Crime mapping - Definition

Crime mapping is a critical component of crime analysis and the COMPSTAT philosophy of policing. Crime analysts work within local law enforcement agencies, as either civilian analysts or are sworn personnel. Crime analysts are also employed at state, regional, and national levels of goverment.

Mapping crime, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), allows crime analysts to identify crime hot spots, along with other trends and patterns. GIS allows analysts to overlay other datasets such as census demographics, locations of pawn shops, schools, etc., to better understand the underlying causes of crime and help law enforcement administrators to devise a strategy to deal with the problem. GIS is also useful for law enforcement operations, such as allocating police officers and dispatching to emergencies.

• Crime Mapping & Analysis Program - National Law Enforcement Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) (http://www.crimeanalysts.net/)
• International Association of Crime Analysts (http://www.iaca.net/)
• Mapping & Analysis for Public Safety (MAPS) - National Institute of Justice (NIJ) (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/maps/)