Who compiled this database?
This database was compiled by students in Swarthmore College’s Gun Violence Prevention class beginning in 2014.
For whom is the database compiled?
This database is meant to serve as a tool for community stakeholders to advance their work uplifting their own communities to counter the problem of gun violence. However, it is accessible to anyone interested in learning about gun violence in Delaware County.
How did we decide to visualize our data?
In order to come up with a way of visualizing the data we collected, we gathered input from stakeholders across the community to explore the possibilities and problems posed by mapping homicides. We wanted to present the data in a way that did not risk reducing the lives of victims to data points. Therefore, upon careful consideration, we decided to present the information in a heat map that changes tone depending on the concentration of homicides. We decided to separate the data by race, gender, and age, and visualize these breakdowns in a bar graph.
What is the purpose of the different infographics?
We chose to use a variety of mediums to represent our findings as a safety measure to prevent accessibility of sensitive information. A variety of infographics and descriptive statistics are intended to help users conceptualize homicide in Delaware County. We believe that presenting the information in a visually engaging manner will help people grasp the extent of the issue.
From whom did we seek input?
We sought input from various stakeholders across Delaware County and the Greater Philadelphia area. This includes, but is not limited to, residents impacted by gun violence, those working locally in the arts, business sector, community advocacy/non-profits, education, local government, housing, the justice system, and religious centers.
What sources did we use to compile our data?
All of the information compiled in this database is available in news sources and publicly accessible crime reports and census documents, such as the FBI Uniform Crime Report for Pennsylvania and the Delaware County Daily Times. For more information, visit the Methods page of this website.