Like meteorologists forecasting the weather, two Canadian criminologists hope to us new technology to predict crime trends. Husband-and-wife professors Patricia and Paul Brantingham, of Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, will crunch data that includes crime statistics, transportation routes and even shopping mall hours to advise police and municipalities about potential crime hot spots.
The Brantinghams will use a $5 million donation of new technology from IBM to create a crime prevention and analysis lab at Simon Fraser to link research on offenders’ behaviors with the commuting, shopping and living habits of residents to understand the future location, frequency and severity of crime. The lab, expected to be operating in two months, could help police and cities with staffing, planning and development decisions.
Link: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=e94b8659-3899-465b-bd11-82feb2b57494