Experts are creating an AI-driven crime map of England and Wales that aims to stop criminals before they strike.
The Government today announced a £4million investment in the futuristic project, which will use official data to identify local areas that are likely to see criminal activity, such as knife offences and anti-social behaviour.
Police will then target these locations with extra resources, including patrols and visits to the homes of convicted criminals, in the hope of intervening before any offences take place.
Peter Kyle, Science and Technology Secretary, said the project would draw on data from police, councils and social services, including criminal records, previous offence reports and the behavioural patterns of known offenders.
The Concentrations of Crime Data Challenge will see experts from universities and businesses tasked with creating the model with the aim of making it operational across England and Wales by 2030.
