The Metropolitan Police have launched a beta version of their new crime mapping website. It’s a simple enough Google Maps mash up but I found it highly addictive.
It could be improved - for one thing a break down of crimes by type would be useful. But it does take the figures down to sub-ward level, which is particularly handy.
Overall though, my main reaction to it is probably as it should be: so what? It turns out I live in an “average” area for crime and by “average” I mean there was one recorded crime in June and three in May. Some of the areas neighbouring this crime cesspit have even lower recorded incidents. Where I work, things are slightly worse - 7 incidents in June within my sub-ward. But even then it is surrounded by more average areas. The overall picture is far from a city under seige.
For H2G2, Douglas Adams invented the Total Perspective Vortex - an instrument torture designed to show you exactly how small and insignificant you really are. While I’m sure the Metropolitan Police’s new mashup isn’t powered by a piece of fairy cake, it does have a similar effect. I know the Daily Mail were demanding this sort of thing a few months ago, but I suspect they will end up loathing it as it will (literally) put them in their place.
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Just so as you know, you are actually winning the “male blogger I would most like to have sex with” category in my blog awards at the moment, and so far 23 people have voted (although not everyone voted in all categories)
“It turns out I live in an “average” area for crime and by “average” I mean there was one recorded crime in June and three in May.”
Do you live in CR5? That’s what I got…
Oh, wait… unless you were talking about sub-ward.