A Different Approach to Crime Analysis with GIS
Our society is constantly making leaps in advancing technology, healthcare, transportation, telecommunications and many other emerging industries. Brilliant visionaries, especially in the geospatial world, are constantly working to make our home on Earth more efficient, healthier and more importantly, making it safer to live.
One sector that stands to really benefit from an infusion of geospatial technology is crime analysis and prevention.
Police organizations and security industries across the world have employed the strategy of crime mapping in their efforts to understand and curb issues in their communities. Mapping can reveal how the geographic patterns of different crimes are related, and may also uncover socioeconomic indicators that can also be addressed as a prevention tactic. Crime maps function as a clue aggregate, holding data on cases, warrants and citations, persons of interests and the like, enabling intuitive analysis of crime.
GIS is a valuable asset to officers when they’re out in the field. In addition to crime maps, patrol cars may be outfitted with systems for tracking and documenting data more accurately in an emergency or on the go. GPS in vehicles or on mobile devices can give exact addresses and locations, allowing officers to respond even faster. Improvements to existing tech such as speed guns, like the TruCAM laser speed gun which features a video camera, refines routine procedures like traffic stops.
Finally, security organizations can use GIS as a tool to properly plan police forces. With GIS improving crime fighting methodologies, the size of a police force can be adjusted based on location and activity. Now officers can focus on true hotspots. Deciding where to build stations, map police districts and how to dispatch resources could be less trial and error. The Jamaica Constabulary Force was the recipient of the 2019 Esri Achievement Award for this endeavour, after developing an algorithm to allocate resources on a parish by parish basis.
A safe and secure world isn’t idealistic, GIS specialists prove solutions are more than possible!
GIS 2020 in Review: How the World Used GIS in 2020
It’s that time of year when we start to reflect, and share the transformative events of the past three hundred sixty-odd days. 2020 brought us plenty of transformative events, to say the least, and geospatial data was fully deployed to analyze and make sense of it all. Let’s take a look at a few innovative ways the world used GIS in 2020.
COVID-19 Tracking
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the world indoors while scientists and health experts worldwide study the virus, its spread and best protocols to keep us all safe. Government officials have come to rely on spatial data and GIS to create maps and live dashboards that track cases, demographic factors, testing capabilities and a host of other metrics.
In Slovakia, dashboards were used to track wait times at COVID testing facilities, which lessened overcrowding and the overall wait at sites across the country. Regionally, the Ministry of Health in Trinidad & Tobago used GIS to map how the virus moved around the country, and to help in contact tracing with positive cases. The Education Ministry in Jamaica employed the technology to determine school readiness as administrators weigh the options for reopening in the new year.
Disaster Preparedness
The 2020 hurricane season was also one of the most active on record, seeing the most named storm systems (30) since 2005 (28). In an effort to optimize disaster preparedness and response in the Caribbean, Esri, in collaboration with Spatial Innovision, built Caribbean GeoPortal, a comprehensive cloud-based platform that provides GIS content and solutions. GeoPortal acts as a data hub where international agencies and governments can access information and collaborate to address challenges in disaster and health management.
Business Development: Telecommunications
In our last blog post, we talked about how much technological advancements, especially with mobile phones, have boosted the science that drives GIS. Being in quarantine for the better part of a year showed us that staying “connected” was more consequential than ever. This year, telecommunications provider Digicel relaunched as a Digital Operator, where GIS technology became fundamental for their new services. By using geospatial data and mapping, Digicel has been able to pinpoint where the greatest need for its LTE services lies, as well as capacity management and planning the installation of fibre networks.
Location Intelligence
Reliable data and real-time information has become even more of a priority for businesses that now need to consider factors such as curfew times, fluctuating occupancy limits and new safety protocols. Drone footage and other remote sensing technologies have been adopted by industries, such as real estate and insurance, to help customers in unique ways. From making and assessing claims through mobile apps to experiencing virtual house and community tours, the capabilities of GIS have facilitated our relatively smooth transition to a new, socially-distanced world. We’re excited to see the new ways leaders will use GIS in the ongoing COVID-19 recovery, through 2021 and beyond!
Esri Announces Online Analytics Platform for Caribbean Community
New GeoPortal Site Provides Free Location Data and Mapping Resources
REDLANDS, Calif.—April 8, 2020—Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, today announced that it has launched the Caribbean GeoPortal, a comprehensive cloud-based platform that provides rich content and solutions from Esri and its partners. Built in collaboration with its Caribbean distributor, Spatial Innovision, the geoportal provides premium access to Esri’s ArcGIS Online software as well as geographic data and imagery for the Caribbean community. These data are able to be analyzed with ready to use spatial analytic services and open source tools.
