Spatial analysis of the impact of socio-economic factors on crimes in provinces of Iran emphasizing on immigration (2006-2011)

Societies have paid attention to safety. This study examines the relationship between socio-economic factors and crime, emphasizing on immigration. Due to the locational aspect of the data, spatial econometric techniques are used. The model has been specified in the form of Spatial Durbin Panel Data Model (SDPDM). The specified model has been estimated for 30 provinces of Iran in 2006-11 by considering two variables of theft and murder. In model I, unemployment, urbanization and income per capita have had significant positive impacts on theft, while industrialization and Gini coefficient have inversely influenced theft. In model II, economic growth and income per capita have had significant positive impact on murder rate. Result show spatial dependence.