Cj 216-01 Computers, Technology, and Criminal Justice Information Systems

Unit Six Project

Daniel L Belcher

Kaplan University

CJ216-01 Computers, Technology, and Criminal Justice Information Systems

Unit Six Project

What is crime analysis? According to the International Association of Crime Analysis, they say, "Crime analysis is both a profession and a set of techniques. The professionals who perform crime analysis, and the techniques they use, are dedicated to helping a police department become more effective through better information" (The International Association Of Crime Analysts, 2011). This website also tells us that police are not the only ones who use crime analysis. "Many industries including banking, insurance, and retail have crime and intelligence analysts" (The International Association Of Crime Analysts, 2011). In this paper, I will try to explain what technologies, the methods of collecting, storing, and retrieving information used in crime analysis, and the benefits of this for the community.

The technology that is used in crime analysis comes in all kinds of forms. Some of the technology that is used includes a computer. The minimum requirement from the computer is "a desktop personal computer with sufficient processing speed and hard disk storage to accommodate your data and functions" (Foster, 2005). As well, the need for a high quality printer is also needed. Other types of technology that is in crime analysis are "plotters (printers that produce poster-size color maps for display), scanners, and digital cameras (used to obtain pictures of people and locations as well as to capture documents that are not available in electronic form)" (Boba, 2005). Some of the software that can be used to conduct analyses includes the following: "spreadsheet software, database management software, statistical software, and geographic information system (GIS) software" (Boba, 2005).

In the field of crime analysis, there are many ways collecting, storing, and retrieving information. Some of the ways include computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems, records management systems (RMSs), geographic data systems, and NIBRS. The way that analyst are able to use CAD for information is by showing calls for service and linking that to whatever crime pattern that they may be working on. "CAD also captures and retains information about all of the 9-1-1 calls and field-generated incidents" (Foster, 2005). The next system I will speak of is Record Management Systems (RMS). Analyst can use this to find any information within their department that aide in the gathering of information. "In addition to collecting and storing information, an RMS is used to check the quality of data, retrieve incidents, and provide information" (Boba, 2005). The next information