spatialpattern

SPATIAL PATTERN OF CRIME IN SUNDARBAN,

WEST BENGAL

SANTANU MANDAL

Lecturer of Geography

Krishnanagar Government College, West Bengal

1.0 INTRODUCTION

There can be no denial of the fact that crime is the most

pressing problem of our society. It’s also true

that every society adopts some crime-prevention policy to safeguard the life and living of its people. But before

implementing a rational and effective crime-prevention policy, one needs to identify the areas of potential risks,

i.e. hot-spots, high crime areas, criminal areas etc., This is the area where geographers can exercise their control

and till now this branch of applied social geography has carried

its particular hallmarks of an interest in spatial

structure, environmental associations and special qualities of place where a criminal events occur (Evans &

Herbert, 1989). The present paper is a humble attempt in this regard.

2.0 OBJECTIVE

The present work is an endeavour to reveal the geographical

skews in the patterning of crime in

Sundarban. The basic objective is to understand the nature and extent of the problem in the region. At the same

time, it attempts to delineate the areas of potential risks on the basis of the spatial distribution of crime. Lastly,

some recommendations have been made that will help the law enforcement agencies and planners to adopt an

effective crime-prevention policy.

3.0 STUDY AREA

Sundarban

is a term applied for the mangrove forest-covered area in the littoral tracts of Bengal Delta

(Mukherjee, 1996). This purely physiographic region, extending from 21

32´

N to 22

40´

N and from 88

05´

E to

00´

E, is demarcated by the river Hooghly on the west, Bay of Bengal on the south, Ichhamati-Kalindi-

Raimangal rivers on the east and Dampire -

Hodges Line on the north. From the administrative point of view,

Sundarban is comprised of fifteen (15) Police Stations of North and South 24-Parganas districts, namely :

Hingalganj, Hasnabad, Haroa, Minakhan

and Sandeshkhali

in North 24-Parganas; and Sagar, Namkhana,

Kakdwip, Patharpratima, Kultali, Mathurapur, Joynagar, Canning, Basanti

and Gosaba

in South 24-Pargans

district (Fig. 1). The land area measures about 9629 sq.km., of which only about 4493 sq. km. is inhabited by

people and the rest is Reserve Forest. 1991 Census estimated the

total population of the region as 3,154,890.

Sundarban may roughly be divided into the following three (3) sections :

Where nature is untouched by human influence;

Parts of the forest where man is allowed to enter, chop wood, gather honey or catch fish; and

A huge section, where forests have been obliterated and wildlife chased away, to make way for human

habitation.

Agricultural difficulties, caused by the salinity of water, heavy dependence on a single crop and lack of

industries compel villagers to attack forests for wood, honey and fish, in an effort to try and eke-out a meagre living.

Surprisingly, about 89 per cent of the total population of the region is dependent on agriculture as against 57 per cent

of the State. Among the agricultural workers the poverty level can be assessed from the high percentage of landless

labourers in the region where about 50 per cent of the cultivators are landless (Bhowmik, 1992) and the number is on

the increase. Moreover, for the most part of the region, transport and communication networks as well as other

amenities are inadequate and undeveloped. Consequently, access to many areas is difficult and in the rainy season

some areas are even completely cut-off. Only the areas close to Greater Calcutta, such as Haroa, Minakhan, Joynagar

and Kakdwip have some industrial, business and commercial activities and a low level of urban development.

4.0 METHODOLOGY

From the brief outline of the study area given above, it is clear that the region is unique in almost every aspects

of its geography. These peculiarities are well reflected in the field of present investigation and it was not an easy task

to reveal those. Firstly, like all other researchers in the field of crime & criminology, the present author's most

burning problem was the procurement of data, i.e. crime statistics. Because, the most authentic source in this regard is

the Police (Home) Department of the Govt. of West Bengal. For the sake of convenience, data have been collected at

the police station level and processed in systematic manner.

