GEORGIA COMPUTER MAPPING PROGRAM (FROM MAPPING AND RELATED APPLICATIONS OF COMPUTERS TO CANADIAN POLICE WORK, 1977, BY J E WATKIN AND F R LIPSETT - SEE NCJ-47416)

• NCJ Number: 47427
• Author(s): V M DAVIS
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: National Research Council
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

A COMPUTERIZED MAPPING PROGRAM WHICH RESULTED FROM THE JOINT EFFORTS OF THE CITY OF ATLANTA, UTILITY COMPANIES IN ATLANTA, AND THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS OUTLINED.

Abstract

ATLANTA'S FIRST INVOLVEMENT WITH COMPUTER MAPPING CAME ABOUT PRIMARILY AS A RESULT OF TWO POLICE APPLICATIONS. THE FIRST OF THESE WAS A REQUIREMENT TO PLOT THE CRIMES ALONG EACH BLOCK IN THE CITY FOR USE AS PART OF A SUBMISSION FOR LEAA IMPACT PROGRAM FUNDS. THE SECOND PROJECT WAS ALSO IN CONNECTION WITH OTHER PHASES OF THIS IMPACT PROGRAM. WHEN THE ATLANTA REGIONAL COMMISSION BEGAN MONITORING THE RESULTS OF THIS PROGRAM, THEY REQUIRED ALL STATISTICS TO BE EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF CENSUS TRACT AND CENSUS BLOCK. BECAUSE OF THESE TWO REQUIREMENTS, THE CITY BEGAN INVESTIGATING COMPUTER MAPPING AND GEOCODING TECHNIQUES. THE AREA INVOLVED INCLUDES ONLY THE INCORPORATED CITY LIMITS, ALTHOUGH ALL OF THE PARTNERS IN THE PROJECT HAVE INTERESTS BEYOND THIS AREA. THE FUNDING OF THIS PROGRAM WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN VARIOUS WAYS. IN THE CASE OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT, THE PROJECT WAS ESTABLISHED AS A ONE-TIME SPECIAL PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE PURCHASE OF COMPUTER HARDWARE NECESSARY TO KEEP THE DATA BASE UPDATED AND TO PLOT THE PLANIMETRIC MAPS FROM THE DATA BASE. AN INTERESTING FEATURE OF THIS SYSTEM IS THAT CENTROIDS OF ADDRESSES AND INTERSECTIONS ARE ALSO BEING CONTRACTED. THIS WILL PERMIT THE CITY OR ANY OF THE OTHER PARTICIPANTS TO RELATE ANY FILE, INCLUDING CRIME REPORTS, WHICH THEY MAY HOLD IN A COMPUTERIZED FORMAT TO THE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION INVOLVED BY AN INTERPLAY BETWEEN THE ADDRESS IN THE EXISTING FILE AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE GEOGRAPHIC CENTROID OF THE BUILDING OR INTERSECTION INVOLVED. THE SYSTEM CAN ALSO BE APPLIED TO LOCAL TRAFFIC ENGINEERING. THE PARTICIPATING GROUPS MAY IMPUT PLANS FOR MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTIONS; THEN THE OBVIOUS AREAS OF CONFLICT MAY BE PRESENTED GRAPHICALLY. PLANNING INFORMATION FROM THE GEOGRAPHICALLY CODED DATA BASE CAN BE PRESENTED ON ALPHA-NUMERIC PRINTERS, TERMINALS, OR WHATEVER MEDIUM IS DESIRED. ANOTHER IMPORTANT APPLICATION, NOT ONLY FOR POLICE, BUT FOR ANY EMERGENCY VEHICLE DISPATCHING, IS THE CAPABILITY OF GIVING A DISPATCHER QUICK ACCESS TO A LARGE NUMBER OF RELATIVELY DETAILED MAPS SHOWING ACTUAL CENTROIDS AND ADDRESSES OF THE BUILDINGS ALONG THE STREET. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT: (1) A COOPERATIVE MAPPING EFFORT HAS PROVEN TO BE ENTIRELY FEASIBLE; (2) FOR THE PURPOSES OF UPDATING THE DATA BASE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION IS HIGHLY DESIRABLE; (3) THE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES OF A JOINT EFFORT ARE CONSIDERABLE; (4) OVERALL, THE GREATEST SHARE OF THE RESULTING ADVANTAGES ACCRUE TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT; AND (5) SUCH A PROGRAM CAN HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON COMPUTER-AIDED DISPATCH AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION SYSTEMS. A SAMPLE MAP DISPLAY IS PROVIDED. (KBL)