Evaluation Leads to a Better Understanding

Abstract

Evaluations for jurisdictions with Weed and Seed and similar community policing initiatives can sometimes fail to tell the full story because of the complexity of the issues involved. Complete evaluations require many complex graphs and charts that could overwhelm all but the most interested reader. Crime mapping, using the same data used for the extensive display graphs and charts, has proven to be an effective way to present large volumes of complex information. This article describes the Wilmington Crime Index, a unique mapping method that takes into account year-to-year changes in both reported crimes and arrests.