Simsi is excited to launch the S2 Report—short for Site Suitability—a new strategic planning tool designed to help organizations identify the most effective locations for hosting community-focused events and activities.
This easy-to-use report template supports agencies in making evidence-based decisions about where their presence can be most impactful. Whether the goal is to increase visibility in high-risk areas or to enhance community engagement in low-risk zones, the S2 Report brings clarity and purpose to site selection. Basically, it takes a ton of guesswork out of site selection—and adds a whole lot of evidence-based strategy.
Here’s how it works:
The template walks you through key details—what kind of event you’re planning, when it’ll take place, and what you’re hoping to achieve. You can also add preferences like “must be near public transportation” or “ideally a church with a large parking lot.” One of the most helpful pieces is that you can actually indicate whether you want the site to be in a high-risk area for your prevention/safety reference (as a deterrence strategy—showing presence in vulnerable areas) or low-risk (prioritizing participant safety).
From there, the report highlights three recommended locations based on the RTM analysis. For each site, it includes: the address, and a details section that might highlight temporal data of when activity levels are likely to be highest or when intervention might be most effective as well as analyst insights, context, or anything else that adds depth and nuance to the site suitability assessment. A SiteRisk™ Score on a 1 to 6 scale (easily accessible via the Simsi mobile app) is also provided. SiteRisk™ Scores allow for an assessment and comparison of relative risk across sites and the rest of the area. A score of 1 is considered minimal or no substantial risk; 2 is low risk. A score of 3 is moderate risk. Scores of 4, 5 or 6 are higher risk.
Take, for example, a county health department and a local drug recovery organization working together to host a Drug Awareness & Resource Fair. They’re looking for a location that’s accessible by public transportation, has enough space for parking, and in an area that is risky for drug overdoses. Their goal is to occupy a space that is risky, but where a positive community event could make a difference. With the S2 Report, they can quickly zero in on a few possible locations that meet all those criteria. After running an RTM analysis of drug overdose data on your jurisdiction, use the PocketGIS feature in RTMDx to analyze the results and your jurisdiction for the necessary criteria.
In this example, three churches with large parking lots off a main highway that was risky for drug overdoses. This is also where local knowledge contributes… to know that these were located off a main highway and accessible by public transportation.
The S2 Report is a simple but powerful way to bring strategy and clarity to site selection. Whether you’re working on crime prevention, community outreach, or public engagement, this tool helps make sure your event is in the right place, at the right time, for the right reasons, all grounded in evidence. And the best part? It’s easy to use. With just a little input and a clear sense of your goals, you can walk away with three solid recommendations—backed by data and shaped by local context.
Special thanks to Breanna Haney, Director of the Upstate Crime Analysis Center at the University of South Carolina – Upstate, for contributing her expertise and insights to this article.