2.1. Comparing geocoded point locations
Point locations obtained by the newer, gou-level
address geocoding and those obtained by the older,
ban-level address geocoding were compared with
each other. The comparison was made with regard
to an offense type called akisu (in Japanese:
residential burglary that is committed while residents
are out of home). We focused on this offense,
because the targets of residential burglaries are
(residential) houses, to which the most precise
components of Japanese addresses, the gou-numbers,
are assigned. Therefore, residential burglaries
can be located more precisely by address geocoding
than most other offenses when the addresses are
specified at the gou-level. As such, they are most
suited to examine the implications of using less
precise (ban-level) address information in place of
more precise (gou-level) address information.
The comparison was carried out by the following
procedures