DOCSLIB.ORG

Violent Crime Scene Analysis Modus Operandi, Signature, and Staging by JOHN E

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Violent Crime Scene Analysis Modus Operandi, Signature, and Staging by JOHN E If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS.gov. " r:- .' 134597-· U.S. Department of Justice 134.599 National Institute of Justice This document has been reproduced exactly as received from the person or organization originating it. Points of view or opinions stated in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the National Institute of Justice. Permission to reproduce this copyrighted material has been granted by FBI Law Enforcenent Bulletin to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). Further reproduction outside of the NCJRS system requires permis­ sion of the copyright owner. - "• o o February 1992 ACQUUUTIONS r Volume 61 Number 2 Law Enforcement Bulletin 1, Features 1 Violent Crime Scene Analysi7: Modus Operandi, Signature, and Staging By John E. Douglas and Corinne Munn \ '3 'i- ~C1 '1 The Criminal Sexual Sadist 12 By Robert R. Hazelwood, Park Elliott Dietz, and Janet Warren \:3 *" St::t '8 22 Constitutional Constraints on the Use of Force \ 3'\- S'tq By John C. Hall Departments 10 Book Review 11 Focus 20 VI CAP Alert 32 1991 Book Review Index United States Department of Justice Editor-Stephen D. Gladis, D.A.Ed. Federal Bureau of Investigation Managing Editor-Kathryn E. Sulewski Washington, DC 20535 Art Dlrector-John E. Ott Assistant Editors-Alice S. Cole William S. Sessions, Director Karen F. McCarron Contributors' opinions and statements Production Manager-Andrew DiRosa should not be considered as an StaffAssistant-Darlene.l. Butler endorsement for any policy, program, or service by the FBI. The FBI Law /Enforcement Bulletin (lSSN-0014-5688) is published monthly by The Attornev General has determined that the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 10th and Cover: By improving their ability to analyze the publication of this periodical is necessary Pennsylvania Avenue. N.W., Washington, violent crime scenes, investigators will be in the transaction of the public business D.C. 20535. Second-Class postage paid at better equipped to apprehend the offender, required by law of the Department of Justice. Washington, D.C., and additional mailing See article p. 1. Front and back cover Use of funds for printing this periodical has offices. Postmaster: Send address changes photogrGl.phs copyright Frank Siteman been approved by the Director of the Office to FBI Law /Enforcement Bulletin, Federal Studios. of Management and Budget. Bureau of Investigation, Washington, D.C. 20535. ISSN 0014-5688 USPS 383-310 & Violent Crime Scene Analysis Modus Operandi, Signature, and Staging By JOHN E. DOUGLAS, Ed.D. and CORINNE MUNN ost crime scenes tell a story. And like most sto­ M ries, crime scenes have characters, a plot, a beginning, a middle, and hopefully, a conclu­ sion. However, in contrast to au­ thors who lead their readers to a predetermined ending, the final dis­ position of a crime scene depends on the investigators assigned to the case. The investigators' abilities to analyze the crime scene and to deter­ mine the who, what, how, and why govern how the crime scene story unfolds. To ensure a satisfactory ending, that is, the apprehension and pros­ ecution of the violent crime of­ fender, investigators must realize that the outcome depends on their insight into the dynamics of human behavior. Speech patterns, writing styles, verbal and nonverbal ges­ tures, and other traits and patterns give shape to human behavior. These individual characteristics work in concert to cause each person to act, react, function, or perform in terns enables investigators to dis­ This article addresses each of these a unique and specific way. This in­ cover much about the offender. It maniFestations in order to demon­ dividualistic behavior usually re­ also provides a means by which in­ strate the importance of analyzing mains consistent, regardless of the vestigators can distinguish between a crime scene in terms of human activity being performed. different offenders committing the behavior. Since the commission of a vio­ same types of offense. lent crime involves all the dynamics There are three possible mani­ MODUS OPERANDI of "normal" human behavior, festations of offender behavior at a In 1989, Nathaniel Code, Jr., learning to recognize crime scene crime scene-modus operandi, per­ a Shreveport, Louisiana, man, manifestations of behavioral pat- sonation or signature, and staging. was convicted of murder. The jury February 1992 / 1 As shown, the burglar refined his breaking-and-entering tech­ niques to lower the risk of apprehen­ sion and to increase profits. This demonstrates that the M.O. is a learned behavior that is dynamic and malleable. Developed over time, the M.a. continuously evolves as offenders gain experi­ ence and confidence. Incarceration usually impacts on the future M.O.s of offenders, Special Agent Douglas Ms. Munn