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Commentators debate the merits of .

The about effects of making crime statistics so easily accessible:

"[O]ne argument above all is raised against the maps, and it is a familiar one -- that they will act in some way to politicise crime, and make it subject to populist outcry rather than expert deliberation. What is imagined is that a locality suddenly aware, for example, that it is suffering a few vehicle thefts will unreasonably demand that all police resources be devoted to that offence, ignoring other more operationally pressing needs. It is a version of the belief that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing."

The that current inaccuracies on the maps could have dire consequences:

"[W]hat if house insurers were now to use such imprecise material to calculate their premiums? Or if homeowners discovered that house prices in their street have collapsed because of an undeserved reputation as a burglary or violent crime hotspot? There is a danger that crime-mapping will assist the advantaged to address their own neighbourhood problems while adding burdens to those who remain most in need."

But the article concludes that the government should be commended for "trusting the public":

"Crime-mapping is not a magic wand, but it helps to inform the public, to facilitate better local decision-making and to engage citizens in more rational strategies for dealing with important problems that can arouse strong emotions."

the digital divide in the Mirror:

"They should re-brand it comparethescumbag.com. Because it is nothing more than a Hyacinth Bucket Guide for middle-class curtain-twitchers. And what will it do for the law-abiding majority who live in the worst streets? Will it lead to a crusade to solve social problems that are the root of crime? No."

the maps:

"[M]aybe that's what this is about -pointing the finger, denting the pride of the local police, agitating the neighbourhood into taking action aimed at Β¬eventually removing Glovers Court from the spotlight so residents can sleep peacefully at night.
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"As long as it acts as a call for these areas to receive help, rather than being used as a vehicle to condemn them, I'm hoping the website will be a step towards reducing crime."

The the crime maps a shambles:

"Crime-free streets were branded danger areas. Police call centres were listed as hotspots because so many crimes were reported there. Inevitably, the site collapsed as millions logged on. The map was an excellent idea let down by unreliable execution.
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"Without pinpoint accuracy, such an exercise loses much of its value. It spreads disinformation which can stigmatise decent neighbourhoods and blight property prices."

"hooray for a website we really do want":

"Well, yes, it did crash on its first day of use. No one can deny that is a bit of a dampener.
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"But the fact that four million people tried to log on by mid morning just goes to prove that this is Β£300,000 well spent. This is a service the public most definitely wants. And which they are too aware they have not been getting."

the maps may increase fear of crime:

"The Government says it's 'about fighting crime together'. The intention is not that residents should erect roadblocks at the end of their streets vigilante-style; rather that we should all contact our local beat officer or attend a public meeting. In this way, we will "drive the priorities" of the elected police commissioners who will be the Government's next innovation.
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"Yet it is hard to see public meetings inspiring fear in the hearts of teenage hoodlums. And the Coalition's plan is likely to cause additional problems. Fear of crime could rise among the vulnerable or elderly; knowing the statistics for crime in the neighbourhood, without a proper understanding of the statistical context, might prove that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. It is a potential recipe for impotence and fear."

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