NCJ Number
30184
Date Published
1975
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT, DATED OCTOBER 15, 1975, ASSESSES THE UTILITY AND APPLICABILITY OF THE CAPER SYSTEM TO THE PLANNED PATROL PRODUCTIVITY PROGRAM AND ITS POSSIBLE USES IN IMPROVING CRIME ANALYSIS-CRIME PREVENTION CAPABILITIES.
Abstract
THE POLICE SECTION OF THE OFFICE OF REGIONAL OPERATIONS, LEAA, WASHINGTON, IS DEVELOPING A MULTIYEAR $2.2-MILLION PROGRAM DIRECTED AT IMPROVING THE PRODUCTIVITY, EFFECTIVENESS, AND DEPLOYMENT OF PATROL UNITS THROUGH THE EFFECTIVE USE OF DEPARTMENTAL CRIME ANALYSIS UNITS, CRIME PREVENTION UNITS, AND THEIR ANALYSIS SUPPORT TO PATROL OPERATIONS. THE CRIME ANALYSIS - PROJECT EVALUATION - RESEARCH SYSTEM (CAPER) WAS DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE MEDIUM-SIZED CITIES AND COUNTIES WITH A RELATIVELY SIMPLE CRIME ANALYSIS, PROJECT EVALUATION, AND RESEARCH CAPABILITY. THIS SYSTEM MECHANISM, PARTICULARLY WITH THE TARGET GROUPS THAT WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE PLANNED POLICE PRODUCTIVITY PROGRAM PROVIDES AN EVALUATION OF CAPER FROM TRANSFER AND UTILITY VIEWPOINTS. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK, INTERVIEWS WERE SCHEDULED WITH THE CAPER PROJECT DIRECTOR AND THREE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN SANTA CLARA COUNTY THAT USE CAPER FOR CRIME ANALYSIS PURPOSES. DURING THE COURSE OF THE INTERVIEWS WITH THE SAN JOSE POLICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL, THE DEMONSTRATED CAPABILITIES OF THE EXPANDED GEO-DATA ANALYSIS AND DISPLAY SYSTEM (GADS) WERE DISCUSSED AS AN ATTRACTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO CAPER FOR CONSIDERATION. ACCORDINGLY, THE POTENTIAL OF GADS AS A CRIME ANALYSIS TOOL WAS ALSO INVESTIGATED. A REVIEW OF THE CAPER SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THE SYSTEM IS NOT ON-LINE, AND PRODUCES INFORMATION TO MOST OF ITS USERS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS. TWO OF ITS USERS GET THE INFORMATION EVERY MONTH. BECAUSE OF THE INFORMATION LAG, IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT CAPER WOULD NOT BE SUPPORTIVE OF A PATROL PRODUCTIVITY PROGRAM. ANOTHER SHORTCOMING OF THE SYSTEM IS THAT CAPER DOES NOT EDIT CLEARED CRIMES FROM THE POPULATION, AND DOES NOT INTERFACE WITH ANY INFORMATION SYSTEM OF KNOWN OFFENDERS. HOWEVER, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE GADS SYSTEM IS EFFECTIVE AND CAN BE EASILY TRANSFERRED TO OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT APPLICATIONS. THE TECHNIQUE EMPLOYED CAN BE APPLIED TO ANY APPLICATION WHERE THERE IS A NEED TO ASSIGN PERSONNEL BY GEOGRAPHICAL AREA, FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING TIMELY SERVICES. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT STRONG CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO THE GADS (GEO-DATA ANALYSIS AND DISPLAY SYSTEM), DEVELOPED BY THE SAN JOSE POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN THE ADVANCED STAGES OF THE PATROL PRODUCTIVITY PROGRAM. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)