{"id":829,"date":"2026-08-27T00:48:25","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T00:48:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/crime-analysis\/?page_id=829"},"modified":"2026-08-27T19:34:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T19:34:02","slug":"human-mobility-and-crime","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/crime-analysis\/human-mobility-and-crime\/","title":{"rendered":"Human Mobility and Crime"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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CURRENT RESEARCH \u2022 HUMAN MOBILITY \u2022 SPATIAL CRIMINOLOGY<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Human Mobility & Crime<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Understanding how changing populations across time and place shape crime opportunities, guardianship and victimization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This research moves beyond static measures of where people live to examine where people are throughout the day. Using mobile-device geotracking, GIS and spatial analysis, the project investigates the dynamic relationship between human movement and crime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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View Publications \u2193<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\u2190 Institute Home<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Project Overview<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Research Questions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Methods<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Research Team<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Publications<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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PROJECT OVERVIEW<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crime Happens Where People Are \u2014 Not Simply Where They Live<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many traditional neighborhood studies use residential population as the primary measure of the people exposed to or capable of influencing crime within an area. Yet urban populations are constantly changing as people travel to work, shop, attend events, visit entertainment districts and move through neighborhoods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Human Mobility & Crime initiative examines these dynamic population patterns using mobile-device geotracking and spatial methods. The research considers the mix of residents and visitors, population inflows and outflows, ambient population, temporal changes in guardianship and other mobility characteristics that may help explain when and where crime occurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This approach creates opportunities to test environmental criminology and routine activity theories with population measures that more closely reflect the actual social environment of places across different times of day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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WHY HUMAN MOBILITY MATTERS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A More Dynamic View of Crime and Place<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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01<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Population Exposure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Places can experience substantial changes in population as residents leave and visitors arrive throughout the day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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02<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guardianship<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The presence or absence of residents may change the level of informal guardianship available at different times.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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03<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crime Opportunity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Different population mixtures may change the convergence of potential offenders, targets and guardians within places.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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04<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Temporal Change<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Relationships between people and crime can vary by time of day, weekday versus weekend and neighborhood context.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are We Trying to Understand?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Population Mix<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

How does the changing mix of residents and visitors within urban neighborhoods relate to crime?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Resident Presence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Does the presence of residents provide different levels of guardianship across times of day and types of crime?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Mobility Clusters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Can neighborhoods be classified by distinctive mobility patterns that help explain differences in criminal activity?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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RESEARCH APPROACH<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How We Study Human Mobility<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The project integrates dynamic population measures with crime data and spatial analytical methods to study changing urban environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mobile-Device Geotracking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Measures the changing presence and movement of populations across neighborhoods.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Spatiotemporal Analysis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Examines how relationships vary across geographic space and different periods of time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Mobility Clustering<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Identifies areas with similar population movement and spatiotemporal population characteristics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Spatial Modeling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Links mobility and population characteristics to spatial patterns of crime and victimization.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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RESEARCH TEAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Human Mobility & Crime Research Team<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An interdisciplinary team combining expertise in spatial criminology, crime analysis, quantitative methods, policing and technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PROJECT RESEARCHER<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Olga B. Semukhina<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Department Head & Professor<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Director, Institute for Predictive and Analytical Policing Science<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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PROJECT RESEARCHER<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Junghwan Bae<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Assistant Professor<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Department of Criminal Justice<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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PROJECT RESEARCHER<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Stan Korotchenko<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Assistant Professor & MCJ Coordinator<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Department of Criminal Justice<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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PROJECT RESEARCHER<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Christopher Copeland<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Associate Professor of Computer Science & Electrical Engineer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Department of Computer Science & Electrical Engineer<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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SELECTED PUBLICATIONS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research From the Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Selected peer-reviewed publications examine dynamic population composition, guardianship, human mobility and the spatial context of crime and victimization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2025 \u2022 JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spatiotemporal Population Mix (SPM) as a Criminogenic Mechanism: Testing Environmental Criminology Hypotheses With Mobility Clusters Derived From Mobile-Device Geotracking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Semukhina, O., Bae, J., Korotchenko, S., & Copeland, C. Journal of Criminal Justice, 99<\/em>, 102473.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Read Article \u2192<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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2025 \u2022 DEVIANT BEHAVIOR<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How After-Hours Population Composition Affects Crime: Analyzing Resident-Visitor Ratios in Urban Neighborhoods Throughout the Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Korotchenko, S., Bae, J., Semukhina, O., & Copeland, C. Deviant Behavior<\/em>, 1\u201322.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Read Article \u2192<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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2025 \u2022 CRIME & DELINQUENCY<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resident Presence and Burglary: A Spatiotemporal Exploration of Guardianship Patterns Using Mobile Phone Tracking Data as a Measure of Ambient Population<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bae, J., Korotchenko, S., Semukhina, O. B., & Copeland, C. Crime & Delinquency<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Read Article \u2192<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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2024 \u2022 VICTIMS & OFFENDERS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Revising What We Know About Spatial Predictors of Violent Victimization: A Comprehensive Analysis of Differential Effects of Spatial Predictors of Robbery Victimization for Victims of Different Ethnic Backgrounds<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Semukhina, O. B., Korotchenko, S., Tsang, Y. T., Dinulescu, C. C., & Fincher, I. R. Victims & Offenders<\/em>, 1\u201339.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Read Article \u2192<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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SPATIAL RESEARCH \u2022 COLLABORATION \u2022 DATA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interested in Human Mobility Research?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We welcome interdisciplinary collaboration involving mobility data, GIS, environmental criminology, crime analysis and spatial research.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Contact the Research Team \u2192<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

CURRENT RESEARCH \u2022 HUMAN MOBILITY \u2022 SPATIAL CRIMINOLOGY Human Mobility & Crime Understanding how changing populations across time and place shape crime opportunities, guardianship and victimization. This research moves beyond …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":973,"featured_media":580,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"functions-assets\/subsite-hero-page-template.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-829","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"coauthors":[],"author_meta":{"author_link":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/crime-analysis\/author\/semukhina\/","display_name":"semukhina"},"relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 2 weeks ago","modified":"Updated 2 weeks ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on August 27, 2026","modified":"Updated on August 27, 2026"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on August 27, 2026 12:48 am","modified":"Updated on August 27, 2026 7:34 pm"},"featured_img_caption":"","featured_img":false,"series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/crime-analysis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/crime-analysis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/crime-analysis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/crime-analysis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/973"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/crime-analysis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=829"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/crime-analysis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/829\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":964,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/crime-analysis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/829\/revisions\/964"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/crime-analysis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}