Crime Analysis Early Warning System

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2009

The Sheriff’s Crime Analysis Unit developed and implemented a system to deliver timely and forward-looking analysis reports and products that connect data to decisions for tactical planning, management of operations, and priority setting at the department level. The objective of this effort was to deliver timely strategic and tactical analysis products that facilitate effective command accountability with a clear and current operational view. Leveraging real-time data available from a recent records system implementation, standard database software was used to create two database tools, one that delivers comparative statistics for monitoring key crime and arrest indicators and trends, and an analyst’s “toolkit” that consolidates the ability to deliver tactical crime analysis products and improved intelligence capabilities. These tools deliver monthly measure of crime levels and trends that are put into context with an analytical summary for each patrol area. A mid-month “red flag” report forecasts rising indicators for the next month. Analysts proactively use the “toolkit” to deliver tactical analysis for investigations, patrol problem-solving efforts, and crime prevention programs. Timeliness has improved from three months to three days, and improvements have been noted at all organizational levels. This system was implemented with existing resources at no additional cost to the department.