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A Web-Based GIS for Crime Mapping and Decision Support

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Forensic GIS

Part of the book series: Geotechnologies and the Environment ((GEOTECH,volume 11))

Abstract

Timely mapping of crime locations and accurate detection of spatial concentrations of crime help to identify where crimes concentrate in space and time and thus provide important information for crime reduction efforts of law enforcement . The main objective of this chapter is to design and implement a Web-based GIS for crime mapping and decision support . The prototype system allows users to detect and view crime hotspots in a Web environment in the form of thematic layers overlaid on background data. Four hotspot mapping techniques, i.e., choropleth mapping , grid mapping , spatial ellipse mapping, and kernel density mapping , are implemented. The system can be used for mapping crime hotspots, predicting the locations of future crime, and optimizing crime reduction efforts. It is a rich Internet application and is much more efficient than script-based clients in hotspot detection , map manipulation, and rendering. It is entirely based on open-source software , making it affordable for many small- and medium-sized police departments in developing countries. Results from the prototype development demonstrate that for a Web-based crime mapping and decision support system, rich Internet application technology in combination with open-source software is an effective solution in terms of both system performance and financial cost.

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Acknowledgments

The work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. ZYGX2010J089), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41371399, 41101380, 41371341, 41301459), and National Science & Technology Pillar Program of China (No. 2012BAJ05B04).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Resources and Environment, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, People’s Republic of China

    Guiyun Zhou

  2. Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China

    Jiayuan Lin

  3. Key Laboratory of Machine Perception of Ministry of Education, School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, Beijing University, Beijing, 100871, People’s Republic of China

    Xiujun Ma

Authors
  1. Guiyun Zhou
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  2. Jiayuan Lin
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  3. Xiujun Ma
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Guiyun Zhou .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Geography, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA

    Gregory A. Elmes

  2. Department of Geology and Geography, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA

    George Roedl

  3. Department of Geology and Geography, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA

    Jamison Conley

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Zhou, G., Lin, J., Ma, X. (2014). A Web-Based GIS for Crime Mapping and Decision Support. In: Elmes, G., Roedl, G., Conley, J. (eds) Forensic GIS. Geotechnologies and the Environment, vol 11. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8757-4_11

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