The latest offering from the police forces in England and Wales to help combat crime is publishing interactive maps online showing crime patterns prevalent in any particular area. The Metropolitan Police force already have a crime map that is available to the public. But the new maps will highlight major offences including robbery, theft, car-crime, and violence to the public and be updated monthly.

There has been obvious opposition to the maps being made available to the public in this way, even from within the Police federation. Many are saying that the maps will be like an unofficial league table for local criminals. Ministers are saying that the crime maps will inform the public of crime patterns in certain areas and lead to better neighbourhood policing.

The US has been running crime mapping for some time now and see it as an effective way to help local residents become more aware of the criminal activity in their surrounding area and act accordingly in home security. However, it must be noted that having this type of information made available within the public domain will have an indirect effect on house prices.