My third and final installment about AAG 2006 concerns mostly my own selfish interests in the mapping of crime. Although we didn't do much advertising of the presentations and the times were bad (Friday 8:00 and 10:00 a.m.) in a converted guest room in the middle of a labyrinth maze, the audience was solid. Moreover so were the presentations and the discussion. More after the jump.

As a researcher who focuses almost exclusively on the spatial aspects of crime in all of its many facets, our small, by comparison, presentations on Friday were important for a couple of reasons. First, they were the first real presentations on new and interesting research into crime and criminal justice issues at the AAG in a few years. For reasons which are not completely know to me, research into spatial aspects of crime have been notably absent from AAG for some time. Thus it was encouraging not only to see two panels on crime, but that they were well attended (full room at bad time). The second important thing to happen from these panels was the beginning of a discussion on the creation of a new special interest group dealing with crime and geography. Not only was there discussion, but a decision was made to move forward with the creation of a SIG in crime, with name, officers, dues and other things to be decided via e-mail in the future. Thus, if you are interested in geography and crime in any way please let me know. Topics of interest to the SIG include but are not limited to:

• Crime and community
• Sprawl and its impact on crime
• Geographic Profiling and Next event crime prediction
• Geography of Social Control
• Ecological Labeling
• Spatial aspects of fear and perceptions of crime
• Spatial and temporal changes in crime patterns
• Epidemics, Diffusion and spread of crime
• Quantitative analysis of crime patterns

This is by NO MEANS an exhaustive list of all of the aspects which the SIG will cover, but it is a good start from which to gauge interest in the subject. The goal of the SIG is to be a completely functioning SIG by the 2007 conference, complete with an official name, webpage, officers, and multiple panels. If you are interested in any way shape or form please feel free to contact Dr. Derek J. Paulsen at derek.paulsen@eku.edu