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Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety

NCJ Number
228471
Journal
THE POLICE CHIEF Volume: 76 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2009 Pages: 18,20,22,23
Author(s)
James H. Burch II; Michael N. Geraci
Date Published
July 2009
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes the Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety (DDACTS) program, the application of high-visibility traffic enforcement to address both crime and crashes.
Abstract
To aid law enforcement agencies operate with a higher degree of efficiency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), and National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies across the country developed, and launched in 2008, a law enforcement operational model that could address the competing demands for increased services. The Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety (DDACTS) program is focused on improving the quality of life issues rather than on singular criminal or traffic safety problems, addressing the larger issues of traffic safety in conjunction with criminal activity. Data collection drives this initiative. DDACTS is grounded in problem-oriented law enforcement strategies and focuses on traffic law enforcement as an effective tool in reducing crime, crashes, and traffic violations in a community. DDACTS relies on seven guiding principles for its implementation: data collection, data analysis, community partnerships, strategic operations, information sharing and outreach, program monitoring, and measuring outcomes. Today, seven law enforcement agencies across the United States participate as demonstration sites for the DDACTS operational model with support from the NHTSA, BJA, and NIJ. 2 notes