Exam 1: Introduction to Crime and Intel Analysis PDF

Topic 1. Crime Analysis ​ Crime analysts use Qualitative/Quantitative methods and sociodemographic/Spatial/Temporal information. ​ Crime analysis serves law enforcement by; helps solve criminal investigations, increases ability to prosecute criminals, ensures compliance with local, state, tri...

Topic 1. Crime Analysis ​ Crime analysts use Qualitative/Quantitative methods and sociodemographic/Spatial/Temporal information. ​ Crime analysis serves law enforcement by; helps solve criminal investigations, increases ability to prosecute criminals, ensures compliance with local, state, tribal, and federal laws and regulations ​ Crime analysis is use of data-driven methods to study: criminal behavior and patterns, crime victims, disorder and quality of life issues, traffic incidents, internal police operations, help decision-making within police departments, and provide insights on: more efficient resource allocation, improved crime prevention, and better understanding of public safety concerns. ​ Quantitative Methods ○​ Focus on numerical data; frequencies, percentages, averages ○​ Statical analyses; calculating crime rates, trends and spacial distributions ○​ Often used to assess patterns and forecast potential future incidents ○​ Qualitative Methods ​ Qualitative Methods ○​ Used to understand context behind crime ○​ Field research; observing crime locations and interviewing individuals with knowledge on specific incidents ○​ Content analysis; examining police reports and narrative to find underlying causes of crime ​ Focus Areas of Crime Analysis; ○​ Crime incidents: robbery, burglary, and rape ○​ Disorder problems; disturbances, loitering, and suspicious activities ○​ Traffic-related issues; collisions, violations, and citations ○​ Operational matters; staffing, resource management, geographic distribution of police services ​ Sociodemographic info ○​ Characters of individuals and groups (age, gender, race, …) ○​ Helps identify suspects and victims based on their profiles ○​ How crime affects different groups within a population ​ Spatial Info ○​ Geographic location of crime incidents (critical) ○​ Maps and spatial analyses are useful to identify crime hotspots ○​ Locations where offenders and victims intersect ​ Temporal Info ○​ Understand when crimes occur (essential) ○​ Analysts examine crime trends over time (season, day of week, time of day) ○​ Recognizing patterns that can aid in planning police patrols and interventions ​ Modern crime analysis relies heavily on tech and electronic data; software for mapping and spatial analysis used to visualize crime patterns, research in “crime and place” has highlighted how crime is often concentrated in specific areas ​ Real-Time Crime Center ○​ Widespread adoption of computerized record management systems (RMS) and computer-aided dispatch systems (CAD) ○​ LEA’s experiencing second technological revolution ○​ Increased use of tech; automated license plate readers (ALPR), closed-circuit television cameras CCTV, facial recognition systems (FRS), social media monitoring (SMM), AI, Drone, etc. ​ History of crime analysis ○​ London Metropolitan Police Force (1820s) was 1st modern police force established through the Metropolitan Police Act, marking the beginning of organized crime analysis,The detective bureau was established in 1842 to track crime patterns ○​ Crime Statistics (1847); crime data collection became formalized with aggregate stats for the city of London ○​ August Vollmer (Early 1900s) was a pioneering police reformer in the US. Introduced innovations like pin mapping, regular police report reviews, and organizing patrol districts based on crime data ○​ O.W. Wilson (1963) defined crime analysis as the process of identifying crime trends and patterns using stats and investigative reports. Prefigured modern crime analysis emphazing the need for dedicated units in police depts ○​ Federal Support; Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Street Acts of 1968, Increased awareness of the value o crime analysis, providing grants to local agencies for crime reduction efforts ○​ Growth of Formal Crime Analysis (1970s); creation of dedicated crime analysis units, publication of handbooks on tactical and strategic crime analysis (Police Crime Analysis Unit Handbook , Management Function of Crime Analysis Unit ) ○​ By the late 1970s crime analysis gained recognition, articles from the new york times referencing crime analysis used to interpret homicide trends during extreme weather conditions ○​ Herman Goldstein (1979) introduced problem-oriented policing, emphasizing need for crime analysis to address crime/disorder problems. Focus shift from admin taks to more data-driven, problem-solving approached ○​ Formation of Crime Analysis Associations (1980s- 1990s), Colorado Crime Analysis Association founded in 1982 ○​ 1990s saw further growth in crime analysis driven by: community policing movement, advances in tech such as geographic information systems (GIS), more advanced crime mapping and pattern analysis  ○​ Herman Goldstein's 1990 Book: expanded role of Crime Analysis in problem-oriented policing, encouraged police agencies to use data to identify crime problems, analyze causes, and assess prevention strategies ​ History of Crime Mapping ○​ Began with European researchers in the 1800s who studied geographic regions and crimes relationship to sociological facts such as socioeconomic status ○​ Adriano Balbi and Andre-Michel Guerry (1829) created first crime maps using criminal statistics and census data. (Found correlation between property crime and education levels, property crime inversely related to personal crime, areas with high property crime had more educated people) ○​ Belgian Astronomer Quetelet analyzed crime patterns in relation to transportation routes, education, and ethnic/cultural variations ○​ Crime mapping in US developed later due to being younger, lack of reliable maps and sporadic census data collection ○​ Chicago School of Sociology (1920s-1930s) pioneered spatial analysis of crime patterns (social disorganization), Concentric Zone model; crime spatially concentrated in areas of social disorganization and weak social control, crime linked to neighborhood conditions rather than individuals ○​ Sociological Focus (1950s-1970s) researchers continued exploring geographic methods but lacked tech to conduct advanced spatial analysis, early spatial studied involved aggregate levels of crime (not individual) and focused on sociological factors such as urban poverty. ○​ Early Development of Crime Mapping (1970s-1980s); studying criminal events and the physical/social environments, researched extended to mapping various crimes ○​ Rise of GIS (1990s) ○​ Fed support (1990s); vice president Al Gore’ss initiative led to increased government backing for crime mapping, programs like MORE (Making Officer Redeployment Effective) provided funding to help agencies adopt crime mapping tech, from 1995 to 2002 over 53m was allocated for crime mapping tech and staffing. ○​ The mapping and Analysis for Public Safety (MAPS) Program (1997) was launched by NIJ, to support research and tech for spatial crime analysis, ​ Three goals; use maps to analyze crime and spatial data, Evaluate crime prevention programs, develop tools for mapping and sharing data ​ Annual conference brought researched and police together to share advancements ​ Key Challenges and Future of Crime Analysis ○​ Historical Resistance; police depts operated many years without relying on crime analysis, officers often believe they can identity crime hotspots without use of analysis, studies show this is not always accurate ○​ Even with analysts in place, their work is often seen as optional  ○​ Officers aren't always trained/held accountable for using crime analysis in their day-to-day work ○​ The stratified Policing Model solved this by integrating crime analysis into all levels of police operations, ensuring analysis is not just a “resource” but instead a core component of crime reduction strategies. ○​ Challenges in professionalizing crime analysis as a career; developing a workforce of qualified crime analysts to meet increased demand in policing ○​ Undergrad and grad programs play key role in preparing individuals for the profession ○​ UK, Japan, Australia, and South Africa have formal crime analysis functions within their police agencies ○​ UK has pushed for crime analysis in problem-solving and tactical ops similar to trends in the US ​ Key Trends on Horizon ○​ Increased societal expectations for police to use data-driven and evidence-based practices ○​ Proactive crime reduction strategies will require robust crime analysis capabilites ○​ Long-term problem analysis will focus on finding non-law enforcement solutions to recurring crime ○​ Tech advancements will improve data quality and automate access, allow crime analysts to focus on creating more effective products ○​ Reduction of admin tasks for analysts due to automation, allowing for more strategic analysis work ○​ Growth in real-time crime centers, providing immediate crime analysis support for active incidents ​ Real-Time Crime Centers (RTCC) introduced around 2005 as new support tool for law enforcement by providing real-time support to police esp during; active investigations, crime in progress, major public events, protests and riots. ○​ Functions of RTCC; 24/7 operation, operate at all times to assist police with real-time data and monitoring ○​ Key tools; CCTV, gunshot detection system, license plate readers, facial recognition, social media surveillance, monitoring live incidents using surveillance cam and police radio ○​ Proactive monitoring; RTCC’s anticipate police needs, monitor emerging incidents, provide data to officers in the field ​ Fusion centers emerged post 9/11 with federal funding to create regional collaborations hubs for law enforcement, focus on long-term large scale threats; homeland security, human trafficking, drug trafficking, terrorism ○​ Involve multiple LEA’s (local, state, federal, tribal), working together in one centralized location  ○​ Main purpose to share