Kiernan Gordon, Associate Professor of Sport Leadership & Management, co-authored a paper with Gidon Jakar and Brian Avery (both from University of Florida) entitled, “Spatial analyses of crime in a host city: Contextualizing current crime for future mega-event delivery in Los Angeles”, that was recently published in the Journal of Sport & Tourism. The paper is another outcome of the ongoing collaborative research between Gordon and Jakar that examines the negative, unintended consequences of sport venue construction and event delivery felt by other parties, such as area citizens.
In anticipation of Los Angeles’ role in hosting the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympic Games, the researchers examined the number of crimes and their distribution near venues that are expected to be used in the delivery of those mega-events. Spatial analysis of the criminal incidents’ data was based on GIS embedded machine-learning analyses and a hot-spot statistical examination. Through this analysis of the spatial and temporal dimensions of crime in these areas, the city of Los Angeles – its citizens, businesses, and law enforcement personnel – may be able to more accurately prepare for these events safely.