Murder Spreads Through a City Like an Infection in the Body
Murder is more like an infection than a random act, according to
a new study. This may help police contain a city’s homicide
rate, through better understanding of where future murders are
more likely to occur. Researchers from Michigan State University
analyzed statistics on nearly 2,400 Newark, New Jersey,
homicides that occurred over a span of almost 30 years. They
found that acts of murder appear to spread through an area in a
way similar to that of the flu virus: first by attacking
vulnerable spots, then moving on to nearby locations, eventually
leaving the original neighborhood completely. For example, the
murder trend first taking place in the middle of the city seems
to move south and then west, before leaving altogether and
starting fresh in a new locale. These findings could help law
enforcement identify murder hotspots. “By using the principles
of infectious disease control, we may be able to predict the
spread of homicide and reduce the in