The Spatial Analysis of Bag Snatching Offense in Sari City Using Geographic Information System

Purse snatching offense is one of the most common offenses in the country's urban areas. The present study was conducted with the aim of spatial geographic analysis of purse snatching in Sari. Purse snatching is one of the offenses against properties and individuals whose control and coping and prevention have a significant effect on increasing the sense of security of the citizens. In terms of its objectives this study is of an applied research study and in terms of methodology it is considered as a descriptive-analytical type. The statistical population includes the total purse snatching offense committed in Sari in 2017. The criminal data as well as recorded documents were obtained from GIS system of Mazandaran Provincial Police as one of the leading provinces in this field and were analyzed using ArcGIS software. Accordingly, the dispersion of purse snatching offenses, the identification of the center of hotspot, and the drawing of the oval standard deviation of purse snatching offense were put on the agenda. The vast majority of purse snatchers are young and middle-aged men who are unemployed, lacking university education, and have a criminal record. The distribution of purse snatching from the periphery to the city center becomes denser and the center of hotspot is consistent with the central regions of the city. The timing schedule of the occurrence of the purse snatching is inclined to the second half of the day, the middle days of the week, and the summer season. The results of the research indicate that today, law enforcement management of crime, including purse snatching, requires the use of a crime spatial information system. Sari's spatial analysis reveals the necessity of clearing the central areas of the city from the purse snatching. Success in this area requires the upgrading and modernization of urban fabric, especially the worn out texture, based on the role of urban design in crime prevention, and strengthening policies and programs for the social, situational and criminal preventions.