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Ask HN: What technologies can New Orleans use to counter crime?
I'm working as a volunteer on a public service project in collaboration with the NOLA PD and some local tech entrepreneurs. We're curious to hear ideas that involve measuring crime, visibility, geolocation apps...etc... that might help reduce crime in NOLA/bring about positive change.
Thanks in advance.
- karanbhangui 14y agohttp://www.predpol.com/ http://www.predpol.com/ checked these guys out? (no affiliation)
- kumarski 14y agoany other useful tools like this?
- mschuster91 14y agoDon't fight the crime/drugs. Fight what turns people into criminals: poverty, social issues, low education standards. Help those people who need help.
- grumps 14y agoI think its utter bullshit to think tech can solve social problems. it can raise awareness, bring resources to people, and provide general help. If you want to reduce crime from the source put boots on the ground, and put intervention in schools. end rant.
- kumarski 14y agoI agree with you, but I volunteered to see what I could do to help. Criticism is easy. That's a long term strategy that I'd back. but...... Is there any technologies in the short term that might help?
- tptacek 14y agoI don't understand this comment. He's volunteering with the NOLA PD. Would you like him to stop doing that? Or do you think tech volunteers with the NOLA PD are going to change the mission of the department?
- soneca 14y agoAnonymous crime reporting through cellphones I think is a good area to do some research. There are some good examples in some countries of Africa, as this one in Kenya: http://www.sida.se/English/Countries-and-regions/Africa/Kenya/Programmes-and-projects1/New-technologies-promote-democracy-participation-and-accountability/Facts-Mobile-phones-as-a-tool-for-democracy--texting-for-the-MDGs/ http://www.sida.se/English/Countries-and-regions/Africa/Keny... They are low tech (you don't have to own an iPhone to access an iOS app and report a crime, you just send a SMS), which I think is a great advantage. If you are able to create a good source of data of previously unreported crime through a good system of anonymous reporting, will help a lot the PD. In example, in my country lots of small crimes ( e.g. pickpocketing) go unreported because the chances are close to zero of recovering your things or find and punish the thieve. Also, lots of serious crimes (e.g. drug dealing, police abuse, murders) go unreported because people are afraid of retaliation. You see that I used a real case but I am giving my own ideas here, I hope you can have a use for this. But I really think the universal reach that mobile phones (including the simpler ones) have and the anonymity possibilities can be used to create a system that improves your city's criminal maps.
- tptacek 14y agoThere was a thread about this on HN a while back: http://www.shotspotter.com/ http://www.shotspotter.com/ Here's the thread: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4034528 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4034528
- kumarski 14y agoThanks!
- terrykohla 14y agoCreate a social network where people from rough areas can have access to psychological counseling via Skype or chat rooms. High crime areas as plagued with drug abuse, alcoholism and many other non-healthy addictions often due to inherited "mental illness", but they have no help. Also finding ways to keep fire arms inaccessible in these areas may result in lower crime rates.