A Web Application for Visualizing Environmental Justice Data in Michigan

In this project, I developed a web application Michigan Criminal Justice Explorer for Justice Mapping that provides data and maps on the justice impacts of different communities in Michigan. The web application allows users to navigate through Michigan state criminal justice statistics, to display and filter specific crimes data, and to visualize it on the map.

Key Features:

  1. Interactive Data Visualization: Utilizing React with deep integration of MapBox, the front end of the website offers a seamless and interactive experience for users to visualize crime data spatially. Through dynamic maps, users can gain insights into crime trends across different regions of Michigan.
  2. Flexible Filtering Options: The website empowers users to tailor their data exploration by offering various filtering options. Users can specify parameters such as crime type, time frame, and geographical location to refine their analysis and focus on areas of interest.
  3. Comprehensive Crime Data: Leveraging a MySQL 8 database, the website hosts a wealth of up-to-date crime statistics sourced from reliable sources. This ensures that users have access to comprehensive and accurate data for their analysis and decision-making processes.
  4. User-Friendly Interface: A clean and intuitive user interface enhances the overall user experience, making it easy for individuals from diverse backgrounds to navigate the website and extract meaningful insights from the available data.

Tech Stack:

  • Front End: Developed using React, the website offers a modern and responsive interface, ensuring compatibility across various devices and screen sizes. Deep integration with MapBox API enables seamless visualization of spatial data.
  • Back End: Built using the Laravel PHP framework, the back end of the website ensures robustness, security, and scalability. Laravel’s expressive syntax and powerful features facilitate efficient data handling and processing.
  • Database: MySQL 8 serves as the database management system, providing a reliable and scalable solution for storing and retrieving crime data. Its versatility and performance capabilities contribute to the seamless functioning of the website.

Conclusion:

The Michigan Criminal Justice Explorer represents a significant milestone in leveraging technology to enhance transparency and understanding within the realm of criminal justice. By providing accessible tools for data exploration and visualization, the platform empowers users to engage with complex information effectively. Whether for academic research, policy analysis, or public awareness, this website serves as a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding and addressing issues related to crime in Michigan. Explore the website today and unlock insights that can drive positive change within our communities.