Crime forecasting, Crime patterns, Criminal behavior, Crime prevention
Improving knowledge of crime and crime causation is an important focus for many law enforcement agencies. Many believe such knowledge can be used to predict crime and criminal behavior. Predictive policing is one of a variety of strategies developed by law enforcement personnel and researchers. The practice of law enforcement is frequently reactive, in nature, where police officers respond to crimes after they have been committed. In an effort to prevent future crimes, however, those with an interest in prevention have also added the strategy of proactive policing, where information and advanced analyses are added to their repertoire of approaches.
Our review consists of 24 research articles which examine predictive policing and the effects it can have on society and crime prevention. The articles come from several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Sweden and illustrate the worldwide value of predictive policing. The analysis not only focuses on the concept of the strategy, but also on how it can be used to learn more about criminal behavior, overall. For ease of reading, the review has been broken into five sections: (1) definition of predictive policing, (2) how predictive policing is used to identify and deal with victims of crime, (3) how predictive policing can be used to predict offenses and offender behavior, (4) how predictive policing is developed, who uses it, and how it is accessed; and (5) best practices for when and how predictive policing is used, as well as suggestions for how it can be utilized more efficaciously.
Portland State University. Criminology and Criminal Justice Senior Capstone, "Predictive Policing: A Review of the Literature" (2012). Criminology and Criminal Justice Senior Capstone Project. 5.