A Geographical investigation of the crimes against property in the «Araç» (Kastamonu/Turkey) district center in terms of crime geography

Abstract

The different social values and cultural lives of human beings have caused the
phenomenon of crime to differ between societies. The concept of crime has always been regarded
as an important problem in everyday and social life that has become complicated. It is argued that
in the emergence of crime, it is mostly the psychological and sociological factors that are effective.
However, in addition to the various geographical features of the place where the crime occurs, the
effect of the socio-economic characteristics that the people living in the particular place interact
with the environment should not be overlooked either. As a matter of fact, these factors are some
of the factors that impact the number and type of crime in any given place.
Just as a crime occurs in a geographic location as a result of various variables, various
preventive factors should come together in an attempt to reduce the number of the crime
and prevent it from being committed in that place. In fact, perceiving crime as a duty of law
enforcement officers and seeking solutions only in this way is a method that is not realistic. In
order to prevent crime, which is a social event, many disciplines need to work together and the
results of these studies should be evaluated and implemented by the decision makers.
In this study, the spatial and temporal distribution of crimes against property, the general
characteristics of crimes against property, the numerical and proportional distribution of crimes
against property and the relationship between the geographic features affecting it and the crimes
against property were investigated and revealed in the Araç District Center of the Kastamonu
province within a period of three years (2016-2018). As a result of these data obtained in the study,
the reasons for the crimes committed against the property in the Araç District Center, which
was the area of the investigation were examined and evaluated, and based on the findings, some
suggestions were made in order in an attempt to prevent the crimes and reduce their numbers.