Introduction

Geofencing technology is increasingly being used by governments around the world for crime prevention. This technology uses virtual boundaries to create a perimeter around a specific area, such as a neighborhood or a city. The purpose of geofencing is to alert authorities when a person or vehicle enters or exits the area, allowing them to quickly respond to potential crimes. In this blog post, we will explore how governments are using geofencing technology to prevent crime.

5 ways geofencing is helping in law enforcement

1. Quick responses

One of the primary benefits of geofencing technology is its ability to help authorities quickly respond to potential crimes. When a person or vehicle enters or exits a geofenced area, the technology can automatically send an alert to law enforcement. This allows officers to respond quickly and potentially prevent a crime from occurring. For example, if someone enters a geofenced area that is known to have a high rate of vehicle theft, an alert can be sent to law enforcement, allowing them to quickly respond and potentially prevent vehicle theft.

2. Surveillence and control

Geofencing technology is also being used to monitor high-crime areas, such as neighborhoods with high rates of drug activity or gang violence. By creating a virtual boundary around these areas, authorities can monitor who is entering and exiting the area. This allows them to identify potential suspects and gather intelligence on criminal activity in the area. By doing so, authorities can take proactive steps to prevent crime from occurring in the first place.

3. Repeat offenders and parolees

Another way governments are using geofencing technology for crime prevention is by using it to track offenders who have been released from prison. By creating a virtual boundary around an offender's home or workplace, authorities can ensure that the individual is complying with the terms of their release. If the individual enters or exits the geofenced area at unauthorized times, an alert can be sent to law enforcement, allowing them to respond quickly and potentially prevent the offender from committing a new crime.

4. Crimes against children

Geofencing technology is also being used to prevent crimes against children. For example, some schools are using geofencing to track the location of their buses. By creating a virtual boundary around the bus route, school officials can ensure that the buses are staying on schedule and that students are not being dropped off at the wrong location. If a bus deviates from its route or stops at an unauthorized location, an alert can be sent to school officials, allowing them to quickly respond and potentially prevent a child from being abducted.

5. Petty theft & Larceny

Finally, geofencing technology is being used to prevent theft and other property crimes. For example, some retailers are using geofencing to monitor the location of their products. By creating a virtual boundary around a store, retailers can monitor the location of their inventory and be alerted if a product is moved outside of the geofenced area. This allows them to quickly respond and potentially prevent any theft.

Conclusion

Geofencing technology is an important tool for crime prevention, used by governments around the world. By creating virtual boundaries around specific areas, authorities can quickly respond to potential crimes, monitor high-crime areas, track offenders, prevent crimes against children, and prevent property crimes. As the technology continues to mature, it is likely that we will see even more innovative uses for geofencing in the fight against crime. If you would like to know more about the other ways governments are putting geofencing to use, you may want to look at our detailed blog on the subject: How Geofencing Tech Can Help Governments Deploy Better Governance.