Background of the Study

Before the introduction of modern crime-fighting technologies, the crime

control systems in Singapore, Switzerland, United States and other country
were shaped by traditional policing methods that reflected the unique
historical, cultural, and socio-political contexts of each country. These
traditional approaches to crime prevention and law enforcement were
primarily based on human interaction, community engagement, routine
patrols, and investigative techniques. Despite their differences, the three
countries shared a common goal of maintaining law and order, but the
strategies they used to address crime were tailored to their specific
environments.

In the early years following its independence in 1965, Singapore faced

significant challenges with crime, especially in its rapidly urbanizing and
industrializing landscape. Traditional policing in Singapore was initially
reactive, relying on foot patrols, intelligence gathering, and investigations to
address crimes like petty theft, gang violence, and drug-related offenses. The
Singapore Police Force (SPF) emphasized maintaining a visible police
presence through patrols, which allowed officers to foster a relationship with
the public, prevent crime, and deter criminal activities. The SPF’s approach
was strict and systematic, with an emphasis on discipline and efficiency.
While policing was centralized, it lacked sophisticated data-driven
techniques, and the force relied heavily on traditional methods such as
neighborhood policing, surveillance, and informant networks to combat
crime. Singapore's adoption of crime mapping technology began in the early
2000s, enhancing law enforcement's ability to visualize and analyze crime
patterns. This approach has led to more targeted policing strategies,
optimizing resource allocation to high-crime areas. By identifying crime
hotspots, authorities can proactively address public safety concerns,
contributing to Singapore's status as one of the safest countries globally.
Additionally, crime mapping facilitates data-driven decision-making, allowing
for continuous refinement of crime prevention strategies.

The United States, with Its diverse legal landscape, has had varying crime
policies over the years. Traditionally, the U.S. took a “tough on crime”
approach, particularly from the 1980s through the early 2000s, leading to
mass incarceration. Policies such as the War on Drugs, mandatory
sentencing, and three-strikes laws contributed to the U.S. having the highest
incarceration rate globally. Over time, however, a shift toward criminal justice
reform has been seen, with calls for reducing sentences for non-violent
crimes, expanding rehabilitation programs, and addressing systemic racial
disparities in the justice system. This evolving approach aims to balance
punishment with rehabilitation and restore justice and fairness in the system.

The United States began implementing crime mapping technologies in the

1990s, utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyze and
visualize crime data spatially. This approach enables law enforcement
agencies to identify crime hotspots, allocate resources effectively, and
develop targeted strategies to address specific crime patterns. The
advantages of crime mapping include improved decision-making through
visual data representation, enhanced public safety by proactively addressing

Mapping is a highly useful technique for managing and controlling crime in a

certain area. By examining the spatial and temporal data offered by maps,
investigators can better comprehend crime patterns and trends, which aids
in resource allocation and geographic profiling of criminals and suspicious
places. On the other hand, the paper highlights several disadvantages, such
as the high cost of the technology involved and the tendency of the local
community to fail to report cases in order to improve the effective flow of
mapping the crime location. The article goes into detail about the various
advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of crime mapping.
Fredrick Ombati Ogeto (January 2018)

The (GIS) was created for reasons that need to be demonstrated as being
important to our police force, like to improve our law enforcement, to make
plans by using the GIS, to make the investigation easier, to locate the main
place of where the crime was committed and also to make the public safe.
Crime poses a significant concern for personal safety, especially in densely
populated areas like Manila City, Philippines. Despite ongoing efforts to
combat crime, individual safety remains a pressing issue. This study aims to
address this problem by developing an innovative crime-mapping solution
using a GIS-based system. The objective is to design a mapping system that
visually represents crime density through color-coded indicators. The findings
demonstrate the system's capability to generate information across different
time points and accurately forecast annual crime rates. Throughout the
testing phase, the system consistently delivers reliable outcomes, validated
using data from the Manila Police District Headquarters. The findings of this
research have practical application for law enforcement agencies and urban
planners in Manila City, as the developed GIS-based system can assist in
allocating resources and implementing targeted crime prevention strategies.
A crime risk forecasting system, considering factors such as crime type,
location, timing, day, and frequency, can anticipate potential criminal
activity. The developed GIS-based system provides a valuable tool for crime
forecasting and enhancing public safety in Manila City. (Igarss 2024)

The abilities of GIS are thought of as a high-tech equivalent of a map. The

Cordillera police director, Chief Superintendent Benjamin B. Magalong
developed a GIS-based tool for more accurate crime analysis and internal
security operation. The tool for crime-mapping and tracking criminals and
other threat groups has been developed with the assistance and support of
civilian engineers and students from different colleges and universities in the
region. In a report to Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, Director General
Nicanor A. Bartolome. Magalong said the "E-Blotter' and 'Mobile Tracking
System of Patrol Vehicles in the region are also incorporated in the GIS
project to further improve the police's response time on any incident. With
the help of this new system, local patrol vehicles can be monitored for easier
dispatch in any incident, accident or disaster-hit areas. Magalong added. The
Cordillera police director said the 'Buddy System' is also being strictly
observed in the implementation of the police integrated patrol system in the
region. Under the programme, at least two uniformed police officers patrol in
tandem to provide much-needed police visibility as a deterrent to the
commission of crime. (Geospatial World 2022)

