The latest anti-crime initiative in Brazil involves interactive websites where citizens can anonymously report crimes, which are placed on a map to show the areas of greatest risk.
IPS reported on the trend, highlighting the Brazil-based WikiCrime website, where robbery, car theft, stolen mobile phones and kidnappings are recorded on a map of the country.
The objective of the site is to make information on crimes more transparent and accessible, said Vasco Furtado, creator of the site.
Furtado told IPS that a very high number of cases that go unreported, either due to fear or lack of faith that the police will take action, with surveys suggesting that underreporting may be as high as 60 percent in some areas.
IPS also noted similar initiatives taking place in countries including Chile and Panama.
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