Definition of Crime Map

In the investigation of crimes are used all kinds of procedures scientific and technological, such as fingerprint, fingerprint techniques, DNA or the so-called crime map. This concept is not normally applied to a specific crime but is projected onto the set of criminal actions. In this way, the police forces identify the areas where illegal acts take place.

These types of maps have a double objective: to combat and prevent crime. Of course, the Format Of a crime map, it is currently presented in a digital version through a computer program based on a geographic information system.

A cartographic tool to improve safety in cities

The marking of crimes in a geographical space is generally carried out by the judicial authorities, which provide the information to the police so that they can better organize their strategy to fight crime.

The basic characteristics of any crime map are the following: the representation of an area as it is in reality and a series of complementary data (photographs by

satelite and aerial images through GPS systems). Likewise, these representations can be subdivided into areas (for example, a map for each type of crime).

All the geographic information that accumulates can be translated into concrete data on crime in an area. In this sense, the police determine that a specific area is a conflict zone or "hot spot", what geographic patterns criminals have, or which areas should be more vigilant.

As in any other map, the important thing is not what appears on it but how it is interpreted. For this reason, police forces have specialized units to understand crimes in the context of the geographical setting. It should be noted that the analysts of these maps interpret quantitative data (for example, the number of car thefts) and qualitative data (for example, the type of offender).

From a historical perspective

Using maps to analyze social problems is not a recent phenomenon. In fact, in the 19th century some infectious diseases were studied using maps, since in this way a connection could be found between geographic space and disease (For example, around 1850 in the city of London there were numerous cases of cholera and a correlation could be established between the wells of infected water and the development of the epidemic in the city).

In the current police investigation, paper maps with colored pins are on the way to extinction. The crime map as tool Police began to be used from the 1960s and with subsequent technological advances, software was developed to digitize geographic information.

Photo: Fotolia - bagotaj

Crime Map Topics