Public Perceptions of Crime Maps

• In Event: Unique Perspectives on Fear of Crime and Perceived Risk

Abstract

Accountability and transparency play an important role in fostering public trust in police agencies. At present, a renewed effort to build trust between police and communities coincides with greater data availability; as a result, police agencies are increasingly able to provide the public with better access to up-to-date crime maps. However, along with availability comes debate regarding the appropriate level of detail of such maps, with specific concern for victim privacy. With address-level precision, dot maps provide the public with detailed crime information, but lack a consistent method to respect the anonymity and security of those involved. In contrast, hotspot maps anonymize individual data by aggregating nearby event locations, but lack a standard development procedure, resulting in considerable variation in the appearance, clarity and accuracy of the output. Further, there is a lack of research exploring how public viewers interpret either type of map. This paper extends upon research presented in an earlier study by exploring user perception and interpretation of several common types of public crime maps. Results from these combined studies help to inform police agencies by highlighting how mapping choices impact citizen perception of public safety.

Authors

• Kathryn Wuschke, Portland State University

• Kris R. Henning, Portland State University

• Greg Stewart, Portland Police Bureau, Portland State University

• Katelyn C. Bonn, Portland State University