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Open Source Geographical Profiling?

Posted by Cliff on from the crime-investigation-by-computer dept.

elander asks: "I've been searching for a while for anything to do with geographical profiling, specifically systems that narrow the search area in the hunt for serial criminals (burglars, robbers, rapists etc). So far, the only system I've found is Rigel, a commercial software package, only available through leasing from ECRI. I wonder, aren't there any Open Source alternatives? I'm about to (hopefully, last round of approvals is under way) build a crime scene information system for a Swedish police authority, based on Open Source, and I'd like to be able to offer something along these lines as a future extension."

4 of 15 comments (clear)

  1. People make what they use. by BigZaphod · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I don't know any hobbyist crime hunters, so I suspect that something like this is going to be pretty hard to come by. I know of people who listen to police scanners and such, but that's a bit different than a part time vigilante who also happens to be a software developer. But, hey, the world's a big place. You never know. :-)

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    1. Re:People make what they use. by Otter · · Score: 2, Funny
      I don't know any hobbyist crime hunters...

      Actually, I was under the impression that most crime was solved by hobbyist engineers / crime fighters. Especially crime committed by arch-villains and extraterrestrials. You probably just think you don't know any because they haven't let you in on their secret identities.

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      What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
  2. drupal cms by NateSac · · Score: 3, Informative

    Drupal is an open source content managment system. Drupal is modular, and very flexible, and you can develop custom themes very simply written in pure php. The reason why I mention drupal, is that theres a few contributed modules that sound like that you are looking for.

    Location API provides the framework for location based, and proximty based searching.
    EventFinder module uses this API to provide sitewide location based searches and more.
    There are also two contributed map modules google maps, and geourl.

    It seems like the basic functionatily you are asking for is already developed for drupal, It shouldnt take alot of work to throw these together to do what you want to do.

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  3. Sometimes you need to pay. by DerekLyons · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I've been searching for a while for anything to do with geographical profiling, specifically systems that narrow the search area in the hunt for serial criminals (burglars, robbers, rapists etc). So far, the only system I've found is Rigel, a commercial software package, only available through leasing from ECRI. I wonder, aren't there any Open Source alternatives?
    Why should there be open source alternatives? You have a fairly narrow problem domain with a very narrow customer base that requires specialized techniques... Exactly the last thing I'd expect to be found as OSS.

    Frankly, I suspect you are doing a disservice to your clients by choosing philosophy over functionality.