There are hopes a new online tool will not only help address crime in Wellington but its causes.

Wellington City Council has launched an interactive map, where residents can pinpoint areas they've experienced or witnessed harm or felt unsafe.

The map also records graffiti and dark places. 

City Councillor Tamatha Paul told Nick Mills the data will help to pick up trends and patterns where people feel unsafe so that the Council can take steps to improve the city.

But she says the reporting will be "helpful as long as it's met with action" and takes more than beefing up police presence in those trouble-spots

She says that's just a band-aid solution and they need to address the root causes of crime.