Reference no: EM132338473

Question: Crime mapping through GIS mapping technology can be applied to a crime such as serial murder by providing comprehensive mapping that can be used to plot out locations to create a larger picture that analyst can use to find trends and connections. Knowing important locations are "factors that contributed to solving serial murder investigations revealed that time and distance proved significant, suggesting that the more information on "the location of the original contact between the victim and the killer, where the assault occurred, the murder site, and the body recovery site the more likely a murder case will be solved" (Godwin, 1998, p.75). To solve a crime such as a serial murder, crime mapping can be used by identifying murders in an area. By using identifying information about the means of a murder such as say strangulation, if multiple murders have the same means of murder through strangulation, you can begin to map the locations of the murders and start to use GIS mapping to see any patterns or if the murders are happening within a certain amount of miles.

This information could help you identify where the perpetrator could be located since if the murders are all happening within a certain number of miles, it can be assumed the killer works in the location or lives nearby. The type of GIS mapping that would benefit solving a crime like serial murder would be pin mapping model, which is where a dot or symbol can be placed where a single murder occurred via strangulation on a map, and then the same dot or symbol can be used for the other locations of murders happening via strangulation. With murders plotted on the map patterns and trends can be seen, helping to pinpoint as said earlier the location of where the perpetrator is and predictions can begin to made about where they could strike next or where more patrols or undercover agents could be placed to help catch the perpetrator and solve the crime.

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