Firstly I'd like to remind you all that London's crime statistics have been available as an online map since the Summer of 2008, You can check it out here:
There are some concerns that the level on the new maps will damage house prices etc, and while I have a lot of sympathy for small businesses (yes even estate agents) I'm confident that their fears will not be realised and the advantages will hugely outweigh the disadvantages.
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The new maps on www.police.uk provide stats at too low a level, unlike the sub ward level used by the Met previously.
The problem is that some small roads look like crime hotspots while surrounding roads appear crime free.
Harton Close in Bromley is a quite street of five detached houses, but appears to suffer from 3 violent crimes and 2 cases of anti-social behaviour. Many of the surrounding roads, including Sundridge Avenue appear to have no crime. This makes the maps rather misleading.
http://www.police.uk/crime/?q=Bromley,%20Greater%20London%20BR1%202UD,%20UK#crimetypes
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Harton+Close,+br1&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl
It is a good experiment but could have been tested on a smaller area first. I hope that it will be revised to give accurate details, even if this means looking at slightly larger areas than individual roads.
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/8834062.BECKENHAM___Quiet__street_is_worst_for_crime_in_the_borough/
Care to explain Monks Orchard road in Beckenham, James?
"A Home Office spokesman said: “Crimes are mapped to an anonymous point on, or near, the street where it happened, never to their precise location...."
Well the quote from the Home Office beancounter says it all - basically these new maps are wholly inaccurate and pointless. What a waste of our money, typical politicians.
Why not invite the Home Secretary down to Monks Orchard Road for a walk around - guaranteed that she won't need a stab-proof vest a la Harriet Harman!
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