especially career criminals. Offend­ Special Agent Douglas is Chief of the Investigative Support Unit at the FBI ers refine their M:.O.s as they learn Academy. Ms. Munn served as an Honors Intern at the FBI Academy. from the mistakes that lead to their arrests. The victim's response also sig­ nificantly influences the evolution of the M.O. If a rapist has problems determined that on three separate ting the crime, and victimology controlling a victim, he will modify occasions between 1984 and 1987, (characteristics of the victims) the M.O. to accommodate resist­ Code murdered a total of eight eliminate the connection to one ance. He may use duct tape, other people. The jury returned a guilty offender? ligatures, or a weapon on the victim. verdict, even though several dispari­ When attempting to link cases, Or, he may blitz the victim and im­ ties existed among the three crime the M.a. has great significance. A mediately incapacitate her. If such scenes. critical step in crime scene analysis measures are ineffective, he may For example, the offender is the resulting correlation that con­ resort to greater violence or he may gagged the first victim with a piece nects cases due to similarities in kill the victim. Thus, offenders con­ of matedal obtained at the crime M.a. But, what causes an offender tinually reshape their M.a. to meet scene, but brought duct tape to use to use a certainM.O.? What circum­ the demands of the crime. on the seven victims in the other two stances shape the M.a.? Is the M.a. In the case of Nathanial Code, incidents. Also, the killer stabbed static or dynamic? M.a. and victimology alone would and slashed the first victim, whereas Unfortunately, investigators have failed to link him to each of the the victims of the other two crimes make a serious error by placing too eight murders. But Code left more were also shot and showed signs of much significance on the M.O. than gags, duct tape, and bodies ligature strangulation. The victims when linking crimes. For example, a with gunshot wounds and slashed ranged in age from 8 years to 74 novice burglar shatters a locked throats at the crime scenes; he left years and included both sexes; how­ basement window to gain access to a his "calling card." Investigators ever, all were black And, the of­ house. Fearing that the sound of a found this "calling card" or signa­ fender took money from one crime window breaking will attract atten­ ture aspect at every crime scene, and scene, but not the other two. tion, he rushes in his search for valu­ thus, were able to link Code to the Considering the evidence found ables. Later, during subsequent offenses. at the three crime scenes, could one crimes, he brings tools to force open man be linked to all of the murders? locks, which will minimize the THE SIGNATURE ASPECT W ouldn' t such differences in modus noise. This allows him more time to The violent, repetitive offender operandi (M.a.), which is the commit the crimes and to obtain a often exhibits another element of offender's actions while commit- more profitable haul. criminal behavior during the 2 / FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin ---___________________________ crime-the signature aspect or the offender who repeatedly en­ show the difference between a M.O. "calling card." This criminal con­ gages in a specific order of sexual and a signature aspect. duct is a unique and integral part of activity with different victims. A rapist enters a residence and the offender's behavior and goes The signature aspect remains a takes a woman and her husband cap­ beyond the actions needed to com­ constant and enduring part of each tive. The offender orders the hus­ mit the crime. offender. And, unlike the M.O., it band to lie face down on the floor Fantasies of offenders often never changes. However, signature and then places a cup and saucer on give birth to violent crime. As of­ aspects may evolve, such as in the his back. He tells the husband, "If I fenders brood and daydream, they case of a lust murderer who per- . hear the cup move or hit the floor, develop a need to express these vio­ forms greater postmortem mutila­ your wife dies." The offender then lent fantasies. When they are finally tion as he progresses from crime to takes the wife into the next room and acted out, some aspect of each crime crime. Elements of the original rapes her. demonstrates a unique, personal ex­ ritual become more fully d.eveloped. In another situation, a rapist en­ pression or ritual based on these In addition, the signature does not ters the house, orders the woman to fantasies. However, committing the always show up at every crime phone her husband, and tells her to crime does not satisfy the needs of use some ploy to get him to come offenders, and this insufficiency home.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Lifetime Likelihood of Victimization
