Researching Crime

CrimeMalta Observatory is a publication aimed at depicting the Maltese safety and security landscape in visual form.

The CrimeMalta Website brings you real crime analysis based on 27 years of research. In a study initiated in 1997, crimes from 1950 to date have been geocoded and digitised to help create analytical tables and charts that are easy to understand and review. Using state-of-the-art technology (GIS - Geographical or Spatial Information Systems), crime reported to the Malta Police Force since 1998 have been mapped based on the offence location.

This process enables spatio-temporal analysis of crimes in Malta by the location they occur in, when they are committed and the potential link to the place they occur in. A Web-GIS of Maltese Crime enables users to browse and print maps of crime at different spatial layers such as districts and local councils as based on the NUTS (administrative units classification) nomenclature. Smaller units have been analysed foremost amongst which are enumeration areas as identified by Census.

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Annual Crime Report

Crime Report 2024

 

CrimeMalta Report FactSheet 2024

 

Data to Tables to Interactive Maps


The concept of interactivity serves as a launching pad for the understanding of information from a visual point of view. Data is gathered analysed and redered in various formats: from simple tables to graphs and figures as well as spatial maps that users can interact with in oder to understand the realities of crime reporting in the Maltese Islands.

Another feature developed in this site concerns the CRISOLA and RISC Models, the former giving methodological substance to crime and space, whilst the dynamic RISC Model enables the creation of a league table of local councils as they experience offence reporting over time. Outputs at annual and monthly by crime categories will be reviewed. More detailed RISC information is available on request. In addition, statistical and spatio-statistical outputs will be generated. The map below shows such a map based on crime locations reported in the Grand Harbour and the results of a method called clustering analysis that shows the major hotspots of crime in the region.

CrimeMaps

RISC

Prison

Crime Information for Social Wellbeing

The concept of understanding offences as a step towards the betterment of safety and security of an Island State.

An Introduction by Professor Saviour Formosa and Dr Janice Formosa Pace

Crime is not a static occurrance: it is a live activity that emanates from opportunity, affluence, poverty and routine activity. With every period change in time, crime is ever evolving and it is imperative that crime researchers posit their studies prior to occurrence and in tandem with operational recommendations that impact the incidence of offending

The CrimeMalta Observatory will further include new areas of enforcement as more entities take up their infringment aspect on board.

A thanks goes to stakeholders, readers and reviewers for their input.

Saviour Formosa - Janice Formosa Pace

CrimeMalta Observatory Directors, Malta