Interactive map shows where Pa. inmates committed their crimes
(Harrisburg) — A new interactive map from the state Department of Corrections shows where inmates have committed their crimes over the past three years.
This map is a complement to one released a month ago, which shows where inmates are going after they complete their sentences.
“Our goals are to be transparent and to use data to drive policy. With these maps, everyone can obtain the information and drive down into data that is from their local areas, ” Corrections Secretary John Wetzel said. “This helps them to potentially determine needs and services that may be required in the local communities for not only those leaving our system, but also potentially for those entering the DOC.”
Department spokeswoman Susan McNaughton says, the agency regularly get requests for this kind of data for research purposes.
But, she notes, the maps should also be useful to local law enforcement agencies and social service providers.
“It gives a pretty good picture of who’s coming into the system, right?” she said. “So based on that you can determine what kind of things need to be done to maybe divert these individuals into a treatment program rather than the state prison system.”
Data are available for the years 2013 through 2015, and is broken down by committing county, type of admission, race, gender, and the individual’s risk of reoffending.
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