Hot Spot Policing

Hot spots are areas with persistently high levels of crime and disorder.

Hot spots policing is a strategy for reducing crime. It targets resources and activities in hot spots. The strategy is based on the idea that:

crime and disorder are not evenly spread within neighbourhoods but clustered in small locations.
focusing resources on persistent high-crime areas can tackle crime problems more efficiently

ASB Incidents

Pin-pointing crimes on a map helps us to identify problem areas.

But more meaningful insight can be gathered by visualising the data in different ways.

Cluster Analysis

Creating clusters for neighbouring incidents can identify locations with high occurrences.

Choropleth Maps

Thematic maps with administrative or political boundaries are another approach.

Hot Spot

A Hot Spot can identify small geographical areas where crime has occurred more often.

Hot spot policing involves increasing visible patrols in these areas. This discourages offenders from taking advantage of opportunities to commit crime.

Increasing visible patrols can increase certainly of being caught and deter potential offenders.

Hot Spot Analysis

This area is identified as a hot spot.

Therefore, more visible patrols in this area can act as a deterrent.

Dispersal Powers

A dispersal zone maybe be authorised to give the police the power to ask citizens to leave a designated area.

This can help to reduce the likelihood of the Antisocial behaviour.

ASB Briefing

Hot Spot Policing