| CODE | CRM3003 | ||||||
| TITLE | Crime Mapping and Crime Analysis | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Criminology | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Crime-mapping is concerned with the creation, analysis and visualization of crime data in a spatial format. Crime-mapping, as it is termed, employs state-of-the-art technology and has recently spanned the divide between uniquely physical landuse-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 course 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. The study-unit will review the issue of use of crime-mapping in terms of effectiveness of the technology to aid crime analysis and in turn crime reduction, such as the need to go beyond the hotspot map and delve into the mechanisms of what makes a crime. Study-unit Aims: The aims of this study-unit are: i) to familiarise students with the spatial information systems; ii) to give a hands-on overview of GIS and mapping crime; iii) to familiarise students with the data-cycle process and the mapping of criminal activity; iv) to empower students on the use of GIS and crime-specific tools; v) to cover the issues pertaining to the spatio-temporal functions; vi) to analyse the impact of spatial analysis on social research. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: i) understand the basic issues of crime mapping ii) be knowledgeable of the crime-mapping scenarios and activities iii) understand the requirements of spatial-statistical testing iv) understand the need for GIS tools v) understand how visualization aids criminological research 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: i) carry out basic mapping exercises ii) create a crime map based on a location in the Maltese Islands iii) carry out visualization exercise and translate that into a socio-physical crime map iv) discuss how advanced technologies help users in understanding social realities Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: 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. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-requisite Study-units: CRM2010 & CRM2011 | ||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Saviour Formosa |
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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 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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