Crime Mapping

Warwickshire residents can keep a check on crime levels in their communities through a new crime mapping system which has just been launched in the county.

Crime mapping is part of a Home Office initiative which will eventually be available in all 43 police forces across England and Wales giving members of the public easy access to local crime data.

By logging on to Warwickshire Police website (www.warwickshire.police.uk), the Safer Neighbourhoods website (www.safer-neighbourhoods.co.uk) or directly via warwickshire.crimemapper.co.uk members of the public can see whether crime is up or down in their community and compare with other areas within Warwickshire.

They can also see what their neighbourhood policing team is doing to cut crime and tackle local issues by following the link to their local Safer Neighbourhood site.

Crime data will be shown as high, above average, average, below average and low, based on the average for Warwickshire and will be uploaded on a monthly basis.

Members of the public can view this data at county, district/borough and ward levels and by entering their postcode it will take them directly to the ward covering the postcode entered.

Categories featured are violence, burglary, theft, robbery, vehicle crime and anti-social behaviour as well as "all crime" which covers all of these plus other criteria. Crime Rates are shown as a number per 1000 population, ie the rate is calculated by multiplying the actual number of crimes by 1000 and dividing the total by the population for that area, and actual crime numbers are also available.

Welcoming the new service, Superintendent Andy Johnson said:

"We are pleased to be able to make this crime data available to the public in this way and to show what Warwickshire Police is doing to protect communities from harm.

The information available through the crime mapping system allows members of the public to see at a glance the crime levels in their locality and how it compares with other areas.

Residents should not be alarmed if their area appears to have a high level of crime, it simply means that there are more reported crimes than the average for Warwickshire; this can be due to a police operation running in the area or a national event such as Global Gathering.

They should also be aware that a percentage increase may give the impression of a disproportionate increase in crime because of the low figures involved; by clicking the Total Crimes, members of the public will be able to view the actual numbers of crime within the chosen category for that month.

In Warwickshire last year more than 5,000 extra people were protected from harm. There were 105 fewer victims of serious violence, 471 fewer victims of burglary, 1,859 fewer victims of car crime and 1,032 fewer victims of criminal damage - and we want to increase that number in 2009."

Warwickshire Police

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Last modified: April 29, 2009