The analysis of the relationship between crime and population density using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) A case study of Islam Abad informal dwelling area, Zanjan

The excess of population, density in cities, and increasing industrialization of societies have both positive and negative consequences. As the positive consequences are more accepted and have more adherents in comparison to negative ones with less responsible authorities, these negative consequences have more charges for authorities in society. The crime is one of the main negative consequences that influence the welfare of people, families, and societies. The purpose of the study is to analyze the relationship that demographic factors and population density have with occurrences of perpetrated crimes in Islam Abad Area. The study has a descriptive analytical research method and to analyze the relationship between the crime and population density used Geographical Information System, Crime Analysis, and Case. The statistical population of the study is a set of crimes perpetrated in one year period in the area of Islam Abad. The results of the study indicate that the area of informal dwelling in Islam Abad is one of the most important crime centers of perpetrated crimes in the city and that the spatial distribution of crimes in the area has a clustered and concentrated pattern. From 321 crimes perpetrated in the area, the guilt of malfeasance and quarrel of 62 cases, equivalent to 19.31% of all perpetrated crimes, and the guilt of overuse and addiction to narcotic drugs with 62 cases, equivalent to 19.31%, have the highest frequency. In contrast, the guilt of pick pocket with two cases, equivalent to 0.6% of all crimes perpetrated has the lowest frequency. Also, it can be observed that there is a significant relationship between the high amount of population crowd and the increase of social abnormalities in Islam Abad Region so that the relative population density for the area is up to 422 people per hectare while the number for Zanjan City is up to 69 people per hectare. Therefore, the relative population density in Islam Abad Region is about 6 times more than that of other districts of the city in average; the delinquency occurrences are comparatively more than those of other districts.