| CODE | CRI3005 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Crime Mapping and Spatial Technologies | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Criminology | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit aims to investigate the use to which spatial technologies are being put in terms of physical, social and criminological research. The study-unit has been upgraded from the previous crime mapping module through the integration of other ancillary and new tools that can be integrated within the methodological processes in the assessment of crimes and their relationship to space-time. Crime-mapping is concerned with the creation, analysis and visualization of crime data in a spatial format. This study-unit aims at tackling the spatial-statistical components of the technology, its use in spatial and temporal analysis, as well as its implementation in security and safety. Crime-mapping, as it is termed, employs state-of-the-art technology and has recently spanned the divide between uniquely physical land use-based technologies to one comfortable with social research. The study-unit begins by describing crime-mapping function through its history, its use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and the spatio-temporal function, all based on a socio-technic approach. The study-unit also reviews crime-mapping through a SWOT analysis and then goes on to review web-mapping and the use of web-mapping for crime through a review of sites. The final part of this study-unit reviews the impact of spatial analysis on social research and goes on to consider what makes the GIS technology tick. Students will be given a historic overview of the discipline, its use as a successful tool for a wide range of functions including policy-making, implementation and monitoring interventions on levels of crime and disorder. This can be done through real-time and updated systems that allow crime to be mapped and displayed either on an intranet or on the internet. potentially through the use of geo-server technology. Study-unit Aims: - To familiarise students with the spatial information systems and related tools and technologies; - To investigate the different technologies that serve as ancillary tools to GIS; - To familiarise students with the data-cycle process and the mapping of criminal activity; - To cover the issues pertaining to the spatio-temporal functions; - To analyse the impact of spatial analysis on social research with emphasis on prediction processes in such scenarios as post-disaster management and the resultant criminologic situations. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Understand the basic issues of crime mapping; - Be knowledgeable of the crime-mapping scenarios and activities; - Understand the requirements of spatial-statistical testing; - Understand the need for GIS tools and ancillary tools/ technologies; - To be able to build scenarios and model potentialities. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Carry out basic mapping exercises; - Create a crime map based on a location in the Maltese Islands; - Carry out visualization exercise and translate that into a socio-physical crime map; - Discuss how advanced technologies help users in understanding social realities; - To build a model of potential scenarios post-disaster and crime mitigation. Main Text/s: - Aronoff, S. (1995) Geographic Information Systems: A management Perspective. Canada: WDL Publications. - Boba, R., (2009), Crime Analysis With Crime Mapping (2nd Edition), Sage publications, ISBN-13: 978-1412968584. - Bowers, K., (2007), Mapping and Analysing Crime Data: Lessons from Research and Practice, Taylor & Francis. - Chainey, S. and Ratcliffe J., (2005), GIS and Crime Mapping (Mastering GIS: Technol, Applications & Mgmnt), Wiley, ISBN-13: 978-0470860991. - Hirschfield A., and Bowers K., (eds), (2001), Mapping and Analysing Crime Data: Lessons from Research and Practice, Taylor & Francis, London, ISBN: 0-748-40922-X. - Laurini, R. and Thompson, D (1996) Fundamentals of Spatial Information Systems. London: Academic Press. - Pease K., (2001), What to Do About It?, IN Hirschfield A., and Bowers K., (eds), (2001), Mapping and Analysing Crime Data: Lessons from Research and Practice, Taylor & Francis, London, ISBN: 0-748-40922-X. Supplementary readings: - Chainey S., (January/February 2004), GIS and crime mapping – going beyond the pretty hotspot map, Geomatics World, 24-25. - Chainey, S., (2008), Crime Mapping Case Studies: Practice and Research, Wiley-Blackwell , ISBN-13: 978-0470516089. - Hirschfield A., (2001), Decision Support in Crime Prevention, IN Hirschfield A., and Bowers K., (eds), (2001), Mapping and Analysing Crime Data: Lessons from Research and Practice, Taylor & Francis, London, ISBN: 0-748-40922-X. - McEwen, J.T., and F.S. Taxman. (1995), Applications of computer mapping to police operations. IN: J.E. Eck and D. Weisburd, eds., Crime and Place. Monsey, NY: Criminal Justice Press; and Washington, DC: Police Executive Research Forum, pp. 259-284. - Woods M., (2002), Site Mapping Technology and Crime Mapping, IN Advances crime mapping techniques, Results of the First Invitational Advanced Crime Mapping Topics Symposium, June 2001, Denver Colorado, CMAP. |
||||||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
|
||||||||||||
| LECTURER/S | Frankie Farrugia Saviour Formosa (Co-ord.) |
||||||||||||
|
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
|||||||||||||