NCJ Number
83072
Date Published
Unknown
Length
0 pages
Annotation
The development and use of an automated property file system in the Arlington, Va. police department is described; an explanation of the data collection format designed for use by the police crime analysis unit in Lexington, Ky. is given.
Abstract
The computerized property file is based on the name brand of the product and keeps a record for 6 months of stolen items identifiable by name brand. Its use has proven to be the best link to offenders and resulted in increased recovery and arrest rates. A pawnshop identification capability is also planned. Items such as coins and silverware, without brand names, cannot be incorporated into this system. The principal crime reporting instrument used in Lexington is a tally sheet recording crime types by geographic area and time of occurrence in 2-hour increments. This recording format enables analysts to make statistical tabulations and easily assemble totals for any of these criteria. Such information is provided to community civic and business groups interested in the crime picture of specific city areas. The crime analysis unit also performs custom analyses upon request by individual officers. Information on the time taken for each custom assignment is recorded and can be used for monitoring manhours and assessing the utilization of files and their effectiveness in assisting crime solution.