threat-related information to combat criminal or terrorist activites, analysts focus on regional crimes and issues, often with higher-level security clearance, deals with complex criminal activity that spans multiple jurisdictions ○​ Typically personnel were sworn officers from various LEAs, fed partners provided standardized training, tech, and funding. ○​ Funded by fed gov to ensure regional data sharing, fed agents and analysts may also work in these centers alongside local leo Topic 2: Theoretical Foundations of Crime Analysis ​ Environmental Criminology; focuses on how crime incidents happen in specific environments, activities/locations that create opportunities for crimes, and routine activities. ​ Problem Analysis Triangle (PAT) ​ Crime analysis use PAT to identify and analyze both short and long-term crime patterns example; analysis of car break-ins at gyms and malls could reveal patterns based on the setting ​ Rational Choice Perspective (Individual), Crime Pattern Theory (Social Interaction Level); explains how offenders and victims come together in space and time based on routine behaviors and patterns, Routine Activity Approach (Societal Level) ​ Crime Pattern Theory; crime happens when the activity spaces of offenders and victims overlap in space and time ​ Use problem analysis triangle to see how settings bring offenders, victims, and targets together in specifc places and times, explain why crimes occur in certain areas. ​ Offenders can have patterns/routines, more likely to commit crimes close to where they live “Distance decay”, offenders prefer areas they know well where they can blend in, comfort zone (most crimes committed within 1 mile radius of residence), buffer zone: avoid committing crimes too close to their own homes to avoid being recognized and caught, immediate area around residence acts as buffer zone ​ Studies show crime tends to be highest at boundaries of edges (boundaries between different type of areas eg; residential and commercial), and decreases further from edges ​ Can focus on boundaries and edges when identifying areas with higher crime potential ​ Investigative Focus: Analysts should consider suspects who are local to the area or frequent the area through routine activities ​ Field Intelligence: Info from police field contacts can help pinpoint unfamiliar individuals who may be observing the area to plan crimes ​ Edge Analysis: Analysts can target the edges of different activity spaces ​ Law of Crime Concentration and Related Concepts ○​ “For any defined measure of crime at specific microgeographic units, the concentration of crime will consistently fall within a narrow bandwidth of percentages for a defined cumulative proportion of crime” ○​ Crime incidents are clustered by place; clusters are predictable and stable over time ○​ Crime analysts should focus on analyzeing crime at specific placed rather than solely on offender behavior ○​ Places exhibit stable routine behaviors and purposes making them essential for strategic crime prevention ○​ Repeat Victimization; recurrence of crime against the same individuals or same locations. Individuals or places that have experienced victimization are more likely to be victimized again, and understanding common factors behind repeat victimization can enhance prevention strategies ○​ Types of Repeat Victimization ​ True Repeat Victims; same individuals or locations victimized again ​ Near Victims; nearby individuals/locations sharing characteristics with original victim (e.g homes on same street) ​ Virtual Repeats: Individuals/places similar but not identical to original victims (e.g identical electronics stores) ​ Chronic Victims: Individuals/places victimized repeatedly over time by different offenders (also known as multiple victimization) ○​ Repeat Offenders: Individuals who commit multiple crimes over time  ○​ Hot spots: Areas experiencing disproportionate amount of crime compared to surrdoung regions ○​ Risky Facilities: Locations that attract significant amont of crime (e.g low budget motels, convenience stores) ○​ Hot Products: Items frequently target by thieves due to characteristics (e.g smart phones, precious metals) ○​ Near Repeat Victimization: When a crime occurs in close proximity to a similar crime that happen recently ​ Near repeats occur quickly after initial incident ​ Most happen within one week of original crime ​ Offenders likely to return to area of previous successful crimes ​ Short-term clusters of crim may occur both within and outside of long-term clusters ​ Offenders often target locations that require the least effort ○​ Implications: Focus on identifying incidents near a recent crime, analyze short-term clusters alongside long-term crime patterns, consider likelihood of same offender committing crimes in near repeat clusters ○​ 80/20 rule: 80% of outcomes come from 20% of causes ​ Small groups of victims, locations, and offenders responsible for large % of crime ​ By focusing on the other 20% police can effectively address 80% of crime issues ○​ 80/20 Analysis: Method of examining how repeat