A Spatial Analysis of Alcohol Outlet Density and Abandoned Properties on Violent Crime in Paterson New Jersey

Alcohol outlet density (AOD) and abandoned or vacant properties in under-served urban communities has received increased attention and has been linked to community violence. While previous research has examined the AOD and violent crime association, less research has investigated the relationship between abandoned properties and violent crime. Those studies that are present examining the AOD-abandoned properties-violent crime link have been plagued by flaws that include statistical weaknesses and aggregated datasets that investigated larger units such as states or countries. The present study, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping, spatial analysis techniques, and a regression-based approach examines the association between AOD and abandoned properties on violent crime, controlling for demographic characteristics, in Paterson, New Jersey. Results provide some evidence on the association between AOD and abandoned properties on violent crime, drawing conclusions for policy and practice.