NCJ Number
184467
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 67 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2000 Pages: 59-63
Date Published
July 2000
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Crime analysis units are crucial to the successful investigation of violent crimes and sex offenses and should use a six-phase process that starts with planning and concludes with review and evaluation of the investigative project.
Abstract
An effective operational framework and scientific and standardized model will launch a systematic process for crime analysis, will facilitate communication among agencies, and will ensure rational and logical responses to violent or sexual criminal activity. Staff members may have had specialized training, but they should be encouraged to cooperate fully in the work of the unit and understand how these areas relate to criminal investigations. The planning phase should include data collection. The techniques used most often include geo-forensic pattern analysis, computer and statistical modeling, behavioral evidence analysis, forensic science, and DNA profiling. The second phase of crime analysis is the collection and verification from all available information sources. The next step is to organize and arrange the information for analytic purposes. The fourth phase involves the analysis and assessment of information and is the core of the crime analysis process. The crime analysis unit should perform historical assessments, short-range assessments, threat assessments and expansion analyses, vulnerability analyses, and general strategic assessments as required by the investigation. The analysis should include an evaluation of the information to ensure that police only accurate and meaningful information. The final stages in the analysis process are to disseminate the information and review and evaluate the investigative project. 8 references