    U. S. Department of Justice I Bureau of Justice Statistics I Lifetime Likelihood of Victimization by Herbert Koppel people's perception of the meaning of BJS Analyst March 1987 annual rates with respect to their own The Bureau of Justice Statistics lives. If the Earth revolved around the This report provides estimates of the National Crime Survey provides sun in 180 days, all of our annual crime likelihood that a person will become a annual victimization rates based rates would be halved, but we would not victim of crime during his or her life- on counts of the number of crimes be safer. time, or that a household will be vic- reported and not reported to timized during a 20-year period. This police in the United States. These Calculating lifetime victimization rates contrasts with the conventional use of a rates are based on interviews 1-year period in measuring crime and twice a year with about 101,000 For this report, lifetime likelihoods criminal victimization. Most promi- persons in approximately 49,000 of victimization were calculated from nently, the National Crime Survey nationally representative NCS annual victimization rates and life (NCS) surveys a sample of U.S. house- households. Those annual rates, tables published by the National Center holds and publishes annual victimization while of obvious utility to for Health statistics.% The probability rates, and the FBI's Uniform Crime policymakers, researchers, and that a person will be victimized at a Reports (UCR) provide annual rates of statisticians, do not convey to particular age basically depends upon crimes reported to the police.
    [Show full text]
  • Lifetime Likelihood of Victimization
    .,. u.s, Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics Lifetime Likelihood of Victimization by Het'bert Koppel people's perception of the meaning of BJS Analyst Mat'ch 1987 annual ra tes with respect to their own The Bureau of Justice Statistics lives. If the Earth revolved around the This report provides estimates of the National Crime Survey provides sun in 180 days, all of our annual crime likelihood that a person will become a annual victimization rates based rates would be halved, but we would not victim of crime during his or her life­ on counts of the number of crimes be safer. time, or that a household will be vic­ reported and not reported to timized during a 20-year pel'iod. This police in the United States. These Calculating lifetime victimization fates contrasts with the conventional use of a rates are based on interviews I-year period in measuring crime and twice a year with about lOl,OOO For this report, lifetime likelihoods criminal victimization. Most promi­ persons in approximately 49,000 of victimization were calculated from nently, the National Crime Survey na tionally representative NCS annual victimi.zation rates and life (NCS) surveys a sample of U.S. house­ households. Those annual ra ces, tables published by the National Center 2 holds and publishes annual victimization while of obvious utility to for Health Statistics. The probability rates, and the FBI's Uniform Crime policymakel's, researchers, and that a person will be victimized at a Reports (UCR) provide annual rates of statisticians, do not convey to particular age basically depends upon crimes reported to the police.
    [Show full text]
  • Predictive POLICING the Role of Crime Forecasting in Law Enforcement Operations
    Safety and Justice Program CHILDREN AND FAMILIES The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that EDUCATION AND THE ARTS helps improve policy and decisionmaking through ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT research and analysis. HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE This electronic document was made available from INFRASTRUCTURE AND www.rand.org as a public service of the RAND TRANSPORTATION Corporation. INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS LAW AND BUSINESS NATIONAL SECURITY Skip all front matter: Jump to Page 16 POPULATION AND AGING PUBLIC SAFETY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TERRORISM AND HOMELAND SECURITY Support RAND Purchase this document Browse Reports & Bookstore Make a charitable contribution For More Information Visit RAND at www.rand.org Explore the RAND Safety and Justice Program View document details Limited Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law as indicated in a notice appearing later in this work. This electronic representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for non-commercial use only. Unauthorized posting of RAND electronic documents to a non-RAND website is prohibited. RAND electronic documents are protected under copyright law. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of our research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please see RAND Permissions. This report is part of the RAND Corporation research report series. RAND reports present research findings and objective analysis that ad- dress the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for re- search quality and objectivity. Safety and Justice Program PREDICTIVE POLICING The Role of Crime Forecasting in Law Enforcement Operations Walter L.
