Understanding the Differential Effects of Land Uses on Crime: An Examination Across Philadelphia Neighbourhoods

Although criminology presumes that the physical structural qualities of neighbourhoods have important consequences for crime, there is a dearth of research to test the effects of different land uses on crime rates. Using data on a sample of Philadelphia census blocks, I compute the percentage of the block area classified into seven land use categories, and I use Poisson models to test the localized and broader spatial impact of each of these land uses on crime, controlling for key sociodemographic characteristics. The results show that to effectively understand the interplay between physical structure and crime rates, researchers should disaggregate nonresidential land uses, account for the surrounding environment in which neighbourhoods are situated and analyse a specific form of moderation.