Crimes in Bilecik city (2017-2021)

The phenomenon of crime is as old as humanity itself. Today, with industrialization and modernization, cities are facing many problems, one of them is crime. Understanding the spatial distribution, volume, type, and timing of crime-which affects society as a whole-offers a significant opportunity to struggle it more effectively. Accurate decisions and outcomes in the fight against crime can improve the quality of life in cities and make modern urban areas more livable. While geographical studies on crime began to emerge in Turkey after the 2000s, such studies have a longer history in developed countries such as the United States and European nations. Cities, like all living organisms, grow, develop, and change. As cities expand both in population and spatially, socioeconomic conditions evolve, and cultural differences become more obvious each day. Uncontrolled urban growth and irregular migration disrupt the demographic structure of cities, leading to an increase in both the number and types of crimes. As crime rates rise, the quality of urban life declines, urban security deteriorates, and security-related expenditures increase. Crime, which is the subject of many disciplines, falls within the scope of geography when examined in terms of its location, causes and consequences, time, and spatial distribution-giving rise to the field known as the geography of crime. Crime has existed throughout every era of human history, and will likely continue to exist as long as humanity does. It is impossible to eradicate crime completely. However, scientific research that identifies why crimes are committed, where and at what time they occur, can guide crime prevention units but with proactive measures, it is possible to reduce the number of crimes before they happen. In this study, statistical data obtained from the Bilecik Police Department and the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) are used to analyze the crime phenomenon in the city of Bilecik. Covering a five-year period from 2017 to 2021, the study examines the spatial and temporal distribution of crimes in central neighborhoods, the relationship between crime types and locations, and the factors influencing the distribution of crime, based on police records. Keywords: Crime, Crime geography, Location, Time, Bilecik