Machine learning helps to predict new violence hot spots

Violence reduction strategies, which have traditionally focused on pubs and nightclubs, need to be broadened to include places where alcohol is not served if they are to be effective, a new study has suggested. Researchers from Cardiff University's Violence Research Group gathered data from 10 city centers across England and Wales and used machine learning to map the distribution of reported incidents of violent crime against alcohol outlets and, crucially, locations where alcohol is not sold. When they compared their analysis to a model mapping only places where alcohol is sold, the researchers discovered their new combined model more accurately predicted levels of violence. The study found that alongside pubs and bars several other destinations often associated with typical "nights out" were hot spots for violent crime, including fast-food outlets, takeaways, bus stops and cash machines. The researchers say this is the first time such a wide area has been analyzed and their study has uncovered previously unmapped violence hot spots.