“This is one of the most ambitious collaborations we have had in the international arena,” said Paloma Merodio, Vice President, Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI). “Countries and territories of the Caribbean will now have increased capacity for disaster response and sustainable development through empirical evidence-based data analysis and previously untapped data sources that can inform policies and decision-making.”
International agencies, financial institutions, inter-governmental organizations, NGO’s, as well as academia and the private sector will be able to use the geoportal to address the most urgent development challenges—from economic development and climate issues to disaster risk management and response, as well as health care. Specifically, they will now be able to leverage this technology to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Included in the geoportal is access to Esri’s COVID-19 GIS Hub site, a resource which provides essential data, as well as solution templates that communities and health organizations can use to inform their response and their citizens.
“We are very proud to be part of development of the Caribbean GeoPortal which has been a highly collaborative and consultative multi-stakeholder process over several months and involving all the territories of the region as well as our multi-lateral and bilateral public, governmental, and commercial partners,” said Dr. Silburn Clarke, Chairman, Spatial Innovision Limited. “This work laid the foundation for heightened preparedness and readiness for the governments and citizens of the region, empowering them with the capabilities for enhanced analysis and responsiveness during this unprecedented pandemic.”
The Caribbean GeoPortal will offer access to industry-leading spatial analytic capabilities and authoritative content for charting compelling, educational, informational, entertaining, and beautiful maps of the region, created by the Caribbean community.
“We are deeply committed to helping the Caribbean community use the vast information available through the power of maps to solve issues that arise such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jack Dangermond, Esri founder and president. “Through this service, we hope to provide our users with the benefit of ongoing developments and investments at Esri so they can take advantage of mapping and analytics technology resources during crises as well as normal times.”
To learn more about the Caribbean GeoPortal and Esri’s commitment to supporting the global community through better mapping and location intelligence, visit www.caribbeangeoportal.com/.
About Esri
Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, offers the most powerful geospatial cloud available, to help customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969, Esri software is deployed in more than 350,000 organizations including 90 of the Fortune 100 companies, all 50 state governments, more than half of all counties (large and small), and 87 of the Forbes Top 100 Colleges in the US, as well as all 15 Executive Departments of the US Government and dozens of independent agencies. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial information technology, Esri engineers the most advanced solutions for digital transformation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics. Visit us at esri.com.
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Esri to Provide Mapping Resources to WHO Member States
Advanced Geospatial Technology Offered to Global Communities During COVID-19 Crisis
REDLANDS, Calif. – April 1, 2020 – Esri, the global leader in mapping and location intelligence, today announced they will provide a COVID-19 Response Package for Ministries of Health and Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) partners which will enable these organizations to have access to Esri’s geospatial platform and tools that can be used for reporting and analysis of cases and deaths, public health and response activities at the national level, in addition to managing testing sites, community activities and impact, and much more at the local level.
“The intent of our partnership with WHO is about providing technology and capacity building to all the national and local Ministries of Health. Having integrated geospatial data and analytics is important to a comprehensive and dynamic response to the rapidly changing situation related to COVID-19. This is particularly true in low resource countries,” said Jack Dangermond, Esri founder and president.
This contribution to the global COVID-19 response will support the digital transformation of global health information systems through mapping and analytics technology. Esri’s geospatial software helps organizations understand complex and vast amounts of data by placing it in a geographic context with sophisticated analysis capabilities such as artificial intelligence (AI).
“While our company has always supported the efforts of governments and NGO’s when facing crises, the COVID-19 pandemic is different and requires a rapid and global response,” said Dangermond. “Our work with WHO is about helping MoHs around the world in equipping and assisting communities with our technology. We strongly believe these efforts will help combat its spread.”
If you are a Ministry of Health or a GOARN partner, visit go.esri.com/coronavirus and request your COVID-19 Response Package.
About Esri
Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, offers the most powerful geospatial cloud available, to help customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969, Esri software is deployed in more than 350,000 organizations including 90 of the Fortune 100 companies, all 50 state governments, more than half of all counties (large and small), and 87 of the Forbes Top 100 Colleges in the U.S., as well as all 15 Executive Departments of the U.S. Government and dozens of independent agencies. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial information technology, Esri engineers the most advanced solutions for digital transformation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics. Visit us at esri.com.