NCJ Number
57357
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 27 Issue: 5 Dated: (MAY 1979) Pages: 28,30,33
Date Published
1979
Length
3 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE ADVOCATES THE FORMATION OF CRIME ANALYSIS UNITS WITHIN POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE CRIME FREQUENCY INFORMATION FOR AREAS AND DIVISIONS AND TO ELIMINATE PROBLEMS OF POOR INTRA-AGENCY COMMUNICATION.
Abstract
A MACROANALYSIS APPROACH IS NECESSARY TO IDENTIFY MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS WITHIN POLICE DEPARTMENTS. COMMON PROBLEMS INCLUDE LACK OF INFORMATION PROVIDED TO FIELD PERSONNEL, UNUSED RESOURCES, POOR DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS, OVERSTANDARDIZED REPORTING PROCEDURES, LACK OF A RESEARCH FACILITY, DUPLICATION OF SERVICES, INADEQUATE FORECASTING AND PLANNING, DIVISIONAL ISOLATION, AND INADEQUATE INTERDIVISIONAL COMMUNICATION. INFORMAL VERBAL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DIVISION COMMANDERS IN POLICE DEPARTMENTS IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE WAY OF TRANSMITTING IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THE FREQUENCY OF CRIME. TO PREVENT INFORMATION LOSS AND ALLOW FOR THE PROPER MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION, THE ORGANIZATION OF CRIME ANALYSIS UNITS BY POLICE DEPARTMENTS IS RECOMMENDED. THESE UNITS CAN HAVE BROAD RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANALYZING INFORMATION RECEIVED DIRECTLY FROM EACH POLICE DIVISION, EVALUATING THE CRIME PROBLEM WITHIN EACH DIVISION, AND RECOMMENDING THE OPTIMUM DEPLOYMENT OF PERSONNEL FOR SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT. THEY CAN ALSO INDICATE THE PROBABILITY OF A GIVEN BUSINESS BECOMING THE SITE OF A BURGLARY, ENHANCE COORDINATION BETWEEN PATROL AND TACTICAL FUNCTIONS THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF DATA COLLECTION AND DISTRIBUTION, AND FACILITATE THE SHARING OF FILES IN VICE AND NARCOTICS DIVISIONS WITHOUT DUPLICATING EFFORTS OF CASE SCREENING AND CASE ASSIGNMENT. UNDER THE MODEL STRUCTURE PROPOSED FOR CRIME ANALYSIS UNITS, POLICE DIVISIONS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO FILE REPORTS WITH A CENTRAL RECORDS DIVISION AND THESE FILES WOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE CRIME ANALYSIS UNIT FOR EVALUATION AND THE PREPARATION OF SPECIAL REPORTS FOR DIVISIONS. CRIME ANALYSIS UNITS REPRESENT ONE APPROACH TO THE LONG-RANGE MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION BY POLICE DEPARTMENTS. THEY SHOULD BE ORGANIZATIONALLY LOCATED WHERE THEY CAN INFLUENCE DEPARTMENTAL OPERATIONS, PLANNING, AND POLICY FORMULATION. ILLUSTRATIONS ARE INCLUDED.