Influence of Places of Resident Activities on Spatial Distribution of Drug-Related Crimes

Drug-related crimes have become a common worldwide concern, and studies have considered the influence of different types of land use on such crimes. However, the dynamic visitor flow rate has rarely been taken into consideration when analyzing the cause of drug-related crimes, with most studies only using static population distribution data. Differences between the main factors associated with drug-related crimes on different streets have also rarely been discussed. In this study, the spatial distribution of and factors associated with drug-related crimes were explored from the perspective of residents’daily activities, and the main factors associated with such crimes on different streets were compared and analyzed. The results indicate that drug-related crimes are characterized by significant spatial heterogeneity and clustering; the spatial distribution of drug-related crimes is closely correlated with places of resident activity. More specifically, the denser the distribution of restaurant services and recreational facilities (e.g., cyber cafes and bars) on a street, the more likely drug-related crimes are to occur there. Drug-related crimes on different streets are associated with different factors those on commercial-oriented streets are mainly distributed in areas with dense restaurant services and recreational facilities, while those on streets dominated by industrial parks, residential areas, and woodlands primarily occur where there are high-density traffic facilities and cyber cafes or areas with a high visitor flow rate.