Analysis of the Inequality of Spatial Distribution of Administrative-Disciplinary Services via the Spatial Justice Approach(Case Study: Isfahan Neighborhoods)

Following the increasing expansion of cities and urban population, the demand for urban services is also increasing. One of the important services in cities is administrative service that meets the citizens’ daily needs. This type of service has been established by ministries and central organizations with the increase of the number of cities and urban population and consequently, the increase of citizens' service needs. On the other hand, fair and adequate distribution of disciplinary enforcement centers has an effective role in establishing security and tranquility in cities. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately identify the current situation in this field in order to create a more appropriate and equitable distribution of administrative-disciplinary spaces that are needed by today's societies. In this regard, the purpose of this article was to evaluate the spatial pattern of administrative-disciplinary services in Isfahan so as to achieve the effect of the administrative model of administrative-disciplinary services on the desirability of the functional radius of these services and assess the relationship between the spatial distribution of administrative-disciplinary services and population in the related areas. 

This study was of an applied type based on the purpose and a descriptive-analytical research in nature and method. Data collection was based on the library method. After collecting the basic information and data, the spatial distribution of administrative-disciplinary enforcement services was firstly modeled by using the nearest neighborhood analysis method, local Moran index, global Moran index, and hot-spot analysis in Arc GIS software environment. Then, the effect of the spatial distribution pattern of these services on the desirability of their functional radius was evaluated in the same software by using fuzzy membership function. In the next step, by drawing the map of Isfahan neighborhoods in GeoDa software, the spatial autocorrelation of the variable population of Isfahan with the distribution of ​​administrative-disciplinary services in its neighborhoods was determined and analyzed by using Moran’s bivariate index.

The analysis of the nearest neighborhood showed that the administrative-disciplinary enforcement services in Isfahan were randomly distributed. According to the calculations of the global Moran coefficient, the administrative-disciplinary enforcement services were distributed in clusters in the neighborhoods with a probability of 99%. By calculating the local Moran for the neighborhoods of Isfahan, it was found that 3 neighborhoods in District 13 were significantly located at the High-High clustering level, which indicated establishment of the neighborhoods with more administrative-disciplinary enforcement services nearby and in clusters. One neighborhood in District 10 and one in District 14 were located at the High-Low level. These neighborhoods had a large number of administrative-disciplinary enforcement services, while being surrounded by less record-breaking neighbors. 3 neighborhoods in District 13, which were located at the Low-High clustering level, faced the lack of access to these services, while being adjacent to the neighborhoods with a better access. Other neighborhoods did not have a significant autocorrelation. According to the maps drawn through the hot-spot analysis, the neighborhoods and central areas, especially areas 1, 3, 5, and 6, had formed hot spots and moved to the outskirts of the city due to their high administrative-disciplinary services, especially area 9 and the northeast part of the city. Also, cold spots were forming, which indicated the lack of administrative-disciplinary enforcement services in these neighborhoods. Assessing the effectiveness of the spatial distribution model of these services on the desirability of the functional radius demonstrated the desirability of their functional radius in the central regions, as well as unfavorable areas and neighborhoods around the city. The desirability of the functional radius was in favor of the center but had caused a detriment to the surroundings. Moran’s bivariate index was applied to measure and evaluate the spatial autocorrelation, which showed very low probability of the spatial distribution of administrative-disciplinary enforcement services based on the variable population with low significance. 

In general, the results indicated that the spatial distribution of administrative-disciplinary enforcement services in the neighborhoods of Isfahan City was inappropriate in a way that the desirability of access to these services in the central areas was very high, while citizens in the suburbs were facing lack of access to these services. Therefore, it is necessary to consider programs and policies that eliminate this major spatial gap and establish spatial justice in the neighborhoods of Isfahan and ultimately social justice to cover the entire city. According to David Harvey, it is advisable to give extra services to the groups in need because they do not have a history of using these services and are not thus accustomed to them. This is especially true of municipal services for very poor groups, new immigrants, and the like. Hence, entitlement to the geographical framework would be allocation of additional resources to compensate for the social and natural problems of each region.