    [Show full text]
  • The Truth About Voter Fraud 7 Clerical Or Typographical Errors 7 Bad “Matching” 8 Jumping to Conclusions 9 Voter Mistakes 11 VI
    Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law ABOUT THE BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law is a non-partisan public policy and law institute that focuses on fundamental issues of democracy and justice. Our work ranges from voting rights to redistricting reform, from access to the courts to presidential power in the fight against terrorism. A sin- gular institution—part think tank, part public interest law firm, part advocacy group—the Brennan Center combines scholarship, legislative and legal advocacy, and communications to win meaningful, measurable change in the public sector. ABOUT THE BRENNAN CENTER’S VOTING RIGHTS AND ELECTIONS PROJECT The Voting Rights and Elections Project works to expand the franchise, to make it as simple as possible for every eligible American to vote, and to ensure that every vote cast is accurately recorded and counted. The Center’s staff provides top-flight legal and policy assistance on a broad range of election administration issues, including voter registration systems, voting technology, voter identification, statewide voter registration list maintenance, and provisional ballots. © 2007. This paper is covered by the Creative Commons “Attribution-No Derivs-NonCommercial” license (see http://creativecommons.org). It may be reproduced in its entirety as long as the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is credited, a link to the Center’s web page is provided, and no charge is imposed. The paper may not be reproduced in part or in altered form, or if a fee is charged, without the Center’s permission.
    [Show full text]
  • 2015/16 MIDTERM REPORT Dear Friends
    OFFICE OF THE STATE’S ATTORNEY FOR BALTIMORE CITY 2015/16 MIDTERM REPORT Dear Friends, We have reached the halfway point of my first term as State’s Attorney for Baltimore City. Much has changed in Baltimore since the beginning of my administration—we have a new Mayor, a new City Council, a new Police Commissioner, and most importantly, a new approach to fighting crime. When I took office, I promised to repair the broken relationship between the community and law enforcement. I promised to tackle violent crime. And lastly, I promised to reform our criminal justice system using a holistic approach to prosecution. As I look back at all that we’ve accomplished in just two short years, I’m proud to report that we have made significant strides toward fulfilling those three promises: Driving Down Violent Crime • We convicted 433 felony rapists, child molesters and other sexual offenders including 5-time serial rapist Nelson Clifford. • Our Felony Trial Units secured over 5,400 convictions with an average conviction rate of 93 percent. • We secured major convictions in several high profile homicide cases including multiple Public Enemy #1s designated by the Baltimore Police Department (BPD), Bishop Heather Cook who tragically struck and killed Thomas Palermo in 2014, and all of the shooters responsible for the death of one-year-old Carter Scott. • We created a Gun Violence Enforcement Division staffed by prosecutors and BPD detectives co-located at our headquarters that focuses in on gun violence. • We developed the Arrest Alert System, designed by the new Crime Strategies Unit, to alert prosecutors immediately when a targeted individual is arrested for any reason.
    [Show full text]
  • Personal Injury Exclusion: Is the Slashing of Wrists Necessary? Donald J
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by The University of Akron The University of Akron IdeaExchange@UAkron Akron Tax Journal Akron Law Journals 1997 Personal Injury Exclusion: Is the Slashing of Wrists Necessary? Donald J. Zahn Please take a moment to share how this work helps you through this survey. Your feedback will be important as we plan further development of our repository. Follow this and additional works at: https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/akrontaxjournal Part of the Tax Law Commons Recommended Citation Zahn, Donald J. (1997) "Personal Injury Exclusion: Is the Slashing of Wrists Necessary?," Akron Tax Journal: Vol. 13 , Article 5. Available at: https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/akrontaxjournal/vol13/iss1/5 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Akron Law Journals at IdeaExchange@UAkron, the institutional repository of The nivU ersity of Akron in Akron, Ohio, USA. It has been accepted for inclusion in Akron Tax Journal by an authorized administrator of IdeaExchange@UAkron. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Zahn: Personal Injury Exclusion PERSONAL INJURY EXCLUSION: IS THE SLASHING OF WRISTS NECESSARY? by DONALD J. ZAHN * "Capital return... in tax accounting,payments received by taxpayer which rep- resent the individual's cost or capitaland hence not taxable as income.' I. INTRODUCTION What do damage awards really represent? Does a damage award stem- ming from a personal injury lawsuit or settlement compensate the individual for lost capabilities? Does a damage award confer a windfall upon that individual? The predecessor statute of section 104(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 19862 and the policy behind that statute equate damage awards to the wronged individual as a return of capital.3 As years passed, the courts, as well as Congress refined the return of capital concept, expanding the concept to include within its boundaries all forms of personal injury recoveries.
