Crime Mapping Archives

Map showing the number of days with targeted policing for drug crimes in areas flagged by PredPol analysis of Oakland police data (a). Graphs quantifying targeted policing for drug crimes, by race (b) and estimated drug use by race (c).

Racial Justice and Predictive Policing

June 30, 2020 by Mark Altaweel

Local governments are reevaluating how technology, including artificial intelligence, is used in policing efforts and its role in creating public good.

Geolocation Data, Geofencing Warrants, and Crime

February 3, 2021March 26, 2020 by Mark Altaweel

With most adults carrying mobile devices that have GPS tracking capabilities, mapping our movements has never been easier.

Using GIS to Map and Track Vandalism

February 11, 2020 by Mark Altaweel

GIS is being used to better understand current and potentially future patterns of vandalism.

Using GIS to Assess Crime Risk

January 13, 2020February 27, 2019 by Mark Altaweel

The use of GIS and spatial analysis has become an important tool in understanding crime patterns.

From Davies et al., 2016: "the results show good qualitative agreement, with 26 of the 33 boroughs showing rioter percentages in the same or adjacent bands as the data. The remaining discrepancy may be accounted for by factors specific to the London disorder, such as communication between groups, other activity patterns occurring at the time, or social factors beyond the scope of this work. "

GIS and Anti-Crime Measures

July 13, 2017September 22, 2016 by Mark Altaweel

This article takes a look at methods which demonstrate the wide and growing field of crime prevention utilizing spatial and GIS approaches.

Geographic pattern of illegal border crossings. Source: Rossmo, et al., 2008).

Using GIS to Fight Drug Trafficking

July 13, 2017July 19, 2016 by Mark Altaweel

GIS has proven to be an immensely useful tool for police interdiction operations and crime prevention. One area, in particular, that has benefited from GIS is combating drug trafficking.

Is GIS Use in Crime Analysis Effective at Curbing Crime?

August 27, 2020September 16, 2014 by Caitlin Dempsey

A new study by researchers at Sam Houston State University found that the use of GIS is widespread in analyzing crime data but that almost no … Read more

Heat Maps in GIS

May 19, 2019May 20, 2012 by Caitlin Dempsey

Heat mapping, from a geographic perspective, is a method of showing the geographic clustering of a phenomenon. Sometimes also referred as hot spot mapping, heat maps show … Read more

Crime Mapping and Analysis

March 3, 2016April 25, 2012 by Caitlin Dempsey

The advent of easy-to-use GIS applications has allowed crime mapping and analysis to flourish within law enforcement agencies.

Crime Mapping and the Los Angeles Police

July 18, 2013May 13, 2011 by Caitlin Dempsey

The Los Angeles Police Department’s attempts at providing public mapping has not been without its issues and embarrassments. Chronicled here are the various issues and … Read more

Geographic Profiling

March 3, 2016March 3, 2011 by Caitlin Dempsey

The geographic profiling concept proposes that criminals tend to commit acts of crimes within a comfort zone located near but not too close to their residence.

CompStat Under Question

July 11, 2013February 7, 2010 by Caitlin Dempsey

A survey of more than a hundred retired police officials has raised some questions about the accuracy of crime reporting in New York: “The retired … Read more

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