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CRIME ANALYSIS - A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

NCJ Number
66146
Editor(s)
M N EMIG, R O HECK, M KRAVITZ
Date Published
1980
Length
33 pages
Annotation
THIS BIBLIOGRAPHY CLARIFIES THE ROLE OF CRIME ANALYSIS AND PRESENTS OPERATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE POLICE WITH REFERENCES DESCRIBING ITS APPLICATION AT SEVERAL LEVELS: RESOURCE DEPLOYMENT, INVESTIGATION, AND APPREHENSION.
Abstract
CRIME ANALYSIS REFERS TO THE SET OF SYSTEMATIC, ANALYTICAL PROCESSES THAT PROVIDE TIMELY, PERTINENT INFORMATION ABOUT CRIME PATTERNS AND CRIME TREND CORRELATIONS. IT IS PRIMARILY A TACTICAL TOOL. PATROL REPORTS AND CRIME RECORDS FURNISH DATA ABOUT CRIME SCENES, WEAPONS, MODUS OPERANDI, STOLEN OR GETAWAY VEHICLES, AND SUSPECTS. ANALYZING AND COMPARING DATA ON FILE WITH THOSE ON CURRENT CASES CAN GIVE PATROL OFFICERS IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES IN THEIR BEAT AREAS. THIS INCLUDES DEVELOPING CRIME PATTERNS, STOLEN PROPERTY DESCRIPTIONS, AND SUSPECT IDENTITIES. USING THIS INFORMATION, PATROLS CAN BETTER DEPLOY RESOURCES. THE MATERIALS IN THE FIRST PART OF THIS BIBLIOGRAPHY DEFINE AND EXPLAIN CRIME ANALYSIS AND ITS PRACTICAL APPLICATION AS A TACTICAL TOOL. HOWEVER, CRIME ANALYSIS CAN ALSO HAVE STRATEGIC AND PLANNING APPLICATIONS, AS DISCUSSED IN MATERIALS REFERENCED IN THE SECOND PART OF THE BIBLIOGRAPHY. FINALLY, CRIME ANALYSIS IS A PLANNING TOOL FOR POLICE EXECUTIVES AND COMMUNITY ADMINISTRATORS. THIS USE IS HIGHLIGHTED IN MATERIALS CITED IN THE BIBLIOGRAPHY'S FINAL SECTION. AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE TOOL, CRIME ANALYSIS AIDS IN LONG-RANGE PLANNING AND POLICY FORMULATION. LINEAR ANALYSIS OF CRIME PATTERNS AND TRENDS, FOR EXAMPLE, CAN PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE SUCCESS OF PAST ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS AND SUGGESTS NEW DIRECTIONS AND NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS. THE BIBLIOGRAPHY WITH ABSTRACTS CONTAINS 52 CITATIONS SELECTED FROM THE NCJRS COLLECTION. THEY REFER TO BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND REPORTS PUBLISHED MAINLY IN THE 1970'S. TITLE, AUTHOR, AND SUBJECT INDEXES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)