GIS Mobile Application for Crime Reporting and Monitoring

Dennis Duffour, C. Y. Asante, A. A. Acheampong

Abstract


The study utilised Geospatial technology for capturing crime data based on spatial location for monitoring, evaluation and spatial analysis of crime-related data. Understanding the spatial trends of crime prevailing in La-Dade Kotopon municipality, have the potential to depict how to formulate and enforce critical decisions to curb cases of crime in the area. Several database management systems have been implemented by the Ghana Police Service to aid in monitoring crime but the use of Geographic Information Systems within the Ghana Police Service is yet to be implemented fully across all jurisdictions. For this reason, the crime data and statistics report published by the Ghana Police Service do not include maps depicting the crime locations and crime hotspots zones. This has made many people fall victims of various types of crimes at the same places where those crimes occur rampantly. In this study, a geospatial mobile and web application have been developed to capture, monitor and analyse crime data in the municipality. The results of this study showed that, a total of 293 crime cases were recorded for the second quarter of the year 2020. Out of the total, 84 for April, 127 for May and 82 cases for June. Hotspot area for Assault cases in the municipality was La. Tse-Addo was hotspot area for Robbery, rape and Land guards activities/Trespass. Aviation Park was also the hotspot for Possession of Narcotic drugs. The hotspot area for issue of dud cheque crimes was South La. Furthermore, hotspot zone for stealing, threat of harm, offensive conduct, causing unlawful conduct, failing to comply with Restriction orders was La.  In recommendation, social media should be used to warn and sensitise the public on dangers and crimes.

Keywords


GIS, Crime, Hotspot, Mobile Application

Full Text:

PDF

References


"Ghana Police Service", https://police.gov.gh/, Accessed: May 5, 2020.

Ghana statistical service (2014), "2010 housing and population census. District analytical report La Dade-Kotopon municipality". https://www2.statsghana.gov.gh/docfiles/2010_District_Report/Greater%20Accra/LA%20DADEkotopon.pdf, Accessed: May 23, 2020.

Arhin, A. K., & Duffour, D. (2015), "GIS as an essential tool in crime mapping and hotspot analysis".Unpublished BSc Project Report, Kwame Nkrumah Unversity of Science and Technology, Kumasi, pp 35-38.

Chainey, S., & Ratcliffe, J. (2005), "GIS and Crime Mapping".

"Crime and punishment" (May 23, 2018), https://www.modernghana.com/news/855903/policestations-across-the-country-to-go-paperless.html, Accessed: December 14, 2020.

Eck, J. E., Chainey, S., Cameron, J. G., Leitner, M., & Wilson, R. E. (2005), "Mapping crime: Understanding hotspots", U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice., Washington, DC.

Edition, O. E. (2009), "Crime". Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Ghana Criminal Code 1960 (Act 29).

Ghartey, E. C., & Gyabeng, B. A. (2017), "KNUST Map Locator, Unpublished BSc Project Report, Kwame Nkrumah Unversity of Science and Technology, Kumasi, pp 4-9

Govardhan, N. M. (2010), "A Comparison Between Five Models of Software Engineering", IJCSI International Journal of Computer Science , 7(5).

Greater Accra Regional Spatial Development Framework (GARSDF), (Vol. 1). (2017).

Mark, B.-A., Tina, D. W., & Franz, T. O. (2014). "Crime mapping and analysis in the Dansoman Police Station Subdivision, Accra- Ghana. A Geographic Information Systems Approach".

McLafferty, S., Williamson, D., & McGuire, P. G. (2000), "Identifying crime hot spots using kernel smoothing", (V. Goldsmith, P. G. McGuire, H. M. J, & A. R. & T, Eds.) Thousand Oaks, , CA: Sage.

Police service Act, 1970 (Act 350). (n.d.).

Sherman, L. W. (1995), "Hot Spots of Crime and Criminal Careers of Places", (E. J., & W. D., Eds.) Monsey, , NY: Criminal Justice Press.

Statistics & Information Technology Unit (SITU), C. (2016), "Annual Crime Statistics, Accra", https://police.gov.gh/en/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ANNUAL-, Access: December 18th, 2020.

The Most Important Part of a GIS. (n.d.), Accessed: ESRI: www.esri.com.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.