victimization or offending occurs, identifying areas or individuals with high concentrations of crime allows for targeted prevention efforts ​ Situational Crime Prevention Techniques: ○​ Increasing Perceived Effort ○​ Increasing Perceived Risk ○​ Reducing Anticipated Rewards ○​ Reducing Provocations ○​ Removing Excuses ​ Displacement: crime moved to a different time, place, or form rather than eliminated ○​ Spatial Displacement: Crime “moves around the corner” ○​ Temporal Displacement ○​ Target Displacement: Switching to more vulnerable targets when the primary are hardened ○​ Tactical Displacement: Offenders altering their methods (e.g stealing from unlocked cars to breaking windows) ​ Diffusion of Benefits: When crime prevention strategy reduces crime in both targeted area and surrounding areas  Topic 3: Evidence-Based Policing and Problem-Solving ​ Involves using data, analysis, and research to complement experience and professional judgement, aims to provide best possible police service to the public ​ Uses various aspects of policing; use of tech (body cams), training for officers (responding to mental health crises) ​ Crime Analysis can use this to reduce crime by developing effective strategies tailored to specific community problems ​ Crime reduction is contingent on police officers interpreting analyst’s report and effectively implementing strategies based on evidence; crime analysis alone is not a direct crime reduction strategy. ​ Proactive Policing: Use of strategies designed to prevent or reduce crime and disorder before they occur, as opposed to a reactive approach. Emphasizes prevention and is initiated by police to address crime opportunities directly. ​ 4 Approaches ○​ Place-Based: Focuses on specific geographic areas with high crime rates ○​ Person-Focused: Targets high-rate offenders ○​ Problem-Solving: Addresses specific crime-fostering issues ○​ Community-Based: Involves collaboration with community members to reduce crime ​ Crime analysis is essential in each evidence-based proactive policing approach; helps identify crime patterns, assess the effectiveness of strategies, and direct resources appropriately. ​ The standard Model of Policng involves broad and reactive strategies: ○​ Increased number of police officers ○​ Random motorized patrols to create the perception of police presence ○​ Rapid response to service calls ○​ Follow-up investigations by detectives ○​ General reactive arrest policies ​ Research shows those strategies are generally ineffective in significantly reducing crime ​ Crime analysis is mainly used for resource allocation, rapid response improvements, and basic stat reporting rather than directing proactive crime reduction strategies ​ Limited success in reducing crime, relies heavily on tactics that do not employ crime analysis for strategic planning ​ Place-Based approach: based on law of crime concentration, aims to deter crime in targeted geographic areas, focusing police resources on high-crime locations ​ Hot spots policing ○​ Increasing police presence and implementing strategies in areas with disproportionately high crime rates ○​ Effective at reducing crime both short term (weeks to months) and when combined with problem-solving also long term ​ More effective by understanding underlying reasons for crime concentrations, displace of crime is rare, instead often a diffusion of benefits. ​ Roles of Crime Analysis n Place-Based Approaches ○​ Hot Spot identification ○​ Understanding Crime Patterns ○​ Evaluating Impact ​ Effectiveness of Place-Based Approaches ○​ Reduces crime over long-term and micro-time hot spots, generally without displacement ○​ Critical for identifying hotspots, understanding their characteristics, and evaluating the impact of police actions; plays a central role in proactive policing framework ​ Person-Focused Approach; small number of offenders responsible for large proportion of crime ​ Prevent crime by deterring known high-rate offenders through tailored strategies ​ Focused Deterrence Strategy; certain, severe, and swift responses ​ Process: ○​ Identification ○​ Tailored Responses ○​ Engagement: Police may involve prosecutors, probation officers, family members, and community members in discussions with offenders ○​ Direction Interaction: Police contract offenders at various locations (homes, streets, or in jail) ​ Focused deterrence effectively reduces crime and repeat offending both short and long term ○​ Group-level interventions targeting gangs are most effective ○​ Programs focusing on high-risk individuals and street crimes related to drug markets show significant effectiveness ○​ No spatial displacement of crime but diffusion of benefits ​ Role of Crime Analysis: ○​ Identification and Prioritization; identify offenders responsible for disproportionate amount of crime and conduct in-depth analyzes to prioritize offenders for intervention ○​ Monitoring and Evaluation: Monitor offenders within programs, assessing recidivism through arrests and evaluation overall crime impact ○​ Crucial for identifying offenders, supporting tailored