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The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) recently released a special report titled, “Mapping Crime: Understanding Hotspots.”
The report covers NIJ findings and recommendations on techniques for crime mapping and using hotspot identification as a tool for targeting high-crime areas. Among the findings: effective hot spot identification requires more than one technique and perspective and hot spot maps are most effective when the production of the maps are guided by crime theories.
The report is well worth reading if you are at all interested in hotspot theories. Download the entire report here.
Get on the crime map at CrimeReports.com
Obama’s multi-billion dollar economic stimulus bill has promised law enforcement around the country $4 billion in crime prevention and crime fighting grants. $1 billion of that money is intended for hiring more law enforcement officers nationwide. Although many agencies have already applied for the money, it has not yet been disbursed. However, Dave Buchanan, acting director of the federal COPS programs, recently said that the money will be on the way in the next two weeks.
I’m sure there are many LEAs across the country have been crossing their fingers. Just know that you’ll have to keep them crossed for another couple weeks, but the money is on the way.
Source: http://thecrimereport.org/2009/07/27/1-billion-in-police-hiring-grants-expected-soon/
Get on the crime map at CrimeReports.com
Yesterday at the National Institute of Justice annual crime research conference, multiple police chiefs, as well as the Second Vice-President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, expressed a concern over budget cuts brought on by the recent economic slowdown. Many expressed that they have to be more efficient and will have to “do more with less.” A budget cut affects the number of officers employed by departments as well as auxiliary personnel like crime analysts and dispatchers. Some are concerned that a loss in manpower will result in a rise in crime.
Source: http://thecrimereport.org/2009/06/18/police-lament-budget-cuts-as-homicides-dui-deaths-mount/
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The National Institute of Justice just released a special report: “Practical Implications of Current Domestic Violence Research: For Law Enforcement, Prosecutors and Judges.” The report is a great resource for a succinct rundown of recent findings on domestic abuse and clearly breaks down the possible implications for law enforcement. The report offers suggestions and things to keep in mind when dealing with domestic abuse cases.
Some interesting tidbits:
- Domestic abuse accounts for anywhere between 15%-50% of calls for service.
- A Colorado study found that up to 50% of women seeking protective orders had been raped, but only 4% listed it in the request.
- The seriousness of injuries from abuse does not make the victim more likely to involve law enforcement.
Get the report here.
Search crime in your neighborhood at CrimeReports.com
No doubt, sex offenders are among the most hated a feared criminals in society, so creating laws that restrict sex offenders from living with a certain distance of schools, playgrounds, parks, day care centers, etc., have been extremely popular and garner broad support across the nation. However, in a report issued by the National Institute of Justice, such laws can have unintended consequences.
Namely, because schools, parks, and other exclusion areas are spread throughout a city or town, many of the exclusion zones overlap, in some cases, covering almost the entire city and most of the available housing. This can create real problems. When sex offenders can’t legally find a place to live, they might go underground or become homeless and lose access to employment and mental health services.
In fact, just recently, NPR ran a story that covered Miami, Florida’s sex offender restriction laws. The restriction laws cover virtually the entire city, leaving the area around one bridge available for sex offender habitation. As a result a large, homeless sex offender community has grown up around the bridge, which isn’t healthy for the sex offenders, the community, or law enforcement.
Certainly, no one wants a sex offender living next door, but as more research is done into sex offender residency restriction laws, it might be helpful to modify these laws for the benefit of the community.
What do you think? Leave a comment.
Source: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/topics/crime/rape-sexual-violence/sex-offenders/residency-mapping.htm
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The NIJ just announced the 10th Annual Crime Mapping Research Conference. The conference will be held in New Orleans on August 19–22, 2009. Click here for registration information.
Below is a brief description taken from the official website:
“Solutions to crime and public safety problems are necessarily about “where.” Those solutions are a combination of research, practice, technology and policy that provides a full perspective of the breadth and depth of a problem and the results of its solution. The application of geographic principles to these problems has come into the mainstream as the reemergence of geography has become a primary component in solving problems.
“Advancements in geographic-based technologies have brought a better understanding of crime, more efficient deployment of public safety resources and more critical examination of criminal justice policies. This is due to the reciprocation that occurs between research and practice, often resulting in better technology. Research provides a foundation of theories. Practice operationalizes the theories through technology. Policy decisions are then enacted with a more precise focus based on research and practical demonstration. Geography has been the constant in the expansion of each of these areas, and technology has been the facilitator.
“The Crime Mapping Research Conference is not just about presenting where crime is. The conference is about understanding crime and public safety and their effect on community. It represents a range of research findings, practical applications, technology demonstrations and policy results.”
Search crime in your neighborhood at CrimeReports.com
The National Institute of Justice has just announced it’s annual conference.
The conference will be June 15-17 at the Marriott Crystal Gateway in Arlington, VA
Of special interest are the the Spatial Analysis and Geography panels. This year’s panels will cover:
- Foreclosures and the Connections to Crime
- Geographic Tools to Analyze Crime
- The Impact of Local Geography on Crime
- Geographic Aspects of Sex Offender Residency Restriction Laws
View the panel descriptions and the entire conference agenda here.
Registration is free, space is limited, register today!
As reported earlier, the NIJ is offering needs based scholarships for attendees. Get more information about scholarships here.
Search crime in your neighborhood at CrimeReports.com
The National Institute of Justice is offering needs-based scholarships to attend their 2009 conference. The scholarships are intended for law enforcement officers, prosecutors, or victim service providers in the public or non-profit sector. Below is the official application information:
- Write up to 200 words telling NIJ how you expect the conference to benefit your organization’s mission.
- Ask your supervisor to write a letter approving your attendance.
- The letter must be submitted on your organization’s letterhead.
- The letter must affirm that your organization’s travel funds are limited.
Amount of scholarship: The awarded applicant will receive the following: Hotel room covered for 3 nights, as well as modified per diem of $150. Scholarship winners must provide their own travel to and from the conference.
Deadline: April 30, 2009
E-mail the required documents to nijscholarships@ncjrs.gov or fax it to 301-519-5212 no later than 5 p.m. EDT on April 30, 2009.
If you are not eligible for a scholarship but are still interested in attending the conference, registration is free.
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Volume 1, issue 4 of The Geography and Public Safety Bulletin, published by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), is now online and free to download as a pdf.
The Contents Include:
- Districting and Resource Allocation: A Question of Balance
- Tactical Deployment: The Next Great Paradigm Shift in Law Enforcement?
- Geospatial Technology Helps East Orange Crack Down on Crime
- Technial Tips, News Briefs, and more
I highly encourage you to check out the latest issue and explore the most current thought on the interaction of applied geography and crime.
Visit the Crime Mapping page of the NIJ website here, to download a free pdf of the bulletin as well as previous issues.
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