Dilemmas in crime mapping : data dearths, procedures and baseline datasets

Abstract

Creating a crime mapping system for a small state offers challenges that may defy database processing reasoning. The barriers to access, digitisation, geocoding and integration with other datasets create difficulties that require the setting up of a series of protocols to ensure data integrity. The Maltese Islands' case study delineates the processes taken up to ensure the setting up of baseline datasets in the crime, social and landuse domains. The study reviews data inputting, digitising and converting, error generation and geocoding. Data reliability, aggregation and analysis processes are covered due to their intermediate function between the main focus of the baseline data creation and the eventual research output as disseminated through online technologies. Malta's data processing has proven to be a tough slope for researchers, however the creation of the baseline data layers has ensured that new incoming data can be integrated in the systems quicker and be analysed at faster rates.