Mapping Perceptions of Crime in the Comox Valley

Authors

  • William McConnell North Island College
  • Hendrien Kaal Leiden University
  • Gabry Vanderveen Leiden University
  • James Anderson North Island College

Abstract

Perceived neighbourhood safety is an important determinant of quality of life.  However, consistent with most neighbourhood research, surveys of residents’ perceptions of crime tend to ignore the discrepancy between the researcher’s definition of neighbourhood (typically an administrative area such as census tract) and residents’ perceived neighbourhoods (typically much smaller), which may compromise the reliability of the resultant data.  Drawing on surveys conducted in the Comox Valley and in the Netherlands, we show that it is possible to address this discrepancy by using mapping software to establish the size and location of each resident’s neighbourhood, and by intentionally contrasting residents’ estimates of crime in their own neighbourhoods with estimates for the researcher-defined neighbourhoods.  We also show that it is possible to map the hot spots that residents consider unsafe within their communities.

Author Biographies

William McConnell, North Island College

William McConnell teaches psychology and criminology at North Island College in Courtenay, BC. His interests include assessing and engaging social science students’ interest in research. Email: bill.mcconnell@nic.bc.ca.

Hendrien Kaal, Leiden University

Hendrien Kaal taught at the Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology at Leiden University in the Netherlands. She is now a Senior Researcher at the Ministry of Justice in the Hague. Her interests include crime and disorder, and the assessment of people with learning disabilities in the criminal justice system. Email: h.l.kaal@minjus.nl.

Gabry Vanderveen, Leiden University

Gabry Vanderveen is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology at Leiden University in the Netherlands. Her interests include crime and disorder, visual data and visual methods. Email: g.n.g.vanderveen@law.leidenuniv.nl.

James Anderson, North Island College

James Anderson teaches anthropology and liberal studies at North Island College in Courtenay and Campbell River, BC. His interests include the digital collection, manipulation, analysis, and interpretation of archaeological data from sites in the Middle East, particularly Jordan. Email: james.anderson@nic.bc.ca.

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Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2011): Map My Culture: Community and Space in Small Cities

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Articles

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