Abstract

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Crime Spike Detection
Track: Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice
Author(s): Michael Urciuoli, Bradley Breuer

Presently, law enforcement officials use their intuitive knowledge of crime patterns in their jurisdictions to notice when crime levels are increasing unexpectedly in particular places or areas. Based on these intuitive judgments, people and equipment are deployed to these "spike" locations. However, using statistical techniques, spike locations can be rigorously determined in a systematic way, allowing for earlier and more accurate detection of problem areas. The paper will focus on a Web-based software application developed for the U.S. Attorney's Office and deployed at the Philadelphia Police Department. The software solution uses GIS technology to nightly comb millions of police incident records; look for recent, geographically clustered crime frequencies outside the norm; and alert police captains of these spikes. It suggests how the concepts and algorithms used for this project are broadly applicable to federal users in law enforcement, homeland security, public health, defense, and other key agencies.

Michael Urciuoli
Philadelphia Police Departments
Crime Analysis
Police Headquarters
8th and Race Streets
Philadelphia , PA 19107
US
Phone: 215-686-1577
E-mail: Michael.Urciuoli@phila.gov'

Bradley Breuer
Avencia Incorporated
340 N 12th St, Suite 402B
Philadelphia , PA 19107
US
Phone: 215-701-7712
E-mail: bradley@avencia.com