| With the inventions of new technologies come | | | | salary to track crime.The use of crime mapping |
| different ways for law enforcement to do their job. | | | | software eliminates the need to pay that full time |
| The Internet has been and is currently a big help to | | | | salary and it also cuts down on the amount of time |
| police departments. It not only gives police | | | | that it takes to get the information to the people |
| departments a better way to fight crime, but it also | | | | who need to know it. |
| keeps the public safer as well. One of the ways that | | | | Crime mapping works by using the Internet and |
| the Internet helps police departments is that it | | | | software in order to find police reports and crime |
| enables them to quickly track crime trends and then | | | | data trends. If a trend is noticed, law enforcement |
| pass the information to the public. Getting the word | | | | can quickly use email to make the public aware. Crime |
| out to the public about something going on in the | | | | mapping still costs money, but nowhere near what it |
| neighborhood used to be quite difficult, but with | | | | would cost to pay a full time analyst. Most crime |
| crime mapping and the Internet, it can be done in a | | | | mapping programs cost a couple hundred dollars a |
| few clicks of a keyboard mouse. | | | | month, but it also helps law enforcement catch |
| Before the Internet and the use of crime software | | | | criminals more quickly. For example, if there was a |
| programs, departments literally used maps attached | | | | spike in crimes in one neighborhood, it would give law |
| to pegboards and push pins to track crime. This was | | | | enforcement a good idea on where the next |
| a time consuming task and while the police | | | | instance of crime is going to occur. |
| department was busy trying to figure out crime | | | | As more law enforcement agencies use crime |
| trends, it was taking a long time to get the | | | | mapping and other similar software, a niche in law |
| information to the public. Police departments also | | | | enforcement technology is being brought to light. By |
| used to have to use a crime analyst in order to help | | | | using technology, it is saving tax payer money and |
| them pinpoint trends. Analysts are expensive to use | | | | keeping the public safer. |
| as some departments were paying someone a year | | | | |