Philippines, received a computerised GIS-based tool which would help in

crime analysis and provide better crime solutions. The tool is designed to
capture, store, manipulate, analyse, manage, and present all types of
geographical data. It is a tool for mapping geospatial features such as
parcels of land, buildings and roads. It will then connect this data to existing
databases, thus providing intelligence which will help in analysing different
features. The system is increasingly being adopted in law enforcement
because of its critical capabilities such as it could help the police department
map crime density for the entire town or just for certain areas which could
provide appropriate actions that needed to be done. Chief of Police, Chief
Inspector Richard Albon said that some local police personnel were already
trained on crime mapping and planning on crime solution and prevention
schemes under the GIS programme. However, there are some requirements
before the system could be established such as updated satellite maps of the
town, computers dedicated to the system, and GPS unit, a space-based
satellite navigation system that provides location and time information
globally. Albon has requested the local government unit to provide necessary
equipment to jumpstart the programme. Geographical approach and an
interest for crime research fact that crime cannot be separate from the
offender’s natural habitat. This has resulted in development of human
geography, a science describing and analyzing location patterns of static or
moving phenomena of human origin on the surface of earth. Crime
phenomena are also a part of these phenomena research. There are no
direct geographical theories that provide human geography and criminology
has been established as a result of the development of strong parallel that
has existed predominantly put in the focus of sociology due to the series of
paradigm shift. (Ksenja Butorac 2017)

In the dynamic structure of the 21st century, the fight against crime is of
increasing interest to the whole society. Law enforcement agencies use crime
maps in order to analyze all components of the crime and see them in a
single window to develop various scientific strategies. Crime maps that have
been used actively for the last 70 years have been given different
capabilities with the recent developments in geographic information systems
(GIS). In this way, effective crime analyzes can be made, crime prevention
tactics and strategies can be developed. Crime information systems, which
make it easier to see the events at the desired scale and make quick
decisions, are actively used by every law enforcement unit. In some
developed countries, crime maps are available to citizens. In our country, a
study based on the general framework of a web-based crime information
system was carried out with the survey method, which included expectations
from the crime map on an international scale. (Musa 2022)

“Crime Analysis with Crime Mapping in Lipa City: Basis for Crime Prevention
Program” was conducted to identify the barangay in Lipa City with the
greatest number of crimes committed. This study is a documentary analysis
which utilized all the available data from Lipa City Police Station. The
statistics safely concluded that Barangay Maraouy, Sabang anf Balintawak
top three barangays in Lipa City with the greatest number of crimes
committed. Said crimes are committed from 9:00 am – 12 midnight and most
offenders are male who are 30 – 39 years old and committed violations of RA
9287 otherwise known as An Act Increasing the Penalties for Illegal Number
Games, Amending Certain Provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1602, and for
other Purposes. Researcher also found out that most of the crimes in Lipa
City is solved. The researcher recommended to deploy more police officers
and barangay tanod to those areas identified to be crime prone. Provision of
training to barangay tanod is also recommended. Since community members
plays a big role in crime solution and prevention it is also rcommended that
self – policing training should be provided for them. The researcher further
recommended to established police satellite office to those areas/barangays
identified being crime prone. (Edna Sanchez 2019)

Onions are a high-value crop in the Philippines, with Nueva Ecija being the
leading producer. However, armyworm infestations cause significant income
losses for farmers. Traditional methods of estimating damage are inefficient,
making GIS technology a valuable tool for mapping infestation patterns. This
study used Hot Spot Analysis to identify heavily affected areas, revealing
that San Jose had the highest infestation, with other municipalities like
Cuyapo and Guimba also experiencing moderate damage. GIS was effective
in mapping these infestations and helping target areas for assistance
(Alberto, R. T.et al, 2019)

The study focused on mapping pollution and land use issues affecting the
Bued River in the Cordilleras, using GIS and data from fieldwork, interviews,
and observations. The area was divided into 62 sectors, and spatial analysis
techniques identified pollution sources and land use changes. The results
provide valuable insights for policy development and conservation efforts for
the river.

Onions are a high-value crop in the Philippines, with Nueva Ecija being the
leading producer. However, armyworm infestations cause significant income
losses for farmers. Traditional methods of estimating damage are inefficient,
making GIS technology a valuable tool for mapping infestation patterns. This
study used Hot Spot Analysis to identify heavily affected areas, revealing
that San Jose had the highest infestation, with other municipalities like
Cuyapo and Guimba also experiencing moderate damage. GIS was effective
in mapping these infestations and helping target areas for assistance.
Alberto, R. T., Biagtan, A. R., Isip, M. F., & Tagaca, R. C. (2019).