Online Crime sources

SANTA BARBARA - How safe is the area that you live in? Whether you live in the city or the suburbs, it’s important to stay informed on the local crime scene in Santa Barbara. While a big story may come up in the daily newspaper or on the nightly news, there are other ways that you can learn about local crime trends before the stories come to you. Here are several online resources that provide vital information and resources on the local crime scene.

1. SpotCrime – Santa Barbara

SpotCrime is a website that maps out detailed crime information for a local area using Google Maps. Specific icons for each type of crime (arson, theft, vandalism, etc.) appear on the map over the area in which they occurred, and by moving your cursor over an icon you can get specific information including the time, date, address, and type of crime. The data comes from police departments, news reports, and user-generated content. You can also sign up to receive free crime alerts through email and text messaging.

2. Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department website is a resource where you can learn more about your local Sheriff’s Department, as well as view recent crime reports and the list of most wanted fugitives. The website also provides useful information on Reverse 911 registration, various sheriff’s publications, and employment, along with links to other law enforcement resources. You can even provide anonymous tips and information through the website’s “Contact Us” link.

3. Santa Barbara Independent Crime Portal

The crime section of the Santa Barbara Independent’s page lists news stories related to crime with the most recent at the top. There are also a few links at the top of the page that will filter articles related to a certain topic, such as gang coverage.

4. Local Crime News – Santa Barbara

Local Crime News provides local arrest reports from a variety of government sources throughout California. In addition, it provides graphs and statistics on local crime and links to an RSS feed and a daily newsletter with Arrest Logs. Similar to SpotCrime, Local Crime News has a feature that uses Google Maps to map out locations of area arrests.

5. UCSB Economic Forecast Project – Crime in Santa Barbara

The UCSB Economic Forecast Project was developed to provide the local community with information on economic, demographic, and regional business trends in Santa Barbara County and the surrounding areas. The Project researches, collects, and verifies statistical data to monitor local economic and business activity and predict future trends. The specific page listed above provides crime statistics from 1985 to 2010 with detailed graphs and explanations.

6. Victims of Crime Resource Center – Santa Barbara

This valuable page provides a list of phone numbers to call if you or someone you know is the victim of any type of crime. The Victims of Crime Resource Center is located on the Pacific McGeorge School of Law campus in Sacramento, California. In addition to the website, the center operates the State of California's toll-free 1-800-VICTIMS line that provides information and referral services to victims, their families, service providers, and advocates. The website also offers information on Victims’ Rights, Compensation and Restitution, and publications on crime-related issues.

Chris Jacobson is a criminal justice site owner who writes about various topics
including everything law related and is the owner of the site Criminal Justice Degree.