Crime and Weather Correlations from 2015-2019 in South Carolina

The relationship between weather and crime is a well-researched area, with previous studies putting forth four theories about how the two interact. In this paper, I apply the Routine Activity Model to study the weather-crime connection in three South Carolina counties: Horry, Richland, and Spartanburg. Using monthly data from 2015-2019 from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Department, and the Time and Date Online weather database, I uncover a small correlation between heat index and temperature in relation to more violent crimes. However, this correlation varies by county due to contrasting crime rates. Humidity is found to be negatively related to crimes against societies as shown in two counties and crime totals. Finally, crimes against society show the least relation to weather variables. The evidence, then, does support the Routine Activity Model, but it also supports other models as well. Furthermore, the possibility of high tourism areas, such as Horry County, impacting the explanations behind these theories is explored. Overall, the relationship between weather and crime can have implications and practical uses in fields like law enforcement and national security, helping to inform decision-making and keeping the general public safe