The Effectiveness of Crime Analysis for Crime Reduction

Abstract

Many researchers and police chiefs have asked the question, "Does crime analysis reduce crime?" This question is a difficult one is because the link between crime analysis and crime reduction is not direct. Just like the use of MRI results does not cure an illness, crime analysis is the process of using examining data and making conclusions; it is not a crime reduction strategy (cure) by itself. The connection between crime analysis and crime reduction is only through an effective police strategy that uses crime analysis. So, instead of evaluating whether crime analysis reduces crime, this article examines the role of crime analysis as a component in specific police crime reduction strategies. The evidence presented is not based on research of effectiveness of crime analysis, since there is none, but on the effectiveness research of police approaches, such as the standard model of policing, community policing, disorder policing, problem-oriented policing, hot spots policing, and the "pulling levers" focused deterrence approach, as well as popular and new approaches, such as Compstat, intelligence-led policing (ILP), and predictive policing, and the level at which crime analysis plays a role in each. Through a qualitative assessment, the author concludes that there is a clear pattern that crime analysis plays a significant role in police approaches that are effective, and just as apparent, crime analysis plays a very limited role in policing approaches that are ineffective. In addition, assessment of the policing approaches that have not been systematically evaluated, but have been widely adopted (i.e., Compstat) or are relatively new (i.e., ILP and predictive policing), reveals that crime analysis plays a central and visible role. This article shows that crime analysis is a key component in successful crime reduction efforts. Because this

Facilitators and Impediments to Designing, Implementing, and Evaluating Risk-Based Policing Strategies Using Risk Terrain Modeling: Insights from a Multi-City Evaluation in the United States

“…Keay and Kirby (2017) noted that police agencies in the UK have traditionally undermined crime analysts by not fully recognizing the value of analysts and poorly leveraging analyst skills. Nonetheless, Keay and Kirby (2017) argued that the increased implementation of evidence-based policing can be an evolutionary step in firmly establishing crime analysts as true law enforcement professionals by making their work products central to effective police practice (also see Santos 2014). Therefore, expanded commitment to evidence-based policing may naturally lead to a situation where crime analysts play the type of active role that we witnessed in our projects.…”

“…This office was staffed with primarily civilian personnel, including the Director. While crime analysts are also primarily civilians, they are involved in the day-to-day functions of policing, contributing the analytical products necessary for a range of contemporary strategies (Santos 2014). The Office of Research and Evaluation, on the other hand, was primarily involved in more macro-level projects focused on overarching policy that did not overlap directly with daily police functions.…”

Closing Knowledge Gaps: Toward Evidence-Based Crime Prevention Policies in Latin America and the Caribbean

“…As with POP, the problem-solving process, therefore, is making crime analysis also central. At the same time, the pulling levers strategy is effective and shows promise (Santos, 2014). .…”

Restoring paradise in the Caribbean: combatting violence with numbers

“…Community policing programmes, for instance, have been effective in certain contexts, including door-to-door visits by the police, neighbourhood watch programmes, and local community participation (Bennett, Holloway, and Farrington 2008;Evans and Owens 2007;García, Mejía, and Ortega 2013;Sherman et al 1997). Drug awareness programmes, community meetings, storefront offices, and newsletters have not yielded positive results (Santos 2014;Telep and Weisburd 2012;Weisburd and Eck 2004). …”