Imagine You Are A Participant In An Information Systems Proj

Imagine You Are A Participant In An Information Systems Project To Des

Imagine you are a participant in an information systems project to design a vehicle theft database for a state law enforcement agency. This database will provide information about stolen vehicles (e.g., autos, golf carts, SUVs, and trucks), including details about the vehicle theft incident as well as the stolen vehicle itself. These details will be useful to law enforcement officers investigating vehicle theft cases. Write your response in a Word document and include a one-paragraph response for each bullet point below:

· Identify 6 data attributes you would capture for each vehicle theft incident. Explain why each of these are important.

· Which data attribute would you designate as the primary key? Explain why. What is a primary key in a database? A data table’s primary key is a special field in a table. Every table created in a database (like Access) should have a primary key field. The primary key allows each record to be uniquely identified—no two records can have the same value in this field. For example, in a customer database, the Customer ID might serve as the primary key because it uniquely identifies each customer. Alternatively, a Social Security Number or Employee ID could be used if they are unique to each individual. It’s essential that this field contains a unique value for every record, ensuring accurate data retrieval and preventing duplication.

· Predict one problem you might encounter with keeping the data current. Explain what you would do to prevent this from occurring.

Paper For Above instruction

In developing a comprehensive vehicle theft database for a state law enforcement agency, selecting pertinent data attributes is crucial for effective incident reporting and investigation. Six essential attributes that should be captured include the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), the date and time of theft, the location of the theft, the vehicle's make and model, the color of the vehicle, and the description of the thief or suspects involved. Each attribute plays a vital role in facilitating accurate identification, investigation, and recovery efforts.

The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique code assigned to each vehicle, serving as a permanent and unchangeable identifier. Capturing the VIN allows law enforcement agencies to precisely track and verify stolen vehicles, especially when multiple vehicles of the same make and model are involved. The date and time of the theft are essential for establishing timeline details, prioritizing investigations, and correlating incidents that might be related. Knowing when the theft occurred also aids in analyzing patterns and determining whether the theft was part of a series or an isolated event.

The location of the theft is critical information for law enforcement to narrow down potential suspects, identify hot spots, and plan effective patrols. Accurate location data, such as GPS coordinates or specific addresses, enhance the efficiency of recovery efforts and evidence collection. Additionally, recording the vehicle's make and model helps investigators differentiate between various stolen vehicles, especially in cases involving similar or identical vehicle types. The color of the vehicle provides an additional visual identifier, which can be instrumental in surveillance and eyewitness reports.

Finally, collecting descriptions of suspects or thieves—such as physical features, clothing, or direction of escape—can significantly improve the chances of apprehension. These descriptive details help field officers and witnesses provide accurate reports, increasing the likelihood of capturing suspects and returning stolen vehicles. Overall, these attributes collectively enable law enforcement to conduct more targeted and effective investigations, ultimately aiding in vehicle recovery and crime prevention.

The primary key I would designate for this database is the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The VIN is uniquely assigned to each vehicle, making it an ideal candidate to serve as the primary key because it guarantees that each record in the database is distinct and easily retrievable. Using the VIN as the primary key ensures that there are no duplicate records for the same vehicle, which is essential for accurate tracking and reporting. This uniqueness reduces the risk of errors and confusion, especially when multiple vehicles are involved in theft incidents.

A primary key in a database is a field that uniquely identifies each record within a table. It is a vital component because it enables fast, precise data retrieval and maintains data integrity. For this vehicle theft database, the VIN fulfills the primary key role as it is immutable and unique to each vehicle. Without a primary key, it would be challenging to prevent duplicate records or accurately link related data such as theft reports, recovery status, and suspect descriptions. Ensuring that the VIN remains consistent and correctly entered is essential for the database's effectiveness and reliability.

One potential problem with keeping the data current is the issue of outdated or incorrectly entered information. For example, vehicle status updates, such as whether the vehicle has been recovered or associated with a suspect, may not be updated promptly, leading to discrepancies. This can hinder recovery efforts and impact the accuracy of reports. To prevent this problem, it is critical to implement strict data entry protocols, regular data audits, and automated update notifications. Training staff on proper data management practices and using database triggers or prompts for regular updates can help maintain data accuracy and ensure that records reflect the most current information available.

References

• Chen, P. P. (1976). The Entity-Relationship Model—Toward a Unified View of Data. ACM Transactions on Database Systems, 1(1), 9–36.
• Elmasri, R., & Navathe, S. B. (2015). Fundamentals of Database Systems (7th ed.). Pearson.
• Ramamurthy, K. N. (2017). Fundamentals of Database Systems. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Rob, P., & Coronel, C. (2009). Database Systems Design, Implementation, and Management (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
• Silberschatz, A., Korth, H. F., & Sudarshan, S. (2010). Database System Concepts (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
• Date, C. J. (2012). Database Design and Relational Theory: Normal Forms and All That jazz. O'Reilly Media.
• Kroenke, D. M., & Auer, D. J. (2015). Database Concepts (7th ed.). Pearson.
• Inmon, W. H., & Hoffer, R. (2016). Data Warehouse Design: Modern Principles, Methodologies, and Architectures. Morgan Kaufmann.