This book offers a practical guide and resource for those in law enforcement who analyze crime. The target audience is those new to crime analysis, however many resources are presented that should be useful to more experienced crime analysts as well. Chapter 1 provides an introduction of crime analysis, including the challenges involved in defining crime analysis and the reasons for analyzing crimes. The basic types of crime analysis used in most local law enforcement agencies are described, and the authors point out that most agencies are moving toward tactical and strategic methods of crime analysis. Chapter 2 focuses on the tools of crime analysis. Computer skills are an important component of crime analysis, as demonstrated by the many Internet links provided as resources throughout the book. The importance of knowing the law, the investigative process, and modern policing strategies are also underscored in chapter 2. Linkage analysis, statistical analysis, profiling, and spatial analysis are also addressed in this chapter. Chapter 3 describes the stages of crime analysis: evidence collection, collation, analysis, dissemination, feedback, and evaluation. The Intelligence Cycle of crime analysis is also briefly presented. Chapter 4 turns to a discussion of geographic information systems analysis. Creating crime maps and mapping other data for crime analysis is reviewed and points on privacy issues are offered. Chapter 5 presents many of the crime analysis products available for purchase, including a description of the types of administrative crime analysis reports, intelligence analysis products, and a listing of resources for crime analysis products. Chapter 6 offers advice for the new crime analyst, while chapter 7 discusses the creation of a crime analysis unit. Policies and procedures for such a unit are reviewed and the marketing and funding of a crime analysis unit are discussed. The authors describe how to Measure the success of a crime analysis unit and share crime analysis success stories. Chapter 8 moves into a discussion of education and training resources, including training options for those in law enforcement and education and training offered by colleges and universities. Finally, chapter 9 presents resources for the new crime analyst, including agency resources, publications, and Internet sites.

Award-winning investigative reporters journey inside the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice to see how the powerful law enforcement agency fights America's war on crime. This perceptive examination reveals how the Justice Department operates--from its role in history to critical evaluations of its wars against the Cali cocaine cartel, violent gangs in Shreveport and Chicago, high-level government espionage, and international terrorism.

This student-friendly introductory text describes the criminal justice process—outlining the decisions, practices, people, and issues involved. It provides a solid introduction to the mechanisms of the criminal justice system, with balanced coverage of the issues presented by each facet of the process, including a thorough review of practices and controversies in law enforcement, the criminal courts, and corrections.

This reference work was compiled as a resource for those needing assistance in locating Texas criminal justice statistics. R. Scott Harnsberger has compiled more than 600 entries describing statistical sources for Texas crime; criminals; law enforcement; courts and sentencing; adult and juvenile corrections; capital punishment and death row; victims of crime; driving/boating under the influence; traffic fatalities; substance abuse and treatment; polls and rankings; and fiscal topics such as appropriations, revenues, expenditures, and federal aid. The sources for these statistics originate primarily, but not exclusively, from federal and State of Texas agencies, boards, bureaus, commissions, and departments. The following types of publications are included: annual, biennial, and biannual reports; reports issued in series; analytic and research reports; statistical compilations; budgets and other fiscal documents; audits, inspections, and investigations; census publications; polls; projections; rankings; surveys; continuously updated online resources; and datasets. Harnsberger has annotated the entries to provide sufficient detail to enable users to decide whether the listed resources merit further investigation. Additional notes contain URLs and information regarding the scope of the published data; title changes; related publications; and the availability of earlier data, previous editions, online tables, and datasets. This book will prove to be a valuable resource for students, faculty, researchers, government officials, and individuals in the law enforcement, correctional, and judicial professions.