NCJ Number
63121
Journal
Police Research Bulletin Issue: 32 Dated: (SPRING 1979) Pages: 30-33
Date Published
1979
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THIS BRITISH ARTICLE DESCRIBES THE TRANSPORT REFERENCING AND MAPPING SYSTEM (TRAMS), A COMPUTERIZED STREET INDEX, USED BY THE WEST MIDLANDS POLICE.
Abstract
TRAMS WAS DEVELOPED AFTER EXTENSIVE STUDY OF THE LAND USE PLANNING AND HIGHWAY FUNCTIONS OF BRITISH LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND OF THE REFERENCING SYSTEM FOR PROPERTY AND HIGHWAY DATA AVAILABLE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT. IT IS AN ATTEMPT TO PRODUCE A LOCATIONAL REFERENCING SYSTEM SUITABLE FOR BOTH TYPES OF DATA AND PROVIDE A MEANS BY WHICH THE LOCATION TO WHICH THE DATA REFERS CAN BE IDENTIFIED. IT IS DESIGNED TO ENABLE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OF A LOCAL AUTHORITY TO USE ITS LOCATIONAL REFERENCING CAPABILITY FOR THEIR OWN SPECIALIZED APPLICATIONS AND WITH THEIR OWN COMPUTER PROGRAMS. IT PRODUCES THE FRAMEWORK WHEREBY DATA CAN BE REFERENCED IN DIFFERENT WAYS TO DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS. TRAMS CONSISTS OF THREE PARTS: FILES CONTAINING LOCATIONAL REFERENCING IDENTIFIED, PROGRAMS TO CONSTRUCT AND MAINTAIN FILE AND TO LIST AND DISPLAY CONTENTS ON THE FILES, AND SUBROUTINES TO ACCESS THE FILES FOR USE WITH APPLICATIONS. TRAMS PROGRAMS PRODUCE SIX COMPUTER FILES ORGANIZED ON THE BASIS OF A DIFFERENT IDENTIFIER--STREET, NODE, GRID REFERENCE, SPECIAL ADDRESS, AND AREA. ITS ADVANTAGES OVER OTHER METHODS ARE ITS WIDE RANGE OF LOCATIONAL REFERENCING AND THE FACT THAT SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS CAN UTILIZE THE SYSTEM, THUS HAVING ONE CENTRAL POINT FOR UPDATING THE INDEX. TABULAR DATA AND A MAP ARE INCLUDED. (MJW)