Building a Better Picture of Crime in Guatemala City

While the utility of data on crime in a given city cannot be denied, its lack of precision can create problems. Presenting an entire zone of a city as safe ignores dangerous areas that exist in every sector, while some zones known to struggle with violence do have some well-developed, relatively safe areas that offer lucrative opportunities. While finding good data on crime can prove challenging, the void can be filled by tapping an unconventional and often-overlooked source: Package delivery services, taxi companies and fast-food restaurants that deliver have access to large data sets based on the direct observations of their staffs....