SPATIAL PATTERN AND DYNAMICS OF CRIME INCIDENCE IN ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL (AMAC)

Abstract

This study investigated the spatial pattern and dynamics of crime in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Nigeria. The objectives of the study are to identify the main types of crime that are reported in AMAC and map their occurrences; evaluate the factors influencing the occurrence of crime; and examine the temporal changes in crime event. The study employed stratified random sampling technique to select 675 respondents. The sampling was done from 9 Police Divisional Districts taking equal number of households (75) from each District. The data obtained were analysed with descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and factor analysis. Geospatial tools were employed to characterize the spatial pattern as well as the dynamics of crimes in the area. The results showed that burglary is the most prominent crime reported by more than a third (33.7%) of the respondents. The other crimes reported are theft (27.9%), vehicle theft (14.6%) and assault (14.3%) respectively. The analyses also revealed an inverse relationship between crime rate and police effectiveness. Furthermore, the results showed a significant relationship between occurrence of crime and each of land-use types, socio-demographic and environmental factors at 95% confidence level. The study concluded that the provision for intelligence-led policing facilities is needed in the study area to assist security personnel in responding quickly to crimes. Also, policing should be very close to the people as crime rates are generally higher in areas with limited police presence. Furthermore, geospatial tools are shown to be versatile in capturing the spatial dynamics of crimes. The authorities therefore need to invest in this towards improved neighbourhood security in the Study Area.