Importance of information technology application to crime analysis
1. Identify and explain three types of technology that are necessary for accurate crime analysis.
Technology employed in analyzing crime resembles that employed elsewhere. Analysts utilize desktop computers for carrying out most desk jobs and laptops on the field and when delivering presentations. In several instances, the crime analysis divisions of law enforcement organizations possess an independent server for storing geographical and tabular information, besides software shared among analysts (Chapter 7: Crime Analysis Technology, 2005).
1. Geographic Data System
Such a system develops, houses and organizes geographic information. County and city level organizations generally employ these systems for developing and maintaining information on parcels, avenues, edifices, highways, etc., in addition to storing aerial photos and relevant details useful to utilities, planning and other organizations. Furthermore, these organizations normally glean geographical and tabular information from a third party (e.g., census, typological and demographic data), which is stored together with geographical details about the area. One must bear in mind that criminal analysts don’t gather or maintain information stored by geographic information systems, but instead simply make use of it to aid their analytic activities (Chapter 7: Crime Analysis Technology, 2005).
2. Computer-Aided Dispatch System (CAD)
This is a very specialized system which employs geographic portraits and telecommunication for aiding law enforcement, ambulance and fire department communication and response. The former utilize it for deploying personnel, tracking their actions and location, and monitoring traffic stops and other officer-initiated events. The system...
For analyzing crimes, analysts glean call summary information from these systems which record all calls (together with call duration, time, nature, disposition and time of deployment of personnel to the crime location). A CAD system gathers, houses and enables information download, though normally lacks crime analysis function, which is performed by other technologies (Chapter 7: Crime Analysis Technology, 2005).
3. Records Management System (RMS)
This system is responsible for data entry function and information storage, specifically created for law enforcement organizations. Certain organizations directly log data onto such systems while others employ other applications like the previously mentioned CAD for data download to the system. An ideal RMS comprises of every relevant information the organization possesses. It may be in the form of a combination of distinct databases on detention reports, crime reports, individual details, vehicle details, field data, evidential and property data, accident report, investigative reports and snapshot information and other requests for services. Besides data collection and storage, RMSs help gauge information quality, provide details and retrieve incidents. Akin to CAD systems, a majority of RMSs lack criminal analysis capability; information is downloaded to other programs for analytic purposes (Chapter 7: Crime Analysis Technology, 2005).
2. Identify four or more methods of collecting, storing, and retrieving information needed for crime analysis, using examples to support their importance.
Analysts employ the following four primary general desktop programs for information organization and analysis performance:
1. Spreadsheet Software
Spreadsheets portray data in columns…
