NCJ Number
224507
Journal
THE POLICE CHIEF Volume: 75 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2008 Pages: 30-32,34
Date Published
September 2008
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article discusses why crime analysis and intelligence must be actionable and grounded on the practical experience of street officers in order to be effective.
Abstract
A crime analysis unit should regularly issue both tactical products (analysis of emerging series, patterns, and hot spots) and strategic products (analysis of long-term or chronic trends and problems). These products serve as an information arsenal that can lead to the arrest of serial offenders, the quashing of hot spots for crime, the suppression of opportunities for crime, the hardening of targets, and a general reduction in crime. Law enforcement administrators should direct their analysts to focus on tactical and strategic issues. When breakdowns occur between the crime analysis unit and operational units that implement tactics and practices in addressing crime in the community, it is either because the crime analysis unit does not provide the type of information upon which tactics can be devised and actions taken or because operational units have not developed a procedure for translating actionable crime analysis into tactical plans that are properly implemented. In order to do their work properly, crime analysis units must have adequate staffing committed to full-time crime analysis, initial and ongoing training, and proper equipment. The latter includes modern computers that accommodate software for data analysis, statistics, and publications, as well as a geographic information system (GIS). In acting upon the information provided by crime analysis units, operational units must be trained in a broad array of tactics and strategies and the circumstances under which they are most effective. There should be a structured process whereby crime analysis units pass their information to managers who initiate the process of developing crime-prevention and crime-response tactics based on the information received. Supervisors must then implement the tactics through assignments given to front-line personnel. 1 table, 3 figures and 2 notes