Public Safety: Reviewing Szabolcs Mátyás’s Crime Geography

Abstract

Szabolcs Mátyás’s Crime Geography is a ground-breaking book that explores the intersection of geography and criminology, offering theoretical insights and practical applications for understanding the spatial dimensions of crime. Published in English, the book is the first to present crime geography as an independent scientific discipline, bridging criminology, geography, and social sciences. The author emphasizes its interdisciplinary nature, outlining three main approaches: criminological, geographical, and interdisciplinary. The book traces the historical development of crime geography, from 19th-century French “moral statistics” by André-Michel Guerry and Adolphe Quetelet to the 20th-century Chicago School’s “concentric zone model”. Modern technological tools like GIS and crime mapping are discussed extensively, particularly their use in analysing crime hotspots and informing policing strategies. The author also introduces the innovative Crime Classification System, inspired by Köppen’s meteorological classification, which integrates qualitative and quantitative data to enhance crime visualization and reveal regional crime trends. The book’s standout feature is its practical focus, which includes examples from Hungary and international contexts. The author connects geographic methods to crime prevention, exploring frontier areas like urban crime, demography, ethnography, and transport geography. His engaging writing style makes complex concepts accessible, although the technical terminology may challenge readers without a background in geography or criminology. Overall, Crime Geography is a significant contribution to the field, blending academic rigor with real-world applicability. It is a valuable resource for professionals and lay readers interested in crime’s spatial and social dimensions.