Moreover, these data have been verified from records in some selected police stations and their views are also

incorporated. The other part of the field investigation was the collection of information from the local people through

a well-structured questionnaire in order to assess their views on the occurrence and intensity of crime to the areas they

belong.

This information have been statistically analysed to arrive at a

pertinent conclusion. Mainly, two indicators

have been used to assess the geographical patterning of crime, namely Crime Rate

(per 1 Lac population)* and Areal

Offence Rate

(per Sq. km.)** Lastly, spatial variations in the distribution of crime have been depicted through maps

and graphs.

5.0 FINDINGS:

As already mentioned, two indicators have been used by the present author to show the spatial variation of

offences such as Murder, Dacoity, Robbery, Theft, Rioting etc., Both Crime Rates (CR)

and Areal Offence Rates

(AOR)

based on 1997 Statistics (Table 1)

show that concentration of crimes is more in areas like Kakdwip,

Hasnabad, Haroa, Minakhan

etc., On the other hand, Namkhana, Patharpratima, Gosaba, Sagar

etc., have been found

to be less crime-prone (Fig. 2). Greater incidence of crime in the former group of police stations may be accounted

for due to the

Note:

* Crime Rate = Number of reported crimes x 1,00,000

-------------------------------------------------

Total Population

** Areal offence Rate = Number of Reported crimes

-------------------------------------

Total area

existence of some urban pockets and recent growth in business and commercial activities. These patchy

developments, with a background of acute economic backwardness &

unemployment problems, have resulted in a

greater number incidence of property crimes (i.e. Dacoit, Robbery, Theft etc.,) as number of potential targets also

increased with commercial and urban developments.

Table 1 : Police Station-wise Crime Rates & Areal Offence Rates of Sundarban (1997)

Police Station

Joynagar

Canning

Gosaba

Kultali

Basanti

Mathurapur

Kakdwip

Sagar

Namkhana

Patharpratima

Hasnabad

Hingalganj

Sandeshkhali

Minakhan

Haroa

Area

(Sq. Km.)

317.20

389.92

336.30

323.50

424.10

374.60

252.70

277.00

389.00

542.30

155.44

230.40

378.48

157.12

152.81

Population

(1991)

362606

347930

200514

156450

226974

314870

190088

154202

134354

245601

151115

142291

239434

151100

137361

Number of

Reported

Crimes

143

136

124

105

172

129

108

100

Crime Rate (per

1 lakh

population)

39.43674

39.08832

37.40387

60.72228

54.63181

33.34710

90.48441

42.80100

23.07337

23.20837

85.36545

49.19496

45.10638

46.98875

72.80087

Areal Offence

Rate

(per Sq.Km.)

0.45082

0.34059

0.22302

0.29366

0.29238

0.28030

0.68065

0.23827

0.07969

0.10511

0.82990

0.30382

0.28535

0.45188

0.65440

Source : (I) District Statistical Handbook of 24-Parganas (North & South), 1996-97

combined, Bureau of Applied Economics & Statistics, Govt. of West Bengal.

(ii) Police Station-wise Crime Figures, Police Records Bhavan, Govt. of West Bengal.

Contrary to it, remoteness, almost purely rural character of the

latter group of police stations along with their

acute economic backwardness give a clue to the lower incidence of crime. These low rates, however, are also due to

less crime-reporting because of a low level of awareness among the local people as well as poor communication

network.

Again, if we consider the spatial pattern of individual crime types, significant variations emerge (Table 2). For

example, crime rates for murder & rioting are highest in Kultali, while Hasnabad and Minakhan registered the lowest

crime rates for the above two offence respectively. On the other

hand, theft is most prevalent in Kakdwip and least in

Patharpratima.

