Crime sure loves the city life! Especially the more urbanized, industrialized areas where it's known to hang out the most. And guess what? It's really fond of the poorer, working-class neighborhoods. (Think of Batman's Gotham city, and you'll get the picture).

Now, not all crimes play by the same rulebook. For instance, fraud and sexual offenses have a thing for lower-density neighborhoods with ample open spaces and not so many police patrols. Imagine a thief trying to rob a mansion in a fancy, isolated suburb. 🕵️

Here's a fun fact from the British Crime Survey - household crimes in the UK are more likely to happen in deprived areas. (Who knew that Spiderman's friendly neighborhood could be such a magnet for trouble!). We're talking more vandalism, burglaries, and vehicle thefts.

But wait, it gets more interesting. If a city, like London, has more people hustling and bustling during the day than its resident population, crime rates increase. But in commuter areas where folks are mainly just passing through during the day, crime rates might be lower.

Ever heard of Zanjan in Iran or Kaduna in Nigeria? These places are known as crime hotspots, similar to the way Times Square is known for its New Year's Eve ball drop, but for all the wrong reasons. We're talking violence, drug abuse, and trafficking. A hotspot could be as small as a single building! Like a haunted house, but for crime. 🏚️

Let's now jump over to Barcelona, Spain (also known as Messi's playground). Deprivation here comes in many forms - low income, limited job opportunities, poor education, lack of access to housing and services, high crime rates, and a not-so-great living environment. It's like playing a game of life, but you've got all the worst cards.

Two main areas in Barcelona were known for their deprivation - El Ravel, the inner-city district with old, poor-quality housing, and Can Peguera and La Mina, edge-of-town locations with social housing for migrants. Imagine living in a town where everything is stuck in the past and progress is slow.

However, the city took a turn for the better. After Spain joined the European Union in 1985, Barcelona had the chance to tackle deprivation and regenerate its economy. Think of it as Barcelona leveling up in a game after unlocking a special achievement!

Now, Barcelona is all about growth, economic diversification, and making a name for itself as an important European city. It's like going from being an unknown player to becoming a superstar in a major league!

To fight crime, cities have a few tricks up their sleeves - more police officers, CCTV cameras, improved street lighting, buildings with no dark corners, more taxis at club closing times, and zero-tolerance policies towards crime (just like New York City's approach!).