In short, RedZone combines data from government agencies and the app’s users to display a map that highlights shootings, assaults, and thefts in a specific area, for example, with the three crimes differentiated by color. If you need to navigate to a certain location, RedZone uses that information to avoid problematic areas and show you a safe route.
And if you’re the kind who likes to live on the edge, and you don’t care how you get to a certain destination, RedZone will also show you a risky route you can take. Keep in mind, however, that neither route may be the fastest offered to you.
As far as community involvement is concerned, there is a comments section within RedZone that will, in theory, give you up-to-date information on flagged crimes. And RedZone will also allow you to drop a “crime pin” in the event of an unfolding crime.
For some, particularly families, RedZone looks to be a simple and free way to remain as safe as possible. However, that desire to remain safe could come at the cost of some businesses, well, losing business, since people will want to avoid these crime-heavy areas where those businesses operate. In addition, the app could theoretically condition some users to avoid areas that happen to be minority communities, which is where complaints of discrimination could sprout up.
As such, it’ll be interesting to see how RedZone continues to grow in the near future. The app is currently available on iOS as a free download, with an Android version currently in the works.
