Martin Andresen

Areas of Research:

The majority of my research is concerned with understanding the spatial distribution of the criminal event and the role of scale with that understanding. More specifically, people and their resulting criminal activity are neither randomly nor evenly distributed across space, and my research in this area is concerned with understanding the factors that drive this spatial aspect of crime--environmental criminology. Environmental criminology research has shown that criminal activity varies systematically with urban, social, and demographic geographies. The same holds true for Vancouver: criminal activity dominantly occurs in places exhibiting commercial activity, social disorganization, and the presence of young populations.

Quantitative methodology underlies the majority of my research. My spatial crime analysis research, though theoretically grounded, primarily involves the application of exploratory spatial data analysis and spatial statistical techniques through the use of geographic information systems. In some instances this research has led to the development of new techniques, particularly in the testing of spatial point patterns.

My future research will continue to focus on: the spatial distribution of the criminal event and geographic information science, specifically the development of point pattern analysis techniques and spatial statistical analysis.