Science Fair Projects

Application of Geographic Profiling to Graffiti Crimes

Abstract

The objective: The purpose of my project was to see if it is possible to successfully use an already established formula(Rossmo's formula), which is used to predict the residences of serial murderers, rapists and arsonists based on their past crimes, for graffiti crimes.

Methods/Materials

This process involved taking a set of known graffiti locations and matching them with four known vandalswhose residences were approximately known. Using Matlab#, I was able to write programs that allowed me to perform various regressions to solve for empirically determined constants and exponents in Rossmo's formula. Theoretically, these values could then be used to try and predict the locations/residences of unidentified graffiti vandals. Data on graffiti locations and vandal residences were acquired by a combination of interviews with the Santa County Sheriff's Department, the Santa Cruz city planning department; there was also some data simulation required

Results

After all empirically determined values were solved for to most accurately fit the crimes of all four vandals, the algorithm in general did not produce probability contours that consistently overlapped with the actual offender residences.

Conclusions/Discussion

Overall, the algorithm has very minimal predictability value for graffiti crimes. Either a different equation needs to be utilized or mathematical modeling is not the most efficient means of locating offenders.

This project is to examine the usefulness of an algorithm, which is used to catch seriel criminals, when applied to graffiti crimes.

Science Fair Project done By Alanna K. Williams

 

Related Projects : Artificial Intelligence Project in Computer-Based Music Composition, WiSeNet: A Software Simulator for Wireless Sensor Network Applications, Development of a 3D Search Engine for Mechanical and Geometrical Applications, Category Oriented Web Search Engine Based on Round Robin Learning and Ranking Algorithm, Adaptive Interference Rejection in Wireless Networking, Security Through Chaos, Mathematical Model for the Optimal Arrangement of Cell Phone Towerse, Computer Model of the SARS Epidemic, Environmental Changes and Species Diversity, Face Recognition by the Computer

 

<<Back To Topics Page........................................................................................>> Next Topic

 

 

Copyright © sciencefairprojects.co.in 2013 through 2015