DC Crime Map Back Up and Running

• April 1, 2013

by Shilpi Paul

Courtesy of the MPD.

When considering where to buy or rent a home, consumers often use tools to research the crime level in a particular neighborhood.

Now, the DC Metropolitan Police Department has relaunched the tool that may be the definitive source of crime knowledge in the city. After a couple spotty years, DC’s crime map is now up and running, DCist reported on Monday.

To use the crime map, which can be found here, input an address, the circular area you want to limit your search to, and a date range. When UrbanTurf tested the crime map, it was updated to include crimes that occurred as recently as yesterday. You can also limit your search by Ward, ANC, and Business Improvement District boundaries or by school district. Search results are divided by types of crimes (robberies, stolen autos, and theft, for example). You can look at the results in either list form or on the map.

Even with the crime map’s help, it’s not always easy to determine how “safe” a neighborhood might be; anecdotal data skews one’s perspective, and maps often don’t take crime per capita into consideration, so populated areas sometimes seem more dangerous. Many crime maps may have outdated or inaccurate information, further complicating the search. However, MPD’s relaunched crime map seems to the best source out there for those looking to learn more about the crime scene in a specific neighborhood.

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• How to Research Crime in DC

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/dc_crime_map_up_and_running_again/6866