The problems arising when modelling counts of rare events observed in small geographical areas when overdispersion and residual spatial autocorrelation are present or anticipated are considered. Different models are presented for handling inference in this case. The different strategies are...

The paper investigates the location of serious crime neighbourhoods in Sheffield, England, in 1998 on the basis of two sources of data: senior police officer perceptions of where such neighbourhoods are and the evidence that is contained in the police's own database of recorded crime. We report...