How to Interpret a Temporal Topology
Imagine the topology as being like a map, except instead of terrain, it maps time. The X-Coordinate (horizontal) indicates the hour of the day, while the Y-Coordinate (vertical) indicates the day of the week. The Z-Coordinate (elevation) is represented by the volume of activity at that hour and day.
Temporal topologies identify the level of crime activity at a particular day and hour.
You read the temporal topology just as you would read the density map in RAIDS. Look for areas of high (or low) activity across the 168 hour week. Police agencies use the temporal topology to understand when activity happens, when to deploy resources, and when to staff officers. Temporal topologies, using vivid colors and shapes to draw the reader’s attention to significant findings, can be much clearer and easier to interpret than reading through countless rows of mind-numbing cross tabulated data.
Could you give an example of how to read the temporal topology?
Thank you,
Laura
Hi Laura,
That is a great question.
Temporal topologies help you understand when crimes are occurring, so you can take action to protect yourself.
For example, if you were looking at a group of burglaries, the temporal topology graph could help you see that the majority of burglaries occurred during business hours while you were at work and away from your home. In this case, you could take extra effort to lock your windows and doors while you are at work, knowing that there has been a few nearby burglaries that occurred during business hours.