The spatio-temporal effects of spectator events on crime

People’s movements across time and space affect crime opportunities, and in turn, are influenced by the physical environment. Facilities such as bars, shopping malls, schools, and entertainment districts for example affect routine activities and the criminal event. Such places act as crime attractors or generators. Attractors possess crime opportunities, pulling intending criminals who act on these opportunities, while generators do not necessarily draw intending criminals, but possess many opportunities resulting in crime problems. Spectator events such as hockey games draw large numbers of people and may function as crime attractors and/or generators and such impacts on crime patterns have been largely unexplored. This analysis examines the home arena of a local National Hockey League club as a possible attractor/generator. As a spectator event, this venue draws many people into Vancouver’s downtown core on game nights, changing crime opportunities and the spatio-temporal distribution of crime in the downtown.