1 LAND USE AND VIOLENT CRIMEAlthough research has shown specific land uses to be related to crime, systematic investigation of land uses and violent crime has been less common. This study systematically examines links between land uses and violent crime and whether such links are conditioned by socioeconomic disadvantage. We employ geocoded UCR data from the Indianapolis police department and information on 30 categories of land use, and demographic information from the 2000 census. We use land use variables to predict violent crime counts in 1000 X 1000 feet grid cells using negative binomial regression models. Results show that, net of other variables, specific land uses predict variation in counts for individual violent crimes and aggregate rates. Some nonresidential land uses are associated with higher violent crime counts, whereas others are associated with lower counts. Specific land uses also condition the effects of socioeconomic disadvantage on violent crime. Implications for routine activities/opportunity and social disorganization/collective efficacy theories of crime are discussed.

He wishes to thank Professors J. Bonham, F. Stuart Chapin Jr., A. Allan Schmid and an anonymous referee for their comments and suggestions. 'For a summary of the costs of sprawl, see Clawson [1971, pp. 140, 152-59, 320]. The most comprehensive review is the report by the Real Estate Research Corporation [1974].

Objective: Until recently few studies have examined the relationship between home foreclosures and crime. Foreclosures are one major source of neighborhood instability and can be expected to affect crime from several theoretical perspectives. Some recent research has found conflicting results on whether foreclosures cause crime. Method: This study examines whether foreclosures are a robust predictor of crime and whether the effect of foreclosures on crime varies across neighborhood contexts. We estimate fixed effects negative binomial models using geocoded Indianapolis foreclosure and crime data for 2003 to 2008 to predict crime counts in 1,000-feet X 1,000-feet square grid cells. Result: Foreclosures exhibit consistent positive effects on indices of overall, property, and violent UCR reported offenses in a cell and rape, aggravated assault, and burglary counts. In addition, foreclosures had greater effects on reported UCR crimes in stable neighborhoods, especially those with more owner-occupied homes. Conclusion: Foreclosures were a robust predictor of crime in the current study.

ABSTRACT. This paper measures the benefits of the urban forest by examining its effect on housing prices. A Geographic Information System is used to develop a measure of the urban forest, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, from satellite imagery and to construct other variables from a variety of sources. Spatial hedonic housing price models for the Indianapolis/Marion County area are estimated. The models indicate that greener vegetation around a property has a positive, significant effect on housing price, holding everything else constant. This effect is dominated by measures at the neighborhood level. These findings indicate that property owners value the urban forest, at least in part, by the premium they pay to live in neighborhoods with greener, denser vegetation. These findings also indicate that public action to maintain and enhance the urban forest may be warranted. Planners and urban foresters can use these findings to inform public and policy debates over urban forestry programs and proposals.