Purpose
The purpose of the presentation is to review some crime trends in the jurisdiction and provide some commentaries regarding the matter.
Crime analytics can be instrumental in enhancing the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies in many respects. Crime analysts collect data and analyze the obtained information (Kennedy et al., 2018). These professionals develop an effective methodology to implement research and collect and analyze information properly. Based on this analysis, they identify crime trends that can shed light on the efficiency of agencies and the overall situation in the jurisdiction. It is also possible to recommend specific steps to improve the situation based on data analysis. These recommendations can be the basis of new incentives aimed at reducing crime rates in the area. The purpose of this presentation is to analyze a number of crime trends in the given jurisdiction and provide commentaries.
Crime Trend
Crime trends can be defined as the measurement of the changes in the crime rate. The focus is on place, time, and rates. Thus, a crime trend can be defined as a change in the crime rate in a particular area over a specific period of time (USLegal, 2022). In the jurisdiction under analysis, an ascending trend for violent and property crimes is apparent, although some types of crime remain unchanged. Overall, it is possible to conclude that the criminal situation is worsening in the jurisdiction.
Data Needed to Explain Trends
In order to explain the existing trends, more data is needed. It is important to evaluate some demographic data of the population (Walker & Drawve, 2018). People’s age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status should be assessed to understand the reasons for the increase in violent crimes. Clearly, the growing poverty rate inevitably leads to higher crime rates. Such variables as population density and mobility can also explain the existing trends as the more people (especially new people) live in the community, and the higher crime rate is likely to be. These aspects as crime reporting and law enforcement agencies effectiveness also affect the crime rate.
Explaining the Absence of Change
No change is observed in the incidence of motor vehicle theft, which can be explained by a set of factors. It is necessary to note that the number of cases of this crime was rather high. An influential factor is the development of technology, as motor vehicles now have multiple devices that make tracking much more manageable. In addition, surveillance devices are also available and make the investigation process much more effective. At that, more data may be needed to identify exact reasons for the high incidence and absence of change over a year.
Robberies
Robberies saw the highest increase in 2018, reaching 44% (55 robberies in 2018 and 79 robberies in 2019). This high figure requires closer attention, and deeper research can help in identifying other trends. For instance, it is necessary to analyze the exact areas affected, as well as the demographic characteristics of offenders and victims. Some relationships between socioeconomic status, age, ethnicity, and population density can be found. It is also essential to look into the potential correlation between patrolling and robberies, which will help in evaluating the effectiveness of patrolling in crime prevention. Finally, it is necessary to analyze the peculiarities of the crimes (use of weapons, time of day, and so on) and the link between robbery incidence and the occurrence of other property crimes (if any).
Strategic Analysis
Crime analysts implement tactical, administrative, and strategic analyses (Kennedy et al., 2018). In order to investigate the causes and potential solutions to the increasing robbery incidence, it is possible to implement the strategic analysis. This type of research is associated with the evaluation and development of operational strategies. The focus is on current issues (that is months, quarters, and years). For instance, by looking into the peculiarities of robberies that took place in 2018, it is possible to define the causes and develop prevention policies. It is also possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing incentives based on the analysis.
Part 1 and Part II Crimes
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) divided crimes into major categories: part I and part II crimes (Walker & Drawve, 2018). The first type includes serious crimes that are characterized by the use of violence, considerable damage to people and property, as well as threatening to the overall stability in the community. These crimes are homicides, forcible rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries, motor vehicle thefts, and larcenies. The reviewed crimes are part I crimes and often draw the most attention. Part II crimes are considered less serious and comprise forgery, fraud, embezzlement, vandalism, prostitution, and drug abuse crime.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is necessary to state that crime trend analysis is a potent instrument that can be utilized to enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies. The brief analysis of the current trends in part I crimes suggests that certain measures must be undertaken to improve the situation. Such data as demographics and the correlation between the existing prevention interventions and exact types of crimes should be analyzed.
References
Kennedy, L. W., Caplan, J. M., & Piza, E. L. (2018). Risk-based policing: Evidence-based crime prevention with big data and spatial analytics. University of California press.
USLegal. (2022). Crime trend law and legal definition. Web.
Walker, J. T., & Drawve, G. R. (2018). Foundations of crime analysis: Data, analyses, and mapping. Routledge.