responses, and evaluating outcomes on crime and recidivism ​ Problem-Solving Approach; to understand and address long-term crime problems through systematic process, emphasizes proactive role for police in identifying and responding to community problems rather than just isolated incidents ​ Problem-Oriented Policing (POP): Focus more on the ends (prevention) rather than means (patrols and arrests). Allows for more effective impacts on crime and disorder ​ Requirements:​ ○​ Collect new data ○​ Develop innovative analysis methods ○​ Identify new solutions ○​ Apply measures to assess success ​ SARA Model ○​ Scanning: Identifying and defining specific problems ​ Identify crime, disorder, and QOL issues that are of concern to both community and police ​ Detect and prioritize current issues by analyzing available data (crime reports, calls for service) ​ Incorporate community input through outreach efforts (interviews/surveys) for a broader perspective ​ Crime Analysts conduct continuous monitoring and scanning to provide timely analysis of emerging problems and assist in prioritization ○​ Analysis: Analyzing data to understand the opportunities creating the problem ​ Examine the nature of the problem using research findings and understand contributing opportunities ​ Use Problem Analysis Triangle to break down local issues ​ Evaluate both local data and relevant external data sources for a comprehensive understanding ​ Crime Analysts lead the analysis by conducting detailed research, identifying trends, and suggesting potential responses based on data ○​ Response: Implementing responses using both police and non-police methods ​ Identify evidence-based strategies from research or past success in other communities ​ Engage with potential partners and outline specific objectives ​ Initiate responses through police actions and other community interventions ​ Crime Analysts support the response plan by analyzing and prioritizing actions, the role here is less extensive than in the analysis phase ○​ Assessment: Evaluating whether the responses were effective ​ Determine whether response was implemented as intended ​ Assess impact on the problem (whether it was reduced or eliminated) ​ Adjust or re-implement responses as necessary based on ongoing evaluations ​ Crime Analysts conduct systematic assessments to monitor effectiveness and guide adjustments or continued actions based on results ​ Effectiveness of Problem-Solving Approach: POP effectively reduces crime and disorder with no significant evidence of crime displacement, some evidence of diffusion of benefits. POP is considered cost-effective but has limited impacts on fear of crime, legitmacy, and collective efficacy ​ Role of Crime Analysis: ○​ Scanning: Analysis helps identify and prioritize problems for intervention ○​ Response: Deployment of responses guided by analytical insights to ensure effectiveness ○​ Assessment: Analysis used to evaluate success of responses ​ Defining “Problem”: Goldstein (1990) - problem is a cluster of related incidents of community concerns ​ Clarke Eck (2005) - problem is a recurring set of harmful events that the community expects police to address ​ Framework levels: ○​ Immediate Problems: Individual incidents or serious incidents ​ Isolated and resolved quickly (minutes, hours, or days) ​ Routine events (disturbances, traffic stops) ​ Serious incidents: Require in-depth investigation due to nature (shootings, homicides)and may take longer to address ​ Crime Analyst has limited involvement in routine incidents but more active in serious incidents assisting with criminal intelligence techniques (profiling, link analysis) ○​ Short-Term Problems: Clusters of incidents forming patterns/repeat incidents ​ Repeat Incidents: Frequent occurrences at specific locations ​ Crime Patterns: Crimes with shared characteristics ​ Crime Analysts identify specific locations with frequent calls, focused on prioritizing locations for police intervention. For crime patterns analysts examine data to find commonalities, link cases, and create bulletins to alert officers of potential patterns ○​ Long-Term Problems: Chronic, systemic issues involving problem locations, offenders, or other recurring elements (persist over months, seasons, or years) ​ Problem Offenders: Indivudals/groups responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime, across various locations/targets ​ Problem locations: Places where crime occurs frequently over an extended period ​ Problem Areas: Geographic zones consistently experiencing high crime rates ​ Problem Victims: Individuals/groups repeatedly targeted ​ Problem Products: Specific goods or assets that are frequently stolen ​ Compound Problems: Complex, multifaceted issues that may involve multiple elements (offenders, locations, etc) ​ Crime Analysts are critical, they evaluate long-term data to identify chronic issues, track patterns, and support strategies that address these systemic problems over time  Topic 4: Introduction to the Crime Analysis Process ​ The crime analysis process is a systematic and adaptable