NCJ Number
175368
Journal
Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine Volume: 22 Issue: 7 Dated: July 1998 Pages: 16-21
Date Published
1998
Length
6 pages
Annotation
The use of computers for crime mapping by police is examined, with emphasis on how the systems now go beyond simply identifying high-crime areas and can offer insights into hot spots and crime patterns to enable police agencies to develop improved crime control strategies.
Abstract
The national Crime Mapping Research Center calls itself a clearinghouse for crime-mapping research and development and will focus on developing, evaluating, and promoting research in geographic information system technology. Current technology includes touch-screen data terminals that can be mounted in patrol cars, in-car videos, and automatic vehicle location. A mapping system can indicate a community's physical, social, and cultural characteristics and can use hot-spot, radial, or grid analyses to examine crime in specific areas. Police officers in the field can use modems to send and receive information on their laptop computers. Data security, data integrity, maintaining databases, and downloading data as it becomes available, and training are issues that will require attention. However, this technology may help police officers become more effective. Examples of the use of mapping technology in police agencies in the San Bernardino County (Calif.) Sheriff's Department and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg, N.C., Police Department. Illustrations