A new 'crime map of Britain" has been launched today. The new Home Office crime maps allow users to input any place in England and Wales and see what reports of crime and anti-social behaviour have been made to local police within a mile of that point in the previous month.
I've just tried it for Eltham - it's very easy to use. You just enter a postcode. The snapshot above shows the figures for one part of Eltham (click to enlarge, and then ctrl plus +, if needed)
As the the site says, you get "instant access to street-level crime maps and data, as well as details of your local policing team and beat meetings." What's difficult to know is what to think about the data - is it high, low, anything out of the ordinary or not? Perhaps this is available elsewhere on that site.
I did find out about some upcoming police events in the Eltham area are:
'Have a say' day. 3rd February 2011, 4:30p.m. at "Westmount Road shops (SE0)"
Drop-in surgery. 3rd February 2011, 11:00a.m. at Averyhill Community Centre Averyhill Estate SE9 Drop-in surgery, 17th February 2011, 11:00am. Eltham Centre Archery Road SE9
The Association for Police Officers fears that the map might distort policing, whilst some 'young mums' interviewed by the BBC said they'd rather not know or feared what it would do for their house sales.
Will the Home Office's Crime Maps be a one-day wonder or an helpful architect for future policing decisions?
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