NCJ Number
59861
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 46 Issue: 7 Dated: (JULY 1979) Pages: 40-43
Date Published
1979
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THIS IS A DESCRIPTION OF THE CRIME ANALYSIS SYSTEM SUPPORT (CASS) PROJECT WHOSE AIM IS TO IMPROVE CRIME ANALYSIS CAPABILITIES IN POLICE DEPARTMENTS THROUGH MORE EFFECTIVE USE OF AUTOMATION.
Abstract
PHASE 1 OF THE PROJECT IS COVERED. THE METHODOLOGY WAS BASED ON A RESEARCH MODEL FOR PERFORMING SYSTEMS REQUIREMENTS ANALYSIS AND CONSISTED OF A STATE OF THE ART LITERATURE REVIEW, THE IDENTIFICATION AND DEFINITION OF CRIME ANALYSIS FUNCTIONS, AND UTILIZATION OF SITE VISITS TO DETERMINE EFFECTIVENESS OF AUTOMATED CRIME ANALYSIS FUNCTIONS. TWO GOALS WERE ACCOMPLISHED, INCLUDING IDENTIFICATION AND DEFINITION IN DETAILED, NONTECHNICAL TERMS OF SEVEN CRIME ANALYSIS FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES WHICH CAN BE SUPPORTED BY AUTOMATION, AND IDENTIFICATION AND DEFINITION OF DATA REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCES NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THE AUTOMATION OF EACH CRIME ANALYSIS FUNCTION. AS A RESULT OF PHASE 1 OF THE CASS PROJECT THE FOLLOWING ISSUES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED RELATIVE TO THE INITIATION, MODIFICATION AND AUTOMATION OF CRIME ANALYSIS FUNCTIONS: (1) NO UNIVERSAL INTERPRETATION EXISTS FOR CRIME ANALYSIS FUNCTION; (2) CRIME ANALYSIS UNITS VARY IN DEGREES OF EFFECTIVENESS AND SOPHISTICATION; (3) AN ACCURATE, SPECIFIC, AND CONSISTENT CRIME INCIDENT REPORT IS NECESSARY FOR CRIME ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF UTILITY; (4) DATA TIMELINESS AT RECEPTION AND THROUGH THE PROCESS IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE; (5) EQUAL ACCESSIBILITY IN SUPPORT OF ALL USER GROUPS IS ALSO OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE; (6) THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUTOMATED DATA RETRIEVAL, SORTING AND REPORT GENERATION MECHANISM IS THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL AUTOMATION NEED AT THIS TIME; (7) GREATER ATTENTION NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED ON INVESTIGATIONS RESOURCE ALLOCATION. (MJW)