Assessment of crime at c-train stations

Date
2011
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Abstract
In recent decades, there is immense interest m studying the social and physical contributors to crime in LRT (C-Train in Calgary) station settings and linking public mass transit to increase in community crime. This study explores the relationships between the social/physical characteristics of a transit environment and CTrian station crime in the Calgary context. Through descriptive statistical analysis and regression modelling, this study investigates the impacts of socioeconomic and physical variables of environment on C-Train station crimes. The main research premise attempts to identify the independent variables associated with person, property and vehicle related crime at C-Train stations. The study area comprises the twenty six C-Train stations along the Northwest, Northeast and South lines of the Calgary LRT system. Analysis of the regression results showed that four variables were able to collectively explain 79% of the variability of person crime. These variables include bus stops at stations, commercial and industrial land use, household income group 40,000-59,999 and housing density. Two independent variables, bus stops at stations and commercial and industrial land use, were able to collectively explain 72% of the variability of property related crime. In addition, two variables (the number of parking stalls at C-Train stations and commercial and industrial land use) were found to be statistically significant, explaining 69% percent of the variability of vehicle crime. The implementation of new transit station often raises concerns that such new stations may increase crime rates in station communities. This study also examines the effects of new C-Train stations in Calgary on adjacent communities' crime. A piecewise regression model is developed to evaluate the impact of the opening of a station on crimes in the station communities. To study about new station's impact to community crime, we have seen vehicle type of crime increase during the opening of station at McKnight and Somerset stations. However, they did not continue to increase after that point. Use of statistical analysis and models can aid to the policy making process of planning and designing safe C-Train stations. Further research in this field is required to verify more potential crime attributes and their relationship to public transit environments.
Description
Bibliography: p. 94-98
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Citation
Azad, A. K. (2011). Assessment of crime at c-train stations (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/4373
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