Statistical Analysis is the focus of the third project in Special Topics. This particular study will analyze a variety of socio-economic factors to determine whether there is a connection to the location of illicit methamphetamine production labs in Kanawha and Putnam Counties, West Virginia. With 2013 being a record-setting year for meth lab busts in West Virginia (Eyre), law enforcement officials will appreciate having additional information that may help locate existing meth labs or prevent additional ones from starting business.
Preparation for the statistical analysis included creating new attribute fields for the census data and then using the field calculator to determine percentages of some data. Utilizing percentages rather than raw numbers for the census tracts will provide more equalized comparison of data. Python scripting was also used to add additional attribute fields and perform related calculations in a more efficient manner. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) meth lab bust information with geocoded data was joined to the Census data as well. Tidying up the attribute table was done by turning off fields which wouldn't be used for the statistical analysis. The following basemap of the study area was created. It includes cities and towns which have had meth lab busts in the past.
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Socio-Economic Factors and Meth Lab Locations
Study Area: Kanawha and Putnam Counties, WV
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Eyre, E. (2014, February 19). W.Va. Senate OKs anti-meth prescription bill. Charleston Gazette. Retrieved from http://wvpress.org/news/w-va-senate-oks-anti-meth-prescription-bill/
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