Let me comment on the merits of heatmaps
as a way of representing data in the context of representing
crime activity.
Criminal activity-related data often
has both components of time and location.
Sometimes, all that is required is a line chart,
but heatmaps can visualize data that
will be too big for a table.
Plotting data on maps is much more effective
than a table for location based data, and is eye catching.
What is the edge of predictive policing?
Many police forces are exploiting their databases
to focus finite resources on problem areas.
Not only do analytics help improve policework,
the outputs are also good communication tools
to decision makers in government, and the wider
public.
The application of analytics to data like this
is new and growing, with companies
like PredPol and Palantir leading the effort.