Criminología ambiental y homicidio en la ciudad de Bogotá (Colombia)

Abstract

To determine the spatial-environmental characteristics of the districts which reported the largest number of homicides in Bogotá during the second semester of 2011, we undertook a descriptive-observational study within the framework of environmental criminology. The Questionnaire of Environmental Observation for the Spatial-Temporal Analysis of homicide in Bogotá was applied to 51 focal points of crime. The results show the predominance of spatial-environmental factors in the occurrence of homicide, backed by variables of the theory of disorder, territoriality, routine activity and the defendable space. As a consequence, the physical conditions seem to have facilitated the occurrence of crime and the perception of the potential murderer who is about to the commit one. These findings have enabled us to obtain empirical evidence for the development of strategies for the situational prevention of crime, and in particular, design defendable spaces, based on the implementation of differential multi-dimensional actions in the territory.

Keywords

• social control. Author: environmental criminology
• defendable space
• Thesaurus: homicide
• situational prevention of crime