The Isle of Wight is soon to have access to the latest local crime information through new interactive crime maps.  Hampshire, Lancashire and West Yorkshire are currently the leading forces on crime maps.  By the end of the year every police force area will produce crime maps which will allow the public to:

* see where and when crime has happened, down to street level for some crimes;

* make comparisons with other areas; and

* learn how crime is being tackled by their local neighbourhood policing team.

The rollout of interactive crime maps nationally, is part of the Government’s commitment to strengthen community engagement in policing, which is at the heart of the reform programme outlined in the recently published Policing Green Paper.

The interactive crime maps will take the rollout of local crime information to the next level and give the public the information they need to hold their local police force to account.

The maps will communicate to the public how they can get involved in setting local policing priorities to reduce the crime that matters to them in their area.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:

“The public are the best weapon for fighting crime. By rolling out up-to-date, interactive crime maps we can better inform people about crime problems in their area and enable them to have much more of a say in what their local police focus on. This will help increase public confidence in the police and make communities safer.

“The latest annual crime figures showed another drop in crime nationwide but it’s important that people understand what this means to them in their local area and where challenges remain.

“We are working with the Association of Chief Police Officers to bring in the best police and Government expertise to roll out local crime maps in every neighbourhood by the end of the year.

The latest published crime statistics showed in 2007/08 crime measured by the British Crime Survey fell by ten per cent compared with 2006/07. Police recorded crime fell by nine per cent. Decreases were recorded in nearly every crime type, including:

* Violent crime down by 12 per cent according to the BCS;

* Police recorded sex offences down seven per cent;

* Vandalism down ten per cent according to the BCS;

* Police recorded violence against the person down eight per cent;

* Vehicle related theft down 11 per cent according to the BCS;

* Domestic burglary reported to the police down four per cent; and

* Perceptions of anti-social behaviour down two percentage points to 16 per cent.

View Mock Up Example of Crime Mapping Presentation.  Hold mouse over slideshow presentation and click on hand to view the dummy pages.

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