Abstract

Dynamic Crime Modeling: Making GIS 'Work' for Redlands PD
Track: Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice
Authors: Sara Goetz

This paper merges concepts of GeoDesign and Risk Terrain Modeling to make the use of geospatial information more practical for the Police Department in Redlands, California. Incident location data and criminogenic factors are modeled as six separate raster surfaces. They are combined in ArcGIS ModelBuilder to create a risk terrain representing the aggregate risk presented by the surfaces - this is Risk Terrain Modeling. As conditions change and new data are added, the model will regenerate on a set time interval, allowing feedback for police operations as indicated by changes in the risk surface. Access to information presented in the model is simplified for use by the Redlands PD on an operational basis utilizing GeoDesign concepts via an ArcMap extension created by the Redlands Institute. Users may query specific geographic extents and receive feedback related to risks of certain types of incidents, as well as general information about that area.