Jim Wayne speaks with the creators of “Not Just a Number,” an online crime map that connects Web 2.0 reporting tools, with deeper ways to tell a story, and help a community.
“Not Just a Number goes well beyond merely pinning crime stats on a city grid. It holds a magnifying glass over each anonymous coordinate on Oakland’s crowded murder map (112 thus far in 2007), enabling an intimate interactivity among the family, friends and loved ones of each murder victim. Behind each number lies a hub for mourners to exchange stories, photos, music and anything else to bring the victim out from behind a mug shot and a police report.”