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Disarming the Criminal: ATF's Strategic and Scientific Approach to Focused and Targeted Enforcement (From Nature of Homicide: Trends and Changes - Proceedings of the 1996 Meeting of the Homicide Research Working Group, Santa Monica, California, P 206-214, 1996, Pamela K Lattimore and Cynthia A Nahab

NCJ Number
168588
Author(s)
J J Vince Jr
Date Published
1996
Length
9 pages
Annotation
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) has developed a strategy as part of the Firearms Enforcement Division Program Evolution Cycle to apprehend and incarcerate violent offenders.
Abstract

The BATF has formed a partnership with the academic community to obtain assistance from experts in the fields of research, statistical analysis, probability analysis, artificial intelligence, and computer technology. Data maintained by the BATF are used to focus resources on specifically identified individuals. The resulting Firearms Enforcement Strategy is based on improved data collection methods and ongoing research. The strategy is designed to limit the accessibility of illegally trafficked firearms to criminals and to apprehend and incarcerate the most violent offenders. BATF efforts to enable field special agents and participating police officers from State and local law enforcement agencies to target identified individuals are described, along with the computerized system used by BATF's National Tracing Center to track firearms. Measures designed to assess the effectiveness of the Firearms Enforcement Strategy are noted. 3 references and 4 figures