U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Library & Multimedia
 Visualization of Spatial Relationships in Mobility Research: A Primer
NCJ Number
              214255

Author(s)
          Elizabeth R. Groff;
                        Thomas McEwen
Date Published

March 2006
Length
              65 pages
Annotation
              This report provides an introduction to visualizing flows and spatial relationships among offender, victim, and crime locations, and the cartographic techniques that could be applied to mobility triangle data.
Abstract
              The mapping of crime has been done for hundreds of years. More recently, some researchers have become interested in developing spatial typologies of crimes that incorporate the relationship between offender and victim residence and the location of the crime, specifically mobility triangles. Mobility triangles are formed from three locations: offender home address, victim home address, and site of the crime. The relative spatial relationships among the three locations constitute the basis of the typology. However, little explicit attention has been given in the criminological literature to the various methods available for visualizing the information contained in spatial typologies such as mobility triangles. This report supported by the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice attempts to fill that gap by focusing on cartographic techniques available to visualize the movement of offenders and victims among neighborhoods and depict the relative relationships among locations that are captured in mobility triangle data. After reading this report, one should know what types of mapping techniques are available and when each is appropriate for a particular analysis, be familiar with how to symbolize specific map types, be able to articulate the types of questions that can be answered using each type of map, be familiar with different types of software available to construct flow maps and their relative advantages and disadvantages, and know how to symbolize the relationships revealed by mobility triangle classification. The first section of the report explains the data used and sets out the framework for organizing the various cartographic techniques available. This is followed by demonstrating the types of questions that can be answered through the examination of mobility data at a variety of scales. Exhibits, references and appendixes 1-3
      
  
          Additional Details
Grant Number(s)
        2003-IJ-CX-0150


  
  
        
  Agencies
        NIJ-Sponsored


  
  
        
  Publication Type
        Issue Overview


  
  
        
  Award
        Mapping and Analysis for Public Safety: Funding for Spatial Data Analysis
    
  
  
Date Published: March 1, 2006
    
          Downloads
        
                      PDF

Related Datasets
        
                      http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR04544.v1
Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              NIJ Journal
    
      
            
            
            
      Podcasts
    
      
            
            
            
      Publications Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Multimedia Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Software & Databases
    
      
            
            
            
      Datasets
    
      
            
            
            
      PatentsRelated Topics
        
                Crime Mapping
        Crime patterns
        Criminal commuting
        Demographic analysis of crime
        Geographic distribution of crime



  
Similar Publications
        
                      Methamphetamine and Violence in Illinois
                  Results from an effectiveness evaluation of anti-bias training on police behavior and public perceptions of discrimination
                  Analysis of amphetamine, methamphetamine, methylenedioxyamphetamine and methylenedioxymethamphetamine in whole blood using in-matrix ethyl chloroformate derivatization and automated headspace solid-phase microextraction followed by GC-MS
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov