FUNDAMENTALS OF
CRIME ANALYSIS
Carol McCoy
Lenexa Police Department
4 Types of Analysis
(The soap opera theory . . .)
• Crime
(or: Who’s doing what TO whom . . .)
• Intelligence
(or: Who’s doing what WITH whom . . .)
• Operations
(or: Who’s using what where . . .)
• Investigations
(or: Let’s find out who’s doing what to whom,
where, why, and with what . . . . .)
What Is Crime Analysis, anyway?
A systematic process of
collecting, categorizing,
analyzing, and disseminating
timely, accurate, and useful
information that describes crime
patterns, crime trends, and
potential suspects.
What Is Intelligence Analysis?
The systematic collection, evaluation,
analysis, integration, and dissemination
of information on criminals, especially
related to their association and their
identification with criminal activity of an
organized nature.
What is Operations Analysis?
The study of police service delivery
problems, undertaken to provide
commanders and managers with a
scientific basis for decisions and/or
actions aimed at improving operations
or deployment of resources.
What is Investigative
Analysis?
A process identifying the personality and
behavioral characteristics of an offender
based on crimes her/she has
committed. (Profiling)
What Do The Terms Mean?
Crime Pattern - The occurrence of similar offenses in a
defined geographic area, usually defined by
administrative boundaries.
Crime Series - A crime pattern where there is reason to
believe the same person(s) committed the crimes.
Crime Trend - A recognizable general tendency
regarding recurring patterns of crime which is
revealed over a period of time. A trend may involve
any one of the crime pattern factors or any
combination of the factors.
Types of Crime Analysis
• Administrative
• Strategic
• Tactical
Administrative Crime Analysis is. .
. . . .used for policy development and
resource justification.
– Cost-effectiveness studies
– Program evaluations
– Budget justifications
Strategic Crime Analysis is . . .
. . . used for identifying problems and
potential approaches for dealing with
them.
– Exception Reports - identifies unusual levels of activity in
an area over a month-to-month or annual time period.
– Crime Trend Forecasts - projects future trends in various
types of crimes based on past experience.
– Resource Allocation Proposals - suggests shifts of
resource(s) to meet new crime related service demands.
– Situational Analysis - provides information about crime
problems and the environment in which they are
occurring. Often referred to as Beat Profiling.
Tactical Crime Analysis is . . .
. . . used to take action designed to
address specific types of crimes and
offenders.
Recipe for a Successful CAU . .
.
Strategy
–CAU implementation committee
–Site visits to operational CAUs
–Planning tools
Logistical Issues
• Organizational placement
– Planning/Research?
– CEO’s office?
– Investigations?
– Patrol?
• Physical location of CAU
– Maximize officer contact.
– Close to information sources.
– Roll call rooms have been used in some
jurisdictions.
– Consider amount of space, equipment,
and supplies needed.
Staffing
– How many
– Clerical and support needs
– Volunteers
– CAU hours
and the BIG question . . . . .
OR
SWORN?
CIVILIAN?
Computer Stuff
• Hardware
–
–
–
–
PC
Color printer
Plotter
Scanner
• Software
–
–
–
–
–
Statistical
RDBS
Word Processing
GIS
Crime Analysis
Training
Alpha Group
FBI
IACP
IACA
ANACAPA Sciences, Inc.
Cal. State U., Fullerton
Cal. State U., San Bernardino
How Is Crime Analysis Done?
•
•
•
•
•
Collect the data
Collate the data
Analyze the data
DISSEMINATE the data!
Feedback/evaluation
Data Collection
Gathering “crime specific” elements of
information about crime problems,
primarily from
1. Offense reports
2. Arrest reports
3. Field interviews
Data Collection
Data must be:
•
•
•
•
Standardized
Usable
Good quality
Format facilitating collection
Crime Reports
– Geographic factors
– Time factors
– Victim/target descriptors
– Property loss descriptors
– Physical evidence descriptors
– Solvability factors
– Specific MO factors
FI Reports
– Geographic factors
– Time factors
– Subject descriptors
– Subject vehicle descriptors
– Names of associates w/subject
– Reason(s) for FI
Arrest Reports
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Geographic factors
Time factors
Victim/target descriptors
Recovered property descriptors
Physical evidence descriptors
Specific MO factors
Suspect descriptors
Suspect vehicle descriptors
Data Collation
(aka Target Crimes)
Burglary
Robbery
Auto theft
Theft
Fraud
Sex crimes
Agg. Assaults
Homicide
Planning Considerations
• How many/what type of target crimes
• Frequent enough to produce
recognizable patterns
• Does CAU have personnel/time
necessary to build/maintain files
• Specific enough to be categorized
• Designed to facilitate retrieval
• Relationships established
Analysis Process
. .looking for similarities and related facts.
Two major types:
• Geographic concentration
• Specific/recurring MO patterns
Analysis Process(con’t)
• Analysis tools
–Maps
–Tally sheets
–Time-series charts/crime
calendars
–Matrices
–Simple math tests
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Data Search Techniques
Residential Burglaries
Geographic - 1
Time - 2
Property loss type - 2
Target type - 2
Physical evidence - 2
Specific M.O. - 2
Suspect vehicle - 3
Suspect - 3
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Data Search Techniques
Commercial Burglaries
Geographic - 1
Specific M.O. - 1
Target - 1
Property loss type - 2
Physical evidence - 2
Time - 3
Suspect vehicle - 3
Suspect - 3
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Data Search Techniques
Strong-Arm Robberies
Geographic - 1
Time - 1
Victim - 1
Property loss - 2
Physical evidence - 2
Specific M.O. - 2
Suspect - 3
Suspect vehicle - 3
Information Dissemination
• Products
• Distribution
• Product Development
Products
•
•
•
•
•
•
Daily Bulletins
Information summaries
Field Interview summaries
Crime pattern alert
Wanted persons
Suspect/known offender bulletins
Product Development
•
•
•
•
Break down the data - NO LISTS!
Attractive product, good graphics
Quality over quantity
Regular feedback from users
Distribution
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
CAU conducted briefings
Roll call
Video tapes
Moving marquee in squad room
Bulletin board
Officer notebooks
Newspaper format
Evaluation and Feedback
• Mechanisms
– Trash can surveys
– User group
– User survey
– Keep record or results generated from
products
– Keep log of number of special requests
Evaluation and Feedback(con’t)
• Issues
– Timeliness
– Credibility of the unit
– Accessibility to users
– Usefulness of products
Departmental Support
• Executive level support
• Field level support