Crime-mapping in Crime Prevention Partnerships: Drivers and Inhibitors

Abstract

‘Crime-mapping’ through GIS has become a major focus for Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in England and Wales. At first glance, accessible technology and data, supporting legislation, and an alignment with the wider ‘e-government’ reform agenda would indicate that crime-mapping has become an easy option in the pursuit of improved crime prevention. Through research into the history of partnerships in crime prevention, criminal justice IT and patterns of government GIS use, this paper argues that the road to successful crime-mapping has been a difficult one. Several factors hindered progress considerably; some of these barriers are still apparent. The paper concludes by questioning central involvement in crime-mapping, and asks whether there can or should be attempts to create a national system, and if so what format such a system should adopt.