Database and interactive map coming soon

The Homicide Report will be going on a brief hiatus as we prepare to launch a new version next week. We will stop posting updates here while we transition to the new system, but readers can still find breaking news about homicides at the L.A. Now blog.

The Homicide Report soon will feature an interactive map, a searchable database and a blog that looks and feels like the one we have now. The map and database will feature every homicide reported by the Los Angeles County coroner since January 2007. Readers will be able to sort the killings by neighborhood, cause of death, race/ethnicity, age, gender, day of the week and more.

The map will allow readers to interactively search all Los Angeles County homicides over the last three years and observe certain trends and clusters in a way that was not possible with the old blog. Readers will also be able to browse photos of the deceased or enter an address and find nearby killings.

Much of the functionality of the new map and database will be similar to the Times' Mapping L.A. Neighborhoods project, which we frequently link to from posts. Frequent readers and commenters on the Homicide Report should be aware that old comments on blog posts will only be accessible by clicking on a link from the new post. All of the old comments and discussions have been preserved, but new comments will only be possible in the new system.

As always, reader questions and input are welcome. If you have a question or feedback please post it as a comment to this post and we will do our best to respond.

-- Anthony Pesce and Megan Garvey

Follow The Homicide Report on Twitter @latimeshomicide.

Photos:

Top: A screenshot of the new Homicide Report interactive map. Click to enlarge.

Center: A screenshot of the new Homicide Report photo browser. Click to enlarge.

Bottom: A screenshot of the new Homicide Report neighborhood view. Click to enlarge.

Comments

[syscom3]

Thanks Ms. Garvey!

I cant wait to see it, and I hope it includes homicides going back as far as possible, so we can see where the "killing fields" are located.

[EC]

hurry up!

[Foclipz]

Cant wait for it to come online...I have been doing mental tallys on where these killings occur...its the same spots....now we all will see hard proof of that...and I like the idea of bringing the public domain photos online again...just typin victims name is nothing without having a pic...

[Outraged Father]

Thank you Magan, That'll bring me reference on where to NEVER step foot unless I'm going to an SC football game or driving thru to go catch a plane at LAX or I'll continue to fly out of Burbank, look at the small dot there.

[johnnybravo]

been waiting for this for some time. nice work, and thanks.

[107street]

why i cant wait to be part of the new forum. I hope i am not censored in any ways. I hope everyone printed thought (unless its vulgar) can be heard. ...... ps happy new years south central Mr. 107vermontsidehard is out and good night

[syscom3]

I would hope this interactive map also lists assualts with a deadly weapon. For every homicide, there has to be dozens of unsuccessfull attacks in which the victim lived but still needed hospitization.

[Charles]

The new searchable database sounds great but please don't forget the most important aspect of this website - REGULAR UPDATES. The people in charge of regular updates have been doing an excellent job. Keep up the great work.

[warrk21]

Please go to departedngone.com and let the world know that we have a few good friends

[warrk21]

You (LA Times)never post my posting, please tell me why?

[syscom3]

I would hope law enforcement and the DA's make use of this blog to give us updates on arrests and the status of the prosecutions.

[Megan Garvey]

I wanted to address a few of your questions.

1) Syscom asks if the reconfigured report will also include assaults w/deadly weapons, which is an interesting idea. In addition to a new Homicide Report, we also have been working hard on a comprehensive crime report for the city of Los Angeles and parts of the county patrolled by the L.A. County sheriff, the two major jurisdictions that have agreed to provide public record crime data electronically.

Through that data we are able to map ADW incidents. We are still working out how the very rich information we gather on homicides in L.A. County will work with the broader crime data. Our hope is to launch our crime report early this year so stay tuned.

2) Charles asks us not to forget the regular updates as we switch to the database format. The new report, in many ways, will look and feel very similar to what regular readers are used to getting. The blog format will remain but is enhanced by numerous jumping off points into maps that display a range of information about who gets killed, where they get killed and what weapons were used.

In addition, beginning next week The Times and USC's Annenberg School of Communication & Journalism are entering into a partnership that we believe will allow us to gather far more dispatches from the field each week. The goal of this partnership is to bring Times' readers more details about homicides and the people who are killed, while at the same time giving the student journalists who work on Neon Tommy [www.neontommy.com] valuable crime reporting experience and story clips.

The new format also makes it much easier to link to additional information from law enforcement sources [police news releases, D.A. updates] as well as print stories in The Times and other publications.

3) 107street expressed hope that he/she will not be censored in the new forum. Comments will continue to be moderated and commenters will be expected to adhere to Times' standards -- which we will make available to read for anyone who has questions. We hope that a wider audience may find and participate in the report in the coming months.

4) On that note, I also wanted to respond to warrk21's query about why his/her post didn't appear immediately. We do our best to stay on top of comments but only a few people regularly help out on this task. Bottom line: instant decisions on what to publish are just not possible so we appreciate everyone's patience.

5) Please check back for The Homicide Report 2.0 early next week when, if all goes as planned, we hope to relaunch. We pushed it back about a week because of the shortened holiday week and other scheduling issues.

Megan Garvey
Los Angeles Times

[syscom3]

I would hope the map allows a user to see how many homicides occur within a specified distance from a given point. Mapping the homicides to a neighborhood is good, but being able to see at a glance what else happened on the other side of the boundry is better.

[Megan Garvey]

The new map will allow readers to see homicides that occur within one mile, two miles, three miles and four miles of a specific point.

Megan Garvey

[Dina]

Can't wait for the new format. HURRY HURRY

[tc76]

Good grief Charlie Brown, hopefully this hiatus won't be as long as the last one was.

[Jeff Harrington]

It would be interesting to know LAPD's policy on documenting shootings, not just homicides? The public has a right to know where shootings occur to see the full extent of community violence. It's more work but what a great deterrant the site can become if you had a link to those convicted of each crime. Then again by attempting to gather data on homicide conviction we might just figure out that most homicides go unsolved?

[107street]

hey your the one who promised to "launch the 2.0" this week now its time to deliver.stop blogging and get it out there. Now you "pushed it back due to the shortened holiday" boo Hoo please with these excuses. I have a deadline to meet also and if not, see ya later. Now that's how things operate in the real world.This new 2.0 is starting to resemble Obama's weak Health Care bill so do Like senator brown from Massachusetts and "knock it off" please. Now as far as censorship, we all know if you say speak on homosexual topic in a negative light the delete button will come alive. Don't forget great people of south central "this is a far left" news agency. I will not back down from any topic and mark my word when i say "i will lead all debate on here" so deal with it......ps Mr controversy is back and good night 107vermontsidehard

[107street]

Hi this is towards: Megan Garvey L.A times ...Please stop your blogging there can only be one blog king on here and I don't need a queen. Thank you ...ps 107vermontside hard is out and a conservative goodnight

[syscom3]

107street, Mrs Garvey ultimatly runs the blog and can do anything she wants. If you think you can do a better job, I encourage you to start your own.

[usc619]

107street....you really need to find a hobby

[gdgirl323]

just checkin to see if this works

[107street]

my 1st love is blogging.I am not a crack addict like some on here, i am a simple blogger soul

[Bob-O]

Can't wait for The Homicide Report 2.0! Seems like it will be a lot more informative. I love you Megan Garvey and I appreciate everyone's effort who is involved in making the Homicide Report.