A descriptive model of the relationship between police CCTV systems and crime. Evidence from Mexico City

Abstract

We test the relationship of police closed circuit television (CCTV) systems with crime at the census block level. Our descriptive model is based on environmental criminology theory and spatial modeling. We use as case study the Colonia Roma neighborhood in Mexico City which is a neighborhood characterized by high density, mixed uses, and high levels of crime. We found that CCTV correlated only with non-violent crime and, further, that crime was more strongly correlated to other crime opportunity and social disorganization correlates. In the remaining blocks we found no statistical evidence of an association between CCTV and crime. We discuss these results in terms of research methods and policy.

Keywords:

• CCTV
• crime
• policing
• spatial analysis
• Mexico

Notes

1. See: Encuesta Nacional de Victimización y Percepción sobre Seguridad Pública (ENVIPE) 2011 and 2015. Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI).

2. Source: Ciudad Segura webpage. Visit: http://www.caepccm.df.gob.mx/preguntas_frecuentes

3. Source: Mexico City Governor Miguel Mancera in interview with Newspaper Excelsior, January 14 of 2014. Visit: http://www.excelsior.com.mx/comunidad/2014/01/14/938197

4. Source: Statistical report of the Ciudad Segura program, January-June 2015. See: http://www.caepccm.df.gob.mx/reporte_2015

5. This was pointed out by one of the reviewers.

6. Source: Censo de Poblacion y Vivienda, 2010. INEGI.

7. Equivalent to 1.4 square miles and 31.6 thousand inhabitants per mi².

8. In Spanish: Procuraduria General de Justicia del Distrito Federal (PGJDF).

9. See: http://www.pgjdf.gob.mx/images/Estadisticas/1215.pdf

10. In Spanish: Directorio Estadístico Nacional de Unidades Económicas (DENUE).

11. Source: Statistical report of the Ciudad Segura program, January-June 2015. Visit: http://www.caepccm.df.gob.mx/reporte_2015

12. This was a good insight from one of the reviewers regarding the interpretation of the results.