NCJ Number
169711
Journal
Telemasp Bulletin Volume: 1 Issue: 11 Dated: (February 1995) Pages: complete issue
Date Published
1995
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This bulletin discusses tactical and strategic aspects of police crime analysis, with attention to innovative uses of crime analysis as reported by Texas law enforcement agencies in a survey.
Abstract
In the January 1995 issue of the TELEMASP bulletin, the administrative aspects of law enforcement crime analysis were discussed. That discussion was enhanced by data from a survey of selected Texas law enforcement agencies. Of the 32 agencies that responded to the survey, 17 had a crime analysis unit in operation, 14 did not have a dedicated crime analysis unit, and 1 was only weeks away from implementing a new crime analysis unit. In this bulletin, crime analysis is defined as a "set of systematic, analytical processes directed at providing timely and pertinent information relative to crime patterns and trend correlations." The goal of crime analysis is to assist operational and administrative personnel in the planning and deployment of limited resources in the most effective and efficient manner. The crime analysis unit is responsible for identifying, assembling, and disseminating information on crime incidents, criminal behaviors and characteristics, and patterns and trends to be used in administrative strategic and tactical planning. The majority of crime analysis units that responded in the survey participated primarily in tactical roles. These included crime series/pattern detection, similar-crime association, crime-suspect correlation, interagency crime tracking, target/suspect profiles, administrative support, wanted criminals, career criminal tracking, crime potential forecasts, and situational analysis. Thirty-nine percent of the responding agencies that have active crime analysis units reported crime reductions attributable to their activities. The majority of the surveyed agencies have exchanged crime information with other local, county, State, and Federal agencies. All of the crime analysis units reported having taken some steps to ensure computerized data security. Some innovative crime analysis procedures used by respondents are the automation of crime analysis to suit individual and unique needs when possible, the development of investigative folders on parole violators, the development of informational maps, the provision of an automated database program to all stations, and making recorded crime information available to citizens by phone. Some plans for the future include the current development of a wide-area network, along with a local-area network. 4 figures