Assignment Summary: The Crime Pin Map

Assignment: The Crime Pin Map In this assignment, you will discuss and create a crime pin map. What is it and how is it used in crime analysis? Do you believe they are effective? Create your own map of your town and using at least 6 different colors create your own pin map on criminal activity that has occurred there. (You may make up the crimes and their locations). Use colored pencils (NOT MARKERS) to complete the map. Make sure you have a legend showing which color goes with which crime. Complete the map and attach it to your assignment. Make sure you include your explanation on what a crime pin map is and how it is used.

The Crime Pin Map Using maps to annotate crimes in their various locations is nothing new. Ever since the creation
It is the use of a map to visually document crime locations in a particular area. To separate and identify the various crimes, police departments narrow it down further by using a color coded system or color-coded “pins”. The use of this method is not a new idea. In fact, crime pin mapping has a history dating back to the 1800’s in France. In one case study, it was found that the origins date back to 1829 where a map was created that showed the relationship between violent crimes, property crimes and educational levels (Chamard, 2006). Prior to the ease of modern day use of the internet and computer based systems, crimes maps were hand drawn annotating the basics such as streets, roads, homes, business, water, railroads, and various other significant landmarks (Chamard, 2006). Each point of interest had to be precisely documented using crayons, pencils, and ink pens. If documenting on a larger city like Chicago, Illinois or New York, New York, imagine the man hours and personnel needed to make this happen before the development of technology! Due to the complexity of the several of crimes seen today, the tasking of using technology to create a crime map time consume and
It helps with providing critical information to support a prompt assessment of what’s going on, helps with effective decision making, and provides police departments with the information needed to provide resources to the most needed areas quickly (Ratcliffe, 2010). This student finds this way of “crime fighting” as a somewhat useful tool. Crime pin mapping effectiveness is only as good as what is being reported. Markovic and Stone (2002), states that in order for [a crime] to appear on the map, it must first be reported, have a geographic reference, and be of significant priority. The obvious appearance of crimes on a map would be homicides, thefts, drugs and other “huge impact” to the communities. But what about crimes that don’t have a specific location such a crimes involving money, like fraud? It is hard to “pin” point those type of activities on a map. Criminologists believe, even though no all crimes are or can be reported, there is enough information on the maps to provide educated guesses on crime patterns (Markovic & Stone, 2002). This student feels that the effectiveness of the crime pin map is based on the goal of the police department, the attention to detail of the documenter, and community involvement through reporting. To visualize the effectiveness as this student views the map, an attached map has been included