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The map of the victims. Pertinence of the composed cognitive maps in the analysis of the criminal situation from a small territory perspective

Abstract:

This article contributes to the understanding of the Composite Cognitive Maps (MCC, in Spanish) as a criminometric tool comparing the data available of administrative complaints and police testimonies in Ecuador. The CCMs were applied in the police sub-circuit of Playa el Murciélago of the Manta canton as an example of a small conflict territory within Ecuador according to the data by prosecutorial reports and police reports of the DAID (Department of Crime Analysis and Information, attached to the National Police of Ecuador). We showed the CCM is a convenient tool for measuring crime. We discussed the benefits it brings to the local police and society in general. We could also recognize hidden crimes to police, some black figures and, in general, spatial dynamics of crime in a more detailed and comprehensive manner. The instrument had a clear positive impact on the reduction and perception of crime, measurable by administrative reports and police reports, before and after the implementation of the policies associated with it.