Image from movieweb.com
by Christian Salinas In the 2002 film Minority Report, a high-tech Department of Precrime has been created, in the not-too-distant future, to detect and prevent crime before it is committed.
In an article posted today on Channel 5’s website, local law enforcement official announce they’ve started using Crime Mapping Software intended not only map where crimes are taking place, but also predict future criminal activity.
The Mapping software is able to make predictions as to where and when crimes are likely to take place by following the principal that, statically speaking, criminals tend to commit crimes within what are familiar territories them. By keeping data, on where, when, and by whom crimes are being committed, police can be better informed on where it makes more sense to concentrate their efforts. Or in other words, Police are likely to patrol streets where crimes often take place, at the times they often take place.
An outside observer can ask; What’s so new about the concept? Do we really need sophisticated computer software to tell us that crimes will, more than likely, be committed in bad neighborhoods at night? Or that 3 cars have been stolen from the mall’s parking lot in one day, so it's likely more will be stolen there?
All questions aside, being that border violence/crime is a very real threat to the area. Any improvement to local law enforcement is a more than welcome addition to local PD’s crime fighting arsenal.
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