Full Description
Successfully analyze crime at any level of law enforcement!
This book is a practical resource guide for the development of crime analysis in local law enforcement. The tragedy of September 11, 2001, has raised awareness on how crucial it is to analyze information and intelligence. Smaller agencies that cannot financially justify hiring a full-time analyst will find strategies and techniques to teach officers the methods of analysis. Introduction to Crime Analysis: Basic Resources for Criminal Justice Practice provides basic tools and step-by-step directions that will improve the skills and knowledge of new crime analysts.
From the editors: Military strategists have used analysis for centuries; it makes sense to know as much as possible about the enemy and about the conditions and causes of a situation if we hope to institute any kind of significant change for the better. Career criminals are the enemies of a community's well being. Now that advances in information technology give us the means and methods to fully examine and find meaningful knowledge in the vast amounts of existing information on crimes and criminals, we have an obligation to use our technological strength to protect innocent people. Systematic crime analysis as a law enforcement and public safety asset has become not only possible, but also truly necessary as a weapon in the war against crime.
Along with defining the various roles of the crime analyst, Introduction to Crime Analysis demonstrates how to:
improve the personal skills necessary to make you a good crime analyst
successfully work through the five stagescollection, collation, analysis, dissemination, and feedback and evaluationof analysis
select the appropriate crime mapping software for your agency
evaluate the usefulness of your crime analysis products
benefit from email discussion groups and professional associations
create a crime analysis unit-including policies and procedures as well as marketing and funding
This clearly written resource includes case studies, figures, and appendixes that will simplify the learning process. Links to Internet pages also offer resources and information beneficial to both new and experienced crime analysts. Introduction to Crime Analysis will benefit crime analysts, police officers, intelligence analysts, community groups focused on crime prevention, criminal justice students, and police departments and sheriff's agencies.
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1. What Is Crime Analysis?
The Challenge of Defining Crime Analysis
The Present State of Crime Analysis in Law Enforcement
Why Analyze Crime?
Types of Crime Analysis
Summary
Suggested Reading
Chapter 2. The Crime Analyst's Toolbox
Overview
Equipment
Knowledge of the Law
Knowledge of Investigative Processes
Knowledge of Modern Policing Strategies
Linkage Analysis
Statistical Analysis
Profiling
Spatial Analysis
Summary
Suggested Reading
Chapter 3. Moving Through the Stages of Crime Analysis
Collection
Collation
Analysis
Dissemination
Feedback and Evaluation
The Intelligence Cycle: Another View of the Stages of Analysis
Summary
Chapter 4. Geographic Information Systems: Issues and Resources
Overview
Points to Remember When Creating Crime Maps
Mapping Other Data with Crime Data for Analysis
Privacy Issues
Resources for Crime Mapping
Suggested Readings
Chapter 5. Crime Analysis Products
Creating Bulletins for Tactical Crime Analysis
Types of Administrative Crime Analysis Reports
Other Crime Analysis Products
Intelligence Analysis Products
Evaluation of Crime Analysis Products
Resources for Crime Analysis Products
Chapter 6. Advice for the New Crime Analyst
A Day in the Life of a Crime Analyst
Tips for the New Crime Analyst
The Ten Commandments of Crime Analysis
Chapter 7. Creating a Crime Analysis Unit
Policy and Procedures for Crime Analysis
Considerations in Creating a Crime Analysis Unit
Crime Analysis Units on the Web
Marketing and Funding Crime Analysis
How Do We Measure Success?
Crime Analysis Success Stories
Chapter 8. Education and Training Resources
Overview
Training Options for Those Employed in Law Enforcement
Eduction and Training Offered by Colleges and Universities
Chapter 9. Other Resources
Recommended Agency Resources
Recommended Publications
Recommended Internet Sites
Appendix. Examples of Crime Analysis Products
Bibliography
Index
Reference Notes Included
