Generalized Gini coefficient, its statistical significance, and the local areas driving the global result

IF 2.5 1区社会学 Q1 CRIMINOLOGY & PENOLOGY

Journal of Criminal Justice Pub Date : 2025-09-27 DOI:10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102524

Yichao Gao , Martin A. Andresen

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objectives

Review the Gini coefficient and how it has been tested for statistically significant concentrations. Discuss and implement baseline distribution for statistical testing. Identify where and how much local level change is needed to generate spatial concentrations.

Methods

Calculation of Gini coefficients with simulations to generate non-rejection envelope for seven crime types. Employ local spatial statistics, Andresen's Dissimilarity Index, to identify where local level changes are driving global changes in Gini coefficients.

Results

We show that random sampling with replacement is the most appropriate baseline data generating process for testing the statistical significance of concentrations using the Gini coefficient. We also show, consistent with previous research, that apparent concentrations may appear under randomness and that a few places with high degrees of concentration are able to generate high levels of global concentrations measured using the Gini coefficient.

Conclusions

The Gini coefficient is an excellent metric for measuring concentration. Any testing for statistically significant concentrations should employ random sampling with replacement as the data generating process. High degrees of concentrations correspond to a relatively small number of places that have more events than expected.

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广义基尼系数，其统计显著性，以及局部地区驱动全球结果

目的回顾基尼系数，以及如何对具有统计意义的浓度进行检验。讨论并实施统计测试的基线分布。确定需要在哪里以及在多大程度上进行局部变化才能产生空间集中。方法模拟计算基尼系数，生成7种犯罪类型的非排斥包络。利用当地的空间统计数据，即安德森的不相似指数，来确定地方层面的变化在哪里推动了基尼系数的全球变化。结果使用基尼系数检验浓度的统计显著性，随机抽样替代是最合适的基线数据生成过程。我们还表明，与先前的研究一致，表面浓度可能出现在随机性下，并且少数高度浓度的地方能够产生使用基尼系数测量的高水平的全球浓度。结论基尼系数是一个很好的浓度测定指标。任何具有统计意义的浓度测试都应该采用随机抽样和替换作为数据生成过程。高度集中对应于相对较少的地方，这些地方的事件比预期的要多。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Criminal Justice CRIMINOLOGY & PENOLOGY-

CiteScore

6.90

自引率

9.10%

发文量

审稿时长

23 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Criminal Justice is an international journal intended to fill the present need for the dissemination of new information, ideas and methods, to both practitioners and academicians in the criminal justice area. The Journal is concerned with all aspects of the criminal justice system in terms of their relationships to each other. Although materials are presented relating to crime and the individual elements of the criminal justice system, the emphasis of the Journal is to tie together the functioning of these elements and to illustrate the effects of their interactions. Articles that reflect the application of new disciplines or analytical methodologies to the problems of criminal justice are of special interest. Since the purpose of the Journal is to provide a forum for the dissemination of new ideas, new information, and the application of new methods to the problems and functions of the criminal justice system, the Journal emphasizes innovation and creative thought of the highest quality.