Introduction New trends in communication have challenged the way researchers analyse and prevent different forms of violence and make decisions on social problems such as violent deaths, robberies and great impact crime.

Objective To use new methodologies for decision making based on analysis of statistics aimed at the reduction and control of violent deaths, robberies and great impact crime.

Methodology Analysis of data using protocols, intersectoral working methodologies and tools that are the most appropriate technological solutions not only to this point but for the future. These tools include Internet, geo-referencing and real time statistics that are useful for opportune decision making to confront this public health problematic.

Results Today developments, based on web technologies, allow the gathering of data from different institutions involved to be analysed, visualised and geo-referenced, having actualised information for the different surveillance system as the one build in Popayan, among others, that has allowed a better substrate for the development of prevention strategies and the promotion of a safer environment, count on the backing of experts for analysis and decision making, showing reductions in the rates over time.

Conclusions Observatories take advantage of technology and use it to create solutions to community problems, and thus allow decision makers to develop solutions with the help of intersectoral work.