Spatial and Temporal Analysis: A GIS-Based Application Tool for Crime Monitoring and Clustering in Malawi

Abstract

For the purposes of monitoring, evaluating, and conducting a geographical analysis of crime-related data, the study used geospatial technology to collect crime data based on spatial location and the Malawi Police Data Digest of 2019 and 2020. In a more generic sense, knowing the geographic patterns of crime in Malawi using GIS technology can help determine how to make and implement important decisions to reduce crimes in Malawi. The Malawi Police Service has established a number of database management systems to help with crime monitoring. Notwithstanding, it has not yet fully integrated Geographic Information Systems across all jurisdictions. Maps showing crime locations and crime hotspot zones are therefore not included in the crime data and statistics report provided by the Malawi Police Service. In this light, a lot of people have become victims of various forms of crimes in areas where those crimes are also prevalent. To collect, track, and analyze crime data in Malawi for this study, Geographical Information System (GIS) particularly network analysis techniques were used. Network Analysis was used to identify crime hotspots by analyzing crime data as a network of interconnected events and locations. The rationale behind this was to treat each crime event as a node in the network and the spatial relationships between the crimes as edges. By analyzing this network, patterns and relationships between crime events were revealed, allowing for the identification of crime hotspots. The study found that Lilongwe in the central region and the capital city registered the highest number of crimes seconded by Blantyre in the southern region and followed by Mangochi. Mzimba recorded high crimes in the northern region. In Malawi, the traditional systems of intelligence and criminal record keeping have failed to satisfy the demands of today's crime situation. Manual methods neither give accurate, dependable, or complete data 24 hours a day nor do they help in trend forecasting and decision assistance. It also leads to poorer productivity and inefficient workforce use. The appropriate application of information technology is the solution to this ever-increasing challenge.