are rare events depending on numerous factors and tend to be distributed differently based on geographic location. The use of spatial analysis is substantively important for detecting different predictors in varying geographic areas and for the diffusion process of homicide crimes. Modern research, mainly from the U.S, acknowledge a strong relationship between poverty and homicide rates. However, it lacks to resolve weather concentrated poverty, defined similarly, can explain cross national differences in homicide rates, and how distributions of inequality directly compare at the neighbourhood level. This dissertation explores homicide crimes in a spatial context in Stockholm, Sweden between the years 2010-2017. The precise locations of homicide crimes were obtained from various sources and confirmed in an extensive verification process. The first part of the study investigates the spatial clustering of homicide crimes through Nearest Neighbour Hierarchical Clustering (NNH). The second part further address the spatial distribution of homicide crimes by investigating its relationship with material deprivation on a district level through Poisson based regression. Material deprivation was defined by a neighbouring deprivation index (NDI) consisting of four variables: income; education; unemployment; and social welfare The results show several significant areas of spatial clustering, as well as a positive correlation between material deprivation and homicide rates. The relationship between homicide crimes and social welfare was particularly substantial in the regression model. This study shows how spatial tools can be utilized in the field of homicide research. It illuminates the importance of establishing a deeper understanding of the nature of homicide crimes in Sweden in order for a more sufficient homicide crime control. In addition, the thesis’ results can help develop the prevention of homicide crimes and assist researchers’ further studies in the field.