methodology that guides crime analysts in collecting, analyzing, and disseminating information to support law enforcement operations ​ Foundational Steps: ○​ Data Collection and Management ​ Key Objectives: ​ Accuracy and Consistency (Format/Accuracy) ○​ Data must be available in electronic formats for efficient analysis. ​ Relevance ○​ Not all data suitable for crime analysis ​ Timeliness ○​ Delayed data entry or availability hinders the ability to analyze immediate or short-term trends ​ Adequate Archiving (Volume of Data) ○​ Insufficient archives fail to provide comprehensive insights ​ Accessibility ○​ Analysts need full access to raw datasets for detailed querying and analysis ​ Primary Data Sources ​ Internal Police Data: Calls for service, Crime reports (including descriptions of offenses and incidents), Arrest records and booking details, traffic accident reports and citations, field information and observation reports ​ External Law Enforcement Data: Incident data shared across police agencies for multi-jurisdictional crimes, specialized data from state or fed agencies ​ Criminal Justice System Data: Records from probation, parole and correctional facilities. Court records and case outcomes. ​ Private and Commerical Records: Financial reports and bank transactions, business ownership and licensing records, social media activity logs, communication records (phone logs, email metadata, etc) ​ Geographic and Demographic Data: Address tied to incidents, arrests, and residences. Geographic features, including road networks and landmarks. Demographics such as population density, census data, and zoning details  ​ To maximize the utility of data: ​ Accurate Data entry, timely updates, archival procedures (securely store data for several years, implement efficient search and retrieval systems for historical data), and raw data access (Equip analysts with tools to download raw data into analytical software, allow querying of large datasets across multiple variables) ○​ Data Scanning and Querying ​ Purpose and Scope ​ Involves maintaining a continuous awareness of crime trends, patterns, and inconsistencies. ​ Analysts look at both macro, and micro scales ​ Querying = targeted extraction/preparation of data subsets to conduct meaningful analyses ​ Core Activites ​ Trend Awareness: Regularly monitor crime rates/types, stay information about major incidents (micro and macro), develop historical understanding of crime trends ​ Data Integration: Merge data from disparate systems; CAD(Computer-aided dispatch) + RMS(Records Management Systems) + external LEA databases ​ Data Preparation: Reformat data for analysis by creating meaning categories, filtering irrelevant information, and compiling subsets focused on specific crimes, areas, or periods. ​ Data Quality Control: Detect and rectify errors in data records, ensure consistent coding practices across datasets for reliability and comparability ​ Common Challenges: ​ Data Fragmentation, integration of data from multiple systems with varying formats ​ System limitations: legacy RMS/CAD systems not optimized for advanced querying/bulk extraction ​ Inconsistencies in Data: Errors in reporting (such as incorrect geographic coordinates or police beat assignemtns) ○​ Data Analysis ​ Process of uncovering patterns, relationships, and trends within crime data using statistical and visualization techniques ​ Techniques and tools ​ Statistical Methods ○​ Descriptive statistics to summarize data (e.g mean number of burglaries per month)  ○​ Inferential techniques to identify significant trends and anomalies ​ Spatial Analysis ○​ Use GIS for mapping hotspots, offender routes, or proximity to environmental risk factors comparability ​ Temporal analysis ○​ Study crime trends over time to identify peak periods for specific incidents ​ Visualization ○​ Create heatmaps, time-series graphs, and comparative bar charts to make findings accessible to stakeholders ○​ Information Dissemination ​ Analysis finding are only effective if communicated clearly and tailored to the audience ​ Dissemination Methods ​ Reports/Presentations ○​ Tailored for difference audiences (detailed statistical summaries for management vs simplified summaries for the public) ​ Maps ○​ Use GIS to create visual representations of crime patterns and geographic trends ​ Digital Communication ○​ Share Results through emails, intranet systems, and multimedia presentations ​ Audience Tailoring: ​ Police Officers: Focus on operation details ​ Community: Provide clear explanations of crime trends to foster trust ​ Media: Share high-level statistics while avoiding sensitive or detailed operational data ○​ Response and Feedback ​ Using crime analysis products to inform resource allocation, tactical deployments, and prevention strategies ​ Analyst Contributions ​ Meeting Participation: Assist decision-makers by providing data-driven insights and recommendations ​ Prevention Strategy Development: Recommend target intervention ​ Tactical support: Provide real-time analysis during active incidents, such as serial offender tracking  ​ Impactful Responses ​ Operational: Identifying intersections prone to traffic accidents and recommending safety improvments ​ Strategic: Highlighting high-crime areas for long-term investment in surveillance or lighting ​ Receiving input on analysis products to refine methodologies, improve data systems, and enhances the overall utility of crime analysis ​ Feedback Sources: ​ Internal: Officers, detectives, and department leadership provide practical insights into the usefulness of analysis products ​ External: Community members and partner agencies offer perspectives on clarity, relevance, and transparency ​ Evaluation Metrics: ​ Quality: Are products accurate, clear, and relevant ​ Timeliness: Were insights delivered in time to inform decisions ​ Utility: Did the products lead to actionable outcomes or improved strategies ​ Crime analysis is categorized into four primary types ○​ Crime Intelligence Analysis ​ Focused on analyzing data about individuals/groups involved in crmiinal activities ​ Seeks to uncover patterns related to repeat offenders, victims, and organized criminal networks ​ Emphasizes proactive prevention over reactive investigation ​ Combines law enforcement data with external sources for actionable intelligence ​ Key Techniques: ​ Repeat Offender and Victim Analysis: Identify high-priority offenders or victims based on frequency, type, or severity of involvement, support targeted interventions ​ Criminal History Analysis: Creates details profiles including personal data, financial records, and arrest history, analyzes social media activity and known associates. ​ Link Analysis: Visualizes relationships between individuals, groups, and activities and produces: Association Matrices, Link charts, and organization charts. ​ Timeline Analysis: Chronologically organizes events to track an individual's activities or complex crimes. Useful for investigation of serial offenses and courtroom presentation.  ​ Commodity Flow Analysis: Examines the movement of illegal goods, useful in disrupting trafficking and laundering networks ​ Communication Analysis: Identifies relationships and patterns in communication via; phone records, social media interactions, email exchanges. Crucial for crimes like terrorism or trafficking ​ Social Media Analysis: Identify suspect behavior and patterns through social platforms, track events such as planned illegal activities or misinformation ○​ Tactical Crime Analysis ​ Definition: Short-term examination of crime data to support immediate operational needs focuses on detecting patterns, identifying offenders, and predicting future crimes ​ Goal: Provide actionable insights to address crime trends promptly, prevent future incidents and efficiently apprehend offenders ​ Techniques and Processes: ​ Repeat Incident Analysis: Identifies locations with recurring calls-for-service, prioritizes these locations for resource deployment ​ Crime Pattern Analysis: Examines reported crimes to identify linked incidents, detects crime series or clusters ​ Linking Known Offenders to crime by using arrest records to connect repeat offenders to unsolved cases ​ Criminal Investigative Analysis: Profiles offenders, focusing on characteristics such as habits and psychological tendencies ​ Geographic Profiling: Analyzes spatial data to determine the likely operational area of a serial offenders ​ Products: ​ Crime Bulletins: Summarized, actionable reports distributed to officers ​ Predictive Maps: Highlights potential future crime locations or offender movements ○​ Strategic Crime Analysis ​ Definition: Long-term examination of crime data to identify systemic issues, emphasizes understanding trends and patterns over extended periods ​ Goal: Address root causes of crime, develop sustainable crime reduction strategies ​ Techniques and Processes: ​ Hot Spot Analysis: Identifies areas with consistently high levels of crime ​ Problem Offender and Victim Analysis: Prioritizes offenders or victims for targeted interventions  ​ Trend Analysis: Examines Changes in crime statics over time ​ Problem Analysis (SARA Model): Scanning, Analysis, Response, Assessment ○​ Administrative Crime Analysis ​ Definition: Supports organizational needs of law enforcement and community stakeholders, enhances transparency, resource allocation, and operational efficiency ​ Goal: Improve administrative efficiency and foster community trust ​ Techniques and Processes: ​ Districting and Redistricting Analysis: Optimizes patrol coverage and reduces response times ​ Patrol Staffing Analysis: Recommends optimal staffing schedules ​ Community-Focused Analysis: Prepares sanitized public reports to enhance trust ​ Cost-Benefit Analysis: Evaluates program efficiency to support funding decisions ​ Products: ​ Reports: Prepared for city officials and community stakeholders ​ Interactive dashboards: Provide public access to crime statistics and trends ​ These types form a continuum: starting with a granular analysis of individuals/groups and progressing to broader examinations of locations, patterns, and organization challenges.