The present author, during his visit to areas like Gosaba, Canning, Namkhana etc., has come across 100 people

in the age-group of 16-60 representing the cross-section of the society and found a very peculiar response of the

residents regarding their comprehension on the nature & extent of the problem and its prevention. Regarding the less

crime-reporting in these areas, it has been found that the primary reasons for citizen's hesitency to report crime to

police are as

follows . (i.) the victim does not believe that reporting will make any difference; (ii) crime is not serious enough

to bring to the attention of the authorities; (iii) legal procedures are too time-consuming; (iv) private matter; (v) lack

of proof; (vi) fear of reprisal and (vii) Miscellaneous & no answer (Fig 3). Among these, the contribution of "private

matter" and "fear of reprisal" are well-reflected in the violence against women. Surprisingly, not a single case of 'rape'

or other offences against women was registered in the study area

during the period under consideration!

Table 2 : Police Station-wise Crime Rates for Major Categories of Crime, Sundarban (1997)

Crime Rates (per 1 lac Population)

Police Station

Joynagar

Canning

Gosaba

Kultali

Basanti

Mathurapur

Kakdwip

Sagar

Namkhana

Patharpratima

Hasnabad

Hingalganj

Sandeshkhali

Minakhan

Haroa

DACOITY

0.82734

0.86224

0.99744

3.19591

0.88116

0.31759

0.52607

0.00000

1.22149

0.00000

1.25295

0.66181

0.00000

ROBBERY

1.37891

0.86224

0.49872

1.27839

0.44058

1.27037

1.05214

0.00000

0.40719

0.00000

0.70279

0.83530

0.00000

0.72801

THEFT

7.99760

8.33501

9.97437

5.75264

9.25216

4.44628

19.99074

12.32150

3.72151

1.22149

17.86719

10.54178

6.68243

9.26539

7.28009

MURDER

4.41250

3.73638

1.99487

5.75264

2.20290

1.27037

3.68250

1.29700

1.48860

2.44299

0.66175

1.40557

0.83530

1.32363

2.91203

RIOTING

5.23985

4.02379

7.97949

24.92809

9.25216

8.25737

11.57359

8.43050

3.72151

9.36478

7.94097

7.73064

4.59417

1.98544

20.38424

Source : Police Station-wise Crime Figures, Police Records Bhavan, Govt. of West Bengal

6.0 IN LIEU OF CONCLUSION

The above discussion clearly reveals the nature and extent of this burning social evil in Sundarban. Here, it may

be remembered that the region is plagued by remoteness, one of the state's most poor economy with acute

unemployment problem of its hapless rural masses, particularly during long agriculturally-lean periods. Any crime-

prevention policy should address these problems before its implementation to make it effective in the long-run. The

present author is of the opinion that crime prevention in this region should include both various Enforcement

Measures as well as Community-based Development Programmes. The former should include Close-Circuit

Television (CCTV) and Security patrols in business & commercial centres and Neighbourhood watch in residential

areas. On the other hand, various socio-economic developmental programmes such as agricultural development

through improved drainage and water control, social forestry, improved transportation facilities & marketing

infrastructure etc., at the village or community level. These measures will go a long way in creating employment

opportunities for the poor people as well as a healthy social atmosphere in the region.

7.0 REFERENCES

Anderson et.al. (1993) Introduction to Criminal Justice, McGraw-Hill, Inc, New York, pp 67-78.

Bhowmik, S.R. (1992) Annual Administration Report of Sundarban Development Board, Development &

Planning Department, Govt. of West Bengal, pp 1-15.

Bottoms, A.E. et.al.

(1997) Environmental Criminology, in Oxford Handbook of Criminology by Mike

Maguire, Rod Morgan, and Robert Reiner (Eds.), Clarendon Press, Oxford, pp 305-359.

Davidson et. al. (1999) Crime and Fear of Crime, in Applied Geography; Principles

and Practice by Michael

Pacione (Ed), Routledge, London, pp. 438-449.

Mukherjee, K.N. (1996) Agricultural Land Capability in West Bengal, Calcutta, pp 172-194.