    [Show full text]
  • Crime and Victimology 1
    © Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC. NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION CHAPTER Crime and Victimology 1 by Ann Wolbert Burgess and Albert R. Roberts 44 LEARNING OBJECTIVES 44 KEY TERMS • Describe the victims of violence Costs of victimization • Outline the costs of criminal victimization Criminology • Describe the methods used to measure victimization Forensic victimology • Describe the origin of the crime victims’ movement National Crime Victimization Survey • Illustrate forensic victimology’s contribution to cold case analysis (NCVS) Victimology Introduction The unsettling reality regarding crime in the United States and Can­ ada today is that it is widespread, very often violent in nature, and it completely disregards all boundaries. There is no home, no com munity, and no region in North America that can consider itself to be safe from the risk of criminal assault. With recent estimates of the number of crime victims in the United States reaching as high as 38 million, it behooves all of us, both individually and collectively, to support emerg­ ing efforts aimed at two distinct but related areas: crime prevention and crime victim assistance. To be sure, averting criminal behavior altogether is the more preferable of the two. Given the improbability of accomplishing this in the immediate future, however, it becomes all the more urgent to be prepared to assist those who are victimized. Unprecedented numbers of victims are turning to victim assistance programs, mental health centers, domestic violence shelters, and victim compensation programs. Research, as well as experience, has shown that these individuals frequently suffer from significant emotional pain and trauma, physical injuries, and/or financial loss, and “second ary victims”—the relatives and close friends of victims—also endure both mental anguish and economic hardship.
    [Show full text]
  • Predictive Models for Law Enforcement
    The author(s) shown below used Federal funds provided by the U.S. Department of Justice and prepared the following final report: Document Title: Final Report: Predictive Models for Law Enforcement Author(s): Donald E. Brown Document No.: 197634 Date Received: November 2002 Award Number: 1998-IJ-CX-K010 This report has not been published by the U.S. Department of Justice. To provide better customer service, NCJRS has made this Federally- funded grant final report available electronically in addition to traditional paper copies. Opinions or points of view expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. School of Engineering and Applied Science Department of system University ofVirginia 15 1 Engineer’s Way and Information P.O. Box 400747 Engineering CharlotteSMue,va 22!3044747 1?%3f NIJ Grant 984J-CX-KO10 Donald E. Brown Professor and Chair Department of Systems and Information Engineering PROPERTY OF National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Box 6000 Rockvilie, MD 20849-6000 --+-@-’-- Approved By: Date: __ This document is a research report submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice. This report has not been published by the Department. Opinions or points of view expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Introduction Predictive Methods for Law Enforcement Law enforcement agencies have increasingly acquired database management systems (DMBS) and geographic information systems (GIS) to support their law enforcement efforts. These agencies use such systems to monitor current crime activity and develop collaborative strategies with the local communities for combating crime.
