Mapping the Future: Using Spatial Similarity Search for Urban Crime Analysis
Skill Level: Intermediate
Intended Audience: GIS User, Student
Abstract
Keeping communities safe is a major priority for modern cities, and leaders are constantly looking for smarter ways to stay ahead of crime. This presentation explores how GIS technology can use similarity searches to help forecast future high-risk areas, using Chicago as a primary case study. By looking at how different neighborhoods share similar population traits, economic conditions, and past crime trends, analysts can better understand the underlying factors driving crime. The session discusses how comparing these neighborhood profiles gives city planners and law enforcement a clearer picture of emerging risks. Ultimately, it highlights how blending spatial mapping with pattern analysis helps communities move from reacting to crime to stopping it before it starts.
Presenter
Melinda Felicia Lowe
Alumna, Western Illinois University
Melinda F. Lowe, M.Sc., GISP Candidate is a spatial analyst and cartographer specializing in urban planning, geodatabase design, and data-driven public safety applications. She earned her Master of Science in GIScience and Geoenvironment and a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Community Development and Planning from Western Illinois University (WIU), where she also contributed to advanced spatial analysis and web GIS deployment at the WIU GIS Center. An active member of the Geospatial Professional Network (GPN), GISCorps, and the Illinois GIS Association (ILGISA), Melinda is dedicated to turning detailed spatial analytics into clear, actionable insights that empower communities and improve everyday life.