NCJ Number
175813
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 25 Issue: 6 Dated: June 1998 Pages: 74-80
Date Published
1998
Length
4 pages
Annotation
In 1997, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) began using an intranet-linked software package referred to as Gangnet in its war against gangs.
Abstract
As of June 1998, regional nodes were operational and the DOJ was in the final stages of linking the entire State. At a cost of approximately $800,000, California jurisdictions will be linked in a gang tracking system that uses a Netscape browser. The system is essentially a statewide intranet, a gang-related clearinghouse of information. Gangnet uses a regional data base to access and categorize information collected on gang members, their crimes, and their affiliations. Police officers can use the Gangnet software to track, analyze, and retrieve data collected statewide about gangs. The biggest asset of Gangnet software is its ability to combine fragmented information and quickly draw links between disparate facts. Gangnet can also create photo lineups automatically, display biographic information, and generate gang member diagrams using automated link analysis. The cost-effectiveness of the Gangnet system for local police departments is demonstrated. 2 photographs