The Construction of Space in a Security Context: Police Knowledge of Space (KORSIT)

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Daniela Hunold
• Subject Area: Empirical Social Research
• Term: from 2017 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 366270200

Identifying crime hot spots and problem places is part of everyday police work and affects policing of public space. For this purpose, police use crime maps and specific data base systems. Apart from that, it remains unclear on what empirical or non-empirical basis police are able to define such areas in the city. Against this backdrop, the proposal addresses the question of social processes producing commonly shared meanings of places within the police force and their effects on police action. Theoretical approaches from sociology of knowledge and sociology of space are taken as a starting point for the research. The study will be conducted in two police precincts characterized by different socio-economical, demographical and structural conditions in two cities. The methodological design includes extensive participant observations, in-depth interviews with police officers from different rank-and-files and stakeholders of other local professional groups as well as an analysis of emergency calls. Overall, the study aims at acquiring new insights into knowledge forms and knowledge practices in the field of local crime and security. Furthermore, the project will shed light on opportunities and risks of structuring urban spaces based on categories of security and risk.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants