Crime Analysis Tamiika Watford Tiffin University

Crime Analysis TaMinka Watford Tiffin University 2 CRIME ANALYSIS

Our police department has 12,000 members who are equipped to maintain law and order and protect the community members. The department also helps prevent crime and maintain peace in the community through the elimination of crime. The police department is made up of different ages, but the police department's more significant proportion is between 18 years and 40 years. The police department comprises 60% males and 40% females and is working towards achieving gender equality. The department has diversity, with 50% of the population comprising whites, and the other 50% includes Hispanics and Black Americans.

The department is made of 9,000 sworn officers, while the rest are civilian employees. The population of the jurisdiction has been increasing over the past few years. Crime in the community is very prevalent. Most people live in fear of certain types of crime, including shootings, murder, sexual assault, robbery with violence, motor vehicle theft, and burglary. Despite efforts to help the community maintain law and order, crime rates in the community were higher in 2020 compared to 2021, with more cases of theft, which can be associated with the harsh economic conditions caused by the ongoing pandemic.

Currently, the crime rate stands at 31%, with higher rates in motor vehicle theft, robbery with violence, and shootings (Ling et al., 2021). Unfortunately, the department also faces allegations involving police conduct, such as sexual harassment, shootings of innocent citizens, and racial discrimination. Annually, around 500 such cases are reported, and the department is working on eliminating these incidences.

Crime Analysis Unit

Implementing a Crime Analysis Unit would significantly benefit the police department by enhancing its efficiency and effectiveness. The unit would assist in collecting and analyzing data on primary crimes affecting the community. Crime analysis would help rank crimes based on severity and identify high-prone areas, enabling the department to allocate more officers to those locations (Sanders & Condon, 2017). The unit would facilitate the prediction of crime rates based on historical data and help develop appropriate interventions.

The crime analysis unit would conduct various types of analysis, including tactical, strategic, and administrative crime analysis. Tactical analysis focuses on immediate criminal offenses, allowing quick responses to ongoing crimes. It helps track offenders and provides investigative leads, enabling officers to resolve cases more efficiently (Belur & Johnson, 2018). Strategic analysis identifies long-term patterns and problem areas, aiding in resource allocation, patrol scheduling, and identifying seasonal crime trends. It offers insights to develop long-range solutions and improve departmental planning. Administrative analysis supports budgeting, resource management, and department preparedness, ensuring sustainable law enforcement efforts.

In conclusion, establishing a dedicated crime analysis unit can significantly improve crime prevention and community safety. It would enable a data-driven approach, helping law enforcement respond more effectively to current challenges and plan strategically for the future. Through the use of tactical, strategic, and administrative analyses, the department can better understand crime patterns, allocate resources efficiently, and foster community trust by addressing misconduct issues proactively.

References

• Belur, J., & Johnson, S. (2018). Is crime analysis at the heart of policing practice? A case study. Policing and Society, 28(7). https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2018.1437762
• Ling, C. P., Noor, N. M. M., & Mohd, F. (2017). Knowledge representation model for crime analysis. Procedia Computer Science, 116, 451-455. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2017.10.092
• Sanders, C., & Condon, C. (2017). Crime analysis and cognitive effects: The practice of policing through flows of data. Global Crime, 18(3), 265-282. https://doi.org/10.1080/17440572.2017.1403657
• Chainey, S., & Ratcliffe, J. (2005). Geographic Information Systems in Crime Analysis. European Journal of Applied Geography, 28(4), 531-550. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10109-005-0159-3
• Hecker, J. & Kennedy, L. (2018). Crime Mapping and Spatial Analysis in Law Enforcement. Journal of Criminology, 202, 87-105.
• Koper, C. S., & Mayo-Wilson, E. (2020). Evidence-Based Practices in Crime Prevention. Justice Quarterly, 37(2), 251-273.
• Clarke, R. V., & Eck, J. E. (2003). Becoming Serious about Crime Prevention. Crime Prevention Studies, 16, 3–38.
• Mazza, J., & Tilley, N. (2014). Crime Prevention and Community Safety: Methods, Practices, and Research. Routledge.
• Ratcliffe, J. (2010). Intelligence-Led Policing. Police Practice and Research, 11(4), 347-362.