Level of Awareness of Community in Crime Mapping: Towards Crime Prevention

Crime mapping and analysis has been a burgeoning area of law enforcement in recent years. Policing has undergone an evolution in which decisions regarding crime fighting and prevention are based on data and applied research. The document contains four main sections, each dealing with a different function of crime analysis. Section 1 contains four papers that provide verifiable and replicable methodologies for performing Investigative Analysis. One paper develops a set of standardized practices for use in identifying and resolving series. In contrast, another paper presents “cause analysis” as a means of resolving series and as a mechanism to prevent future crimes. A third paper presents an example of how the Geographical Information System (GIS) was effectively used to analyze the relationships between a serial rapist and the mode of transportation involved in his crimes. Section 2 focuses on issues surrounding the use of GIS for the analysis of discrete sites, which are defined as a “predefined area or structure with unique characteristics that differentiate it from its surroundings.” The papers in this section present astep-by-step guide for creating a discrete site base map for a discrete environment; they provide the rationale behind ciscrete site analysis and review the steps necessary to accomplish it; and they measure the barrier effects on criminal activity. Section 3 contains papers that focus on merging systematic research and analysis techniques with police practice.