THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CRIME MAPPING ON PREVENTING CRIME AT WEST FAIRVIEW POLICE STATION 5

Abstract

Crime remains a persistent concern in urban areas, demanding innovative and data-driven approaches to enhance public safety. Crime mapping, which utilizes Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to visualize crime patterns and identify high-risk areas, has emerged as an effective strategy. This study investigates the effectiveness of crime mapping as a tool for crime prevention at West Fairview Police Station 5 in Quezon City. It examines how the station implements crime mapping in daily operations, evaluates its impact on policing strategies, and identifies challenges encountered in its application. This study adopts a quantitative research approach and gathers data from fifty (50) respondents in Barangay West Fairview. The sample includes ten (10) police officers, ten (10) barangay officials, and thirty (30) residents. The survey focused on four key variables: Research and Analysis, Community Engagement, Crime Prevention, and Logistics. Most respondents were aged 18 to 25, predominantly female, single, and college-educated. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents acknowledged the value of crime mapping in enhancing crime prevention efforts and promoting community participation. However, technical difficulties related to the crime mapping software emerged as the primary challenge, limiting its full potential. Respondents recommended increasing public awareness through outreach programs, updating software systems, improving data accuracy, optimizing databases, and seeking vendor assistance to address recurring technical issues. Based on the results, the study proposes several recommendations. Community members should be educated and engaged in using crime mapping tools to identify hotspots and contribute to safety initiatives. Police officers must enhance their competencies in data analysis and GIS to ensure accurate crime tracking and strengthen community relations. Barangay officials are encouraged to collaborate with law enforcement in utilizing crime maps for efficient deployment of resources. Criminology students should receive practical training to bridge theory and fieldwork. Moreover, researchers are urged to utilize crime mapping for evidence-based public safety studies, while future researchers are encouraged to focus on improving spatial analysis methods and advancing GIS technologies for more accurate and insightful crime trend analysis.