IMPLEMENTING AND INSTITUTIONALIZING
COMPSTAT AND CRIME ANALYSIS IN MARYLAND
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Crime Report Data Variables Used for Pattern Analysis*
Modus Operandi (MO Information)
A Latin term meaning literally “method of procedure” refers to the method of the crime—that is, the key
elements of the crime incident itself.
Type of crime: commercial burglary, residential burglary, stranger rape, street robbery, etc.
How: Variables indicating how the crime was carried out (varies by type of crime).
Point of entry: Where the suspect(s) entered the property (e.g., front door, window, roof entry,
unknown); important for property crimes
Method of entry: How the suspect(s) entered the location (e.g., kick, pry tool, rock, drive in, unknown);
important for property crimes
Suspect’s actions: What the suspect(s) did during the crime (e.g., beat the victim, tied the victim, acted
compassionate toward the victim); especially important for persons crimes
Action against property: What the suspect(s) did to the property (e.g., ransacked, set on fire); important
for property crimes
Object of attack: The type of person or property attacked (e.g., cash register, safe, clerk, pedestrian, car)
Method of departure: How the suspect(s) left the scene (e.g., in car, on foot); important for persons
crimes
Weapon type: The type(s) of weapon(s) used in the commission of the crime (e.g., gun, pipe, simulated
weapon)
Property taken: The items stolen during the commission of the crime (e.g., jewelry, cash, TV)
Where: Variables that indicate where the crime was committed:
Address: The exact address where the crime occurred, including apartment, suite, or hotel room number
if applicable
Address name: The commercial name, if any, of where the crime occurred (e.g., ValueMart, Garden
Apartments, Lucky’s Convenience Store)
Type of location: The category of location where the crime occurred (e.g., convenience store, apartment,
storage shed, beauty salon)
Area: The area in which the crime occurred (e.g., reporting district, beat, grid, section)
When: Variables that indicate when the crime was committed.
Exact time and date of the crime: Used when the exact time and date are known; typically for persons
crimes
First date and time: The first possible date and time the crime could have occurred (beginning of a time
span); typically for property crimes that are not witnessed
Last date and time: The last possible date and time the crime could have occurred (end of a time span).
(Note that the date of report is not included here because the purpose is not to count crimes but to
examine when they occurred.)
Qualitative information about crime incidents may also be included in a tactical crime analysis database. This
would include the narrative from the initial police report in electronic format.
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*Adapted directly from Boba, R. (2008) Crime Analysis with Crime Mapping. Sage Publications.
IMPLEMENTING AND INSTITUTIONALIZING
COMPSTAT AND CRIME ANALYSIS IN MARYLAND
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Persons Involved in the Crime
Type of contact: The classification of the individual within the crime incident.
Investigative lead: A person who is a potential suspect for a crime
Mention: A person mentioned in the report (entered if the person is a possible investigative lead or
suspect in the crime)
Suspect: A person who was seen committing the crime or about whom there is enough evidence to
“suspect” that person committed the crime. (The person’s name may not be known; only a
physical description may be available.)
Known offender: A person who has been convicted, not just arrested, for any crime other than a sex
offense
Sex offender: A person who has been convicted, not just arrested, for a sex offense
Victim: A person who is the victim of the crime. (Information about property as victims—i.e., targets—
is normally included in the MO category as type of location or property type.)
Witness: A person who is able to provide information about the crime
Personal/legal information: The name, address, social security number, and birth date of the individual,
when these are known, as well as any aliases.
Physical description: A description of the person’s static physical characteristics (i.e., characteristics
that do not change from one day to the next).
Age: Computed from the date of birth or a range for a suspect whose birthday is not known (e.g., suspect
appeared to be between 25 and 35 years old)
Sex (male or female): Based on driver’s license information of a known person or on witness description
Height: Observed by an officer or a range based on witness description (e.g., suspect appeared to be
between 5 feet, 6 inches and 5 feet, 8 inches tall)
Weight: Observed by an officer or a range based on witness description (e.g., suspect appeared to be
between 210 and 230 pounds)
Eye color: Observed by an officer or based on witness description
Race/ethnicity: Based on the person’s self-classification or driver’s license or on witness description.
(Note that these two classifications can be very different.)
Build: The general body type of the individual (e.g., slight, medium, large, heavy, tall), based on an
officer’s observation or witness description
Teeth condition: The nature of the individual’s teeth (e.g., crooked, yellow, black, missing, gold),
observed by an officer or based on witness description
Hand use: Whether the individual used one hand or another dominantly (e.g., held the gun in his right
hand), based on witness description
Scars, tattoos, marks, or other distinguishing characteristics: Permanent unique visible characteristics
(e.g., tattoos, scars, birthmarks, missing limbs), observed by an officer or based on witness
description
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*Adapted directly from Boba, R. (2008) Crime Analysis with Crime Mapping. Sage Publications.
IMPLEMENTING AND INSTITUTIONALIZING
COMPSTAT AND CRIME ANALYSIS IN MARYLAND
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Physical condition: A description of characteristics of the person that are not static (i.e., that can be
different or changed on purpose from one day to the next or from one crime to the next).
Hair color: Observed by an officer or based on witness description
Hair length: Observed by an officer or based on witness description
Physical condition: The immediate physical condition of the person (e.g., intoxicated, belligerent,
incoherent, nervous), observed by an officer or based on witness description
Facial hair: The type of facial hair (e.g., beard, mustache, goatee, clean shaven), observed by an officer
or based on witness description
Appearance: The individual’s general appearance (e.g., well-groomed, dirty, wearing a disguise, gang
clothing), observed by an officer or based on witness description
Complexion: The texture and tone of an individual’s skin (e.g., fair, tan, dark, pocked), observed by an
officer or based on witness description
Speech: How the individual spoke during the crime (e.g., accent, slurred, quietly), based on witness
description
Also, as in the case of MO data, an analyst would find helpful qualitative information describing anything
unique about the person from the report narrative.
Vehicle Involved in the Crime
Official information: Information collected by the division of motor vehicles.
Vehicle identification number, or VIN, which is a unique identifier
License plate number and the state of issue
Physical description: Official description of the vehicle or a more general description when given by a witness.
Make: (e.g., Chevrolet, Ford, Honda)
Model: (e.g., Corvette, Explorer, Accord)
Style: (e.g., four-door, two-door, hatchback, coupe, truck)
Color
Year
Also, as in the case of MO and persons data, an analyst would find helpful qualitative details about the vehicle
that would be contained in the police report narrative (e.g., dent in the passenger door, front end has primer,
vehicle found behind a convenience store).
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*Adapted directly from Boba, R. (2008) Crime Analysis with Crime Mapping. Sage Publications.