Crime Analysis in America

While crime analysts have traditionally emphasized tactical analysis activities like identifying offenders community policing encourages more focus on strategic and problem analysis functions. This includes identifying the underlying conditions that give rise to community problems developing responses to them that are linked to these analyses assessing the effectiveness of responses and developing long-term organizational operational plans. This guide is a product of the findings of a recent study conducted by the University of South Alabama documenting the state of crime analysis in the nation''s law enforcement agencies. These findings and recommendations are intended to inform police managers of the structural issues to address when considering a crime analysis function within a community policing context. They are also intended to expose the current limitations of crime analysis and the policies that those findings imply.