Geographical Insights into Police Shootings: An Age and Race Perspective

Introduction:

In recent years, the topic of police shootings has gained significant attention both in media and academic circles. While numerous studies have approached this issue from various angles, understanding the geographical distribution in conjunction with age and race provides a more comprehensive perspective. In this blog post, we dive deep into this aspect, employing advanced data analysis techniques to unearth patterns and draw meaningful conclusions.

Methodology:

We utilised a dataset detailing police shootings across North America. Our primary focus was on the geographical coordinates (latitude and longitude), age, and race of the individuals involved.

• Descriptive Statistics:
  • Age: The average age of individuals involved was 36.7 years, with a median of 35 years. The youngest individual was 6 years old, while the oldest was 91.
  • Race Distribution:
    • White (W): 50.9%
    • Black (B): 27.0%
    • Hispanic (H): 18.2%
    • Asian (A): 2.0%
    • Native American (N): 1.6%
    • Other (O): 0.3%
• Geographical Analysis using DBSCAN Clustering: We employed the DBSCAN clustering algorithm to identify regions with high concentrations of police shootings. This algorithm grouped the data into 4 distinct clusters.

Visualisation and Insights:

Using GEOPANDAS, we visualised these clusters on a map:

1. The map clearly highlighted regions with higher densities of police shootings.
2. Each data point’s size was proportional to the age of the individual, and colour coded based on the cluster they belonged to.
3. White (W) and Black (B) individuals were prominently represented across the geographical span.
4. Hispanic (H) individuals were also notably present, especially in regions with higher longitude values.
5. The size of the data points indicated that younger individuals (especially in the Black and Hispanic categories) were more commonly involved in police shootings in certain regions.

• Yellow (A): Asian
• Blue (W): White
• Red (H): Hispanic
• Green (B): Black
• Purple (O): Other
• Orange (N): Native American

The size of each data point corresponds to the age of the individual involved in the shooting. Larger points indicate older individuals, while smaller points denote younger ones.

Conclusions:

• Geographical Hotspots: Certain regions showed a higher concentration of police shootings, highlighting potential areas of concern 
• Racial Disparities: The significant representation of White and Black individuals across many regions emphasises the need for further analysis into the racial aspects 
• Age-Related Trends: The visualisation underscored that younger individuals, especially from the Black and Hispanic communities, were more commonly involved in these incidents in specific regions.