NCJ Number
84984
Journal
Police Research Bulletin Issue: 38 Dated: (Spring 1982) Pages: 4-15
Date Published
1982
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This review of the development of the use of computers in police work in the United Kingdom considers various applications, the technology involved, evaluation of computer use, standards, and future development.
Abstract
The applications of the computer in police work in the United Kingdom to store and retrieve (1) resource availability data from a file of the current deployment of resources; (2) incident handling data, replacing the handwritten message that recorded initial information, action taken, and the result of an incident; (3) and data on duty states, (still a problem-ridden attempt to provide early warning of any shortfalls in manpower levels, assist in the advanced planning of large-scale events, and act as a 'feeder' of operational manpower details into the resource availability systems). Other applications are the the Police National Computer interface, which gives access to central information for at least 50 force terminals. Automated management information systems are used to analyze information on the reported incidents and the use of resources; and the criminal information system covers a variety of interrelated and interdependent records and procedures on offenders and offenses. With one exception, the major criminal developments to date have been implemented on main-frame computers supporting a terminal network similar to that of Command and Control but handling backing store in excess of 300 M bytes. The development of police computers to date has been typified by research and innovation. The consensus view is that it has been worthwhile and that the next decade will be no less interesting.