Australia - Website puts police crime statistics on the map slammed

[Strangeworld]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...asion-of-privacy/story-fnihsrf2-1226828829528

Website that puts police crime statistics on the map slammed as invasion of privacy


A WEBSITE where neighbours can snoop on local crimes has been criticised as a dangerous invasion of privacy.

The privately-run website allows anyone to see where drugs, assaults, fraud and other offences have occurred over the past 13 years.

Offences are shown at specific homes and businesses, unlike an official Queensland Police Service crime map which hides addresses.

The private CrimeMap.info website uses Queensland Police Service data available online through the state government’s open data portal.

Police yesterday said they would ask the website to remove addresses from the map to protect privacy.

 

[Strangeworld]

I put my street in - wow! Shows number of offences at each SPECIFIC address - type of offence, year, whether solved/unsolved.

I don't know how accurate it is, but I'd imagine the police are going to put pressure on them to close it down or alter the information available.

I looked up some areas in Brisbane that I know are crime hotspots - double wow!

I really don't know how I feel about this - I am all for knowing where pedophiles, etc are living, but listing crimes (some quite petty) - could affect house prices/insurance (?) if it is able to stay available and people get to know about it.

 

[Marg from Oz]

Crime stoppers puts out a newsletter every month in my area with the addresses of burglaries, stolen cars, cars being broken into etc. But no names or addresses of perpetrator.
In Australia criminals have more rights than victims. MOO

 

[Strangeworld]

Marg, we don't get anything like that. We do get some crimes reported in the local newspaper, but that's about it.

Criminals are definitely more protected here than other countries.