    [Show full text]
  • Criminal Organizing New Series 62
    STOCKHOLM STUDIES IN SOCIOLOGY CRIMINAL ORGANIZING NEW SERIES 62 Criminal Organizing Studies in the sociology of organized crime Amir Rostami ©Amir Rostami, Stockholm University 2016 ISSN 0491-0885 ISBN 978-91-7649-364-9 Printed in Sweden by Holmbergs, Malmö 2016 Distributor: Department of Sociology, Stockholm University To my mother, for her sacri- fices, guidance, and faith. Contents Tables .......................................................................................................... 10 List of original studies .............................................................................. 11 Introduction ............................................................................................... 15 The outline of the dissertation ......................................................................... 20 Chapter 2. Comments on ethics, aims, methods, and data ............ 21 Aim and scope ..................................................................................................... 25 The data employed in the studies ................................................................... 26 The methods employed in the studies ............................................................ 29 Summary of the studies .................................................................................... 30 Chapter 3. What is organized crime: its definitions, consequences, and dimensions ......................................................................................... 32 Concepts and definitions in the study of organized
    [Show full text]
  • CONTROLLING ORGANIZED CRIME and CORRUPTION in the PUBLIC SECTOR by Edgardo Buscaglia and Jan Van Dijk*
    CONTROLLING ORGANIZED CRIME AND CORRUPTION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR by Edgardo Buscaglia and Jan van Dijk* Abstract Organized crime and corruption are shaped by the lack of strength of the control mechanisms of the State and civil society. The results presented in the present article attest to the links between the growth of organized crime and that of corruption in the public sector in a large number of countries. The two types of complex crime reinforce each other. To identify and isolate the influential factors behind the growth of corruption in the public sector and organized crime, the present article presents and analyses qualitative and quantitative information on a large sample of countries and territories representing world- wide diversity stratified by level of socio-economic development.** The study reported here aimed at identifying the institutional patterns that determine a country’s vulnerability to complex crimes. Being policy-oriented, the report includes a set of evidence-based policy recommendations. INTRODUCTION Corruption and organized crime are much more than an isolated criminal phenomenon. Theoretical and applied research have shown the inter- dependent links between the political, socio-economic, criminal justice and *Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer and Officer-in-Charge, Human Security Branch, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, respectively. The authors acknowledge the valuable contribution of Kleoniki Balta for her creative inputs in the definition of the variables and development of the database supporting the results presented here and for her capacity to coordinate the efforts of all the participating research assistants. The authors are also grateful to the following research assistants (in chronological order of participation), who were actively involved in collecting, processing and analysing the data: Vendulka Hubachkova, Nicole Maric, Irina Bazarya and Fabrizio Sarrica.
    [Show full text]
  • Mapping Reentry Guidebook
    MappingMapping forfor Community-BasedCommunity-Based PrisonerPrisoner ReentryReentry EffortsEfforts A Guidebook for Law Enforcement Agencies and Their Partners Mapping for Community-Based Prisoner Reentry Efforts A Guidebook for Law Enforcement Agencies and Their Partners by Nancy G. La Vigne The Police Foundation is a national, independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting innovation and improvement in policing. Established in 1970, the foundation has conducted seminal research in police behavior, policy, and procedure, and works to transfer to local agencies the best information about practices for dealing effectively with a range of important police operational and administrative concerns. Motivating all of the foundation’s efforts is the goal of efficient, humane policing that operates within the framework of demo- cratic principles and the highest ideals of the nation. The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) was created as a result of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. A component of the Justice Department, the COPS Office mission is to advance community policing as an effective strategy in communities’ efforts to improve public safety in jurisdictions of all sizes across the country. Community policing represents a shift from more traditional law enforcement in that it focuses on prevention of crime and the fear of crime on a very local basis. This project was supported by Cooperative Agreement #2005-CK-WX-K004 by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Points of view or opinions contained in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Download
    Decision Support Systems in Policing Decision Support Systems in Policing Don Casey Phillip Burrell London South Bank University, London Nick Sumner Metropolitan Police Service, London Abstract Decision Support Systems (DSS) are widely used in industry, finance and commerce to assist users with the large and rapidly growing amount of data that these institutions have to deal with. Police organisations have been slow to investigate the benefits that such systems can offer but this situation is changing. As well as seeking to improve operational performance, there are now pressing economic reasons for using I.T. systems to assist crime analysts and investigators. A short review of some of the more striking findings of psychological research in decision-mak- ing is followed by a survey of a selection of recent research into crime linkage and predictive policing using Arti- ficial Intelligence and some of the systems currently being used in Police jurisdictions. Keywords: decision support systems, crime analysis, predictive policing, crime linkage, artificial Intelligence The amount of data generated by, and available to, or- telligence (A.I) solutions, and more widely a discussion ganisations through their computer systems increases of expert decision-making. exponentially year on year and this phenomenon is accelerating. In order to deal with some of the prob- The major areas of application for systems are in pre- lems that this creates for decision-takers computer diction of crime “hot spots” and linkage of offences. programmes generically entitled “Decision Support The former is normally used in cases of “volume” crime Systems” (DSS) have been developed and are in use like burglary and vehicle offences while the latter is ap- throughout commerce, industry and finance (Turban, plied to more serious offences such as rape and hom- et al., 2007).
    [Show full text]