Home : Public Sector : News

Online crime mapping endorsed by PM

The Prime Minister has endorsed proposals to produce online maps showing monthly crime rates as part of the government’s attempt to make the public feel more engaged with the justice system.

By Miya Knights, 18 Jun 2008 at 15:04

gallery

Monthly crime levels are set to be detailed via a map-based website, to give public more information about safety issues in their area.

The move comes following a Cabinet Office report which said the Statistics Authority or government should provide “more dynamic and interactive” online maps of local crime information for the public to compare levels of crime and the performance of criminal justice services in their area with others, along the lines of web-based services already available for the health service.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown endorsed the report’s proposals, which also included training and funding schemes to help local groups tackle crime more effectively and the appointment of a Public Commissioner on crime, saying “people have told us what they want to be done and we are going to act”.

The eight-month study was compiled from a variety of sources, including public consultation.

And it’s author, Louise Casey, told BBC news today it showed that nine in every ten UK citizens feel they don’t get enough information about what happens to criminals, while 79 per cent thought the criminal justice system was there to serve the rights of the criminals and not the victims.