Dataset for weather and crime in Barranquilla, Colombia

This is a brief description of the sources of our database. We obtained data on rates of interpersonal violence and homicides from the Colombian Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Studies. Specifically, this institute records the total number of homicides and cases of interpersonal violence that occur in Barranquilla on a daily basis between the hours of 00:00 to 23:59. Interpersonal violence cases are non-lethal crimes comprised of the following categories: quarrels (86%), illegal detention, including kidnapping, hostage taking, etc. (6.6%), settling old scores (3.7%), illicit activities (1.4%), and stray bullet (0.1%). We extracted our weather variables from the Colombian Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM, by its acronym in Spanish). The climate variables we use in this study relate to maximum temperature, average relative humidity, total precipitation, and average wind speed all of which are recorded by IDEAM daily. We also used the Heat Index which accounts for both temperature and humidity in its calculation and provides a measure of overall discomfort on any given day. The calculation of this Heat Index followed the formula provided by the NOAA (2018). Data in relation to lunar cycles were obtained from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This provides us with a variable that indicates the daily percent of illumination on the Moon’s surface. Temporal variables reflecting public holidays and weekends were acquired by browsing Colombia’s calendar for every year of the study period. We use the daily number of fines attributed to the “driving under the influence” felony as a proxy for alcohol consumption, and the daily registration of civilian vehicles as a proxy to reflect changes in overall economic conditions. We obtained information relating to both fines for drinking and driving and private vehicle registrations from the Secretaria Distrital de Movilidad, an entity adjacent to the Mayor’s office for the city of Barranquilla that regulates the city’s vehicular access and mobility.本研究简要介绍了本数据库的数据集来源。我们从哥伦比亚法医学与法医研究所获取了人际暴力与凶杀案件的相关数据。该机构每日记录巴兰基亚市00:00至23:59时段内发生的凶杀案与人际暴力案件总数量。其中人际暴力案件均为非致命犯罪，涵盖以下类别：斗殴（86%）、非法拘禁（含绑架、劫持人质等，6.6%）、报复仇杀（3.7%）、非法活动（1.4%）以及流弹致伤（0.1%）。我们从哥伦比亚水文、气象与环境研究所（西班牙文缩写为IDEAM）提取气象变量数据。本研究采用的气候变量包括最高气温、平均相对湿度、总降水量与平均风速，上述数据均由IDEAM每日监测记录。此外，本研究还使用了热指数（Heat Index）：该指数通过综合考量温度与湿度，量化单日整体不适感，其计算遵循美国国家海洋和大气管理局（NOAA，2018）公布的公式。月相周期相关数据取自国际民用航空组织（ICAO），该机构可提供表征月球表面每日光照百分比的变量。用于反映公共假期与周末的时间变量，则通过查询研究时段内每一年的哥伦比亚官方日历获取。本研究以"driving under the influence"（酒后驾驶）违法行为的每日罚款数量作为酒精消费的代理变量，同时以民用私人车辆的每日注册量作为整体经济状况变化的代理指标。上述酒驾罚款与私人车辆注册的相关数据，均来自巴兰基亚市交通秘书处——该机构隶属于巴兰基亚市政府，负责监管该市车辆通行与交通运行。