Effects of disaster periods on crime and criminal typology the case of Malatya in the February 6 earthquakes

This thesis aims to examine the changes in crime typology in the province of Malatya following the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş on February 6, 2023. The study consists of five chapters. In the first chapter, the subject, significance, purpose, methodology, and limitations of the research are explained, and the general framework of the study is outlined. The second chapter discusses the concept of disaster and types of disasters, and presents key theoretical concepts such as security, crime, offender, and crime typology. In the third chapter, the social and economic impacts of the February 6 earthquakes on Türkiye and Malatya are examined in order to provide a general understanding of the post-earthquake context. The fourth chapter presents a comparative monthly analysis of crime data from the police jurisdiction in Malatya for the years 2022 and 2023, including narcotics crimes, crimes against persons, crimes against property, crimes against society, crimes against the nation and the state, and complaint-dependent offenses. Based on these comparisons, the increases and decreases observed in crime data are evaluated from criminological, sociological, and administrative perspectives. In the fifth chapter, titled Findings, Recommendations, and Conclusion, the analyzed data are assessed, and policy recommendations are proposed regarding measures to be taken before, during, and after disasters in order to minimize their adverse effects. The findings of this study indicate that following the February 6 earthquakes, crime rates in Malatya showed significant short-term decreases and medium-term variations depending on crime types. The decreases observed in the initial months after the disaster were found to be associated not with an actual decline in criminal activity, but rather with population displacement, temporary dysfunction of judicial and law enforcement mechanisms, and disruptions in crime reporting. During the normalization period, increases were observed particularly in property crimes and crimes against persons, while the decrease in complaint-dependent offenses was interpreted as an indication of reduced crime visibility. Furthermore, the fact that law enforcement personnel were themselves disaster victims emerged as a significant factor that temporarily weakened the capacity to combat crime. In light of these findings, it is essential to strengthen pre-disaster preparedness, support the operational capacity of law enforcement during disasters, and rapidly restore security and judicial services in the post-disaster period to ensure the effective continuation of crime control. Considering population mobility and the continuity of complaint mechanisms, the development of comprehensive security policies aimed at enhancing crime visibility is of critical importance.