NCJ Number
227837
Journal
Acta Criminologica Volume: 22 Issue: 1 Dated: 2009 Pages: 68-80
Date Published
2009
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study examined the extent to which police agencies in South Africa are using crime information analysis in order to improve crime-prevention and crime-investigation strategies.
Abstract
Generally, the study found that South Africa's police agencies have not fully institutionalized crime information analysis in agency operations, so they are not experiencing the benefits that flow from the ongoing systematic analysis of the nature, locations, and times of offenses in their jurisdictions, as well as the characteristics of known offenders who have committed various crimes. Crime analysis that yields the foregoing information could assist police agencies in the development of strategies tailored to the nature and patterns of crime and criminals in their jurisdictions. Only 8 of the 26 respondents interviewed for this study indicated that they had received some type of training in crime information analysis. All 26 respondents indicated that crime information is not effectively analyzed in their police agencies. When questioned about the rationale and techniques for collecting and analyzing crime information, respondents were unclear about why and how crime information is collected and analyzed. The study recommends that personnel responsible for crime information analysis receive sufficient training and practice to become proficient crime analysts. The study involved qualitative, structured face-to-face individual interviews with 26 police officials (intelligence personnel) on the crime information analysis process. 22 references