This document serves as a guide to law enforcement agencies in the processes of implementing and evaluating crime analysis and mapping for those agencies that do not currently have the function in place and those looking to reevaluate and restructure their current crime analysis and mapping functions.
Crime analysis and mapping have become more common in law enforcement agencies throughout the United States. Crime mapping or geographical information systems technology that are used to "map crime" are tools to assist and enhance crime analysis and problem solving. In the bigger picture, crime mapping has become a larger drive to implement and use crime analysis methodology and techniques. Some law enforcement agencies are in the process of implementing or have already implemented crime analysis and mapping in various ways. On the other hand, there are many agencies that have not yet implemented crime analysis and mapping or are rethinking the operation of their current crime analysis and mapping functions. Law enforcement agencies struggle with how they should implement and evaluate their crime analysis and mapping functions. These guidelines outline the processes of obtaining information for developing and conducting a needs assessment, creating an action plan based on the assessment, and conduct an evaluation of crime analysis and mapping in a law enforcement agency. These guidelines on implementing and evaluating crime analysis and mapping will vary by agency since each agency exists in its own unique combination of political, demographic, and organizational characteristics.