Geographical influences of an emerging network of gang rivalries

Hegemann, Rachel A.; Smith, Laura M.; Barbaro, Alethea; Bertozzi, Andrea L.; Reid, Shannon E.; Tita, George E.

Geographical influences of an emerging network of gang rivalries

Journal article (2011)

Authors

Rachel A. Hegemann University of California

Laura M. Smith University of California

Alethea Barbaro UCLA, University of California

Andrea L. Bertozzi University of California

Shannon E. Reid 2340 Social Ecology II

George E. Tita 2340 Social Ecology II

Affiliation

External organisation

Agent-based model Complex system Biased Lévy walk Dynamic network Gang rivalry Geographical Threshold Graph

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Published Date

15-10-2011

Language

English

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Abstract

We propose an agent-based model to simulate the creation of street gang rivalries. The movement dynamics of agents are coupled to an evolving network of gang rivalries, which is determined by previous interactions among agents in the system. Basic gang data, geographic information, and behavioral dynamics suggested by the criminology literature are integrated into the model. The major highways, rivers, and the locations of gangs' centers of activity influence the agents' motion. We use a policing division of the Los Angeles Police Department as a case study to test our model. We apply common metrics from graph theory to analyze our model, comparing networks produced by our simulations and an instance of a Geographical Threshold Graph to the existing network from the criminology literature.