Leveraging crime reporting in Metro Manila using unsupervised crowd-sourced data: A case for the iReport framework

Abstract

Crimes are acts that provide harm to an individual or community. It disrupts peace, produces fear and impedes the usual activities of the many. Sadly, statistics say that there is a significant number of crimes in the Philippines that are not directly reported to the proper authorities. This menace if not provided appropriate actions will continue to exist and provide terror to the community. This study proposes the development of a mobile application that collects indexed crime reports in Metro Manila through unsupervised crowdsourcing data. It aims to provide a venue for victims of crimes to report their experiences without having to go directly to police stations. Those who have experienced the same offense in the area can link their reports with those previously reported offenses which refer to the same case. This would provide authorities several views about the situation that could help them in their investigation to ensure that culprits are apprehended immediately. Future works include crime analytics for crime prediction and prevention.