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The Increasing Role of Predictive Analysis In Police Work

Posted by samzenpus on from the before-it-happens dept.

elucido writes "A growing number of law enforcement agencies, in the US and elsewhere, have been adopting software tools with predictive analytics, based on algorithms that aim to predict crimes before they happen. From the article: 'Without some of the sci-fi gimmickry, police departments from Santa Cruz, California, to Memphis, Tennessee, and law enforcement agencies from Poland to Britain have adopted these new techniques. The premise is simple: criminals follow patterns, and with software — the same kind that retailers like Wal-Mart and Amazon use to determine consumer purchasing trends — police can determine where the next crime will occur and sometimes prevent it.'"

5 of 180 comments (clear)

  1. Just a higher tech version of what cops already do by rolfwind · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I imagine patrol cops go where they expect some action may occur (or to stops that offer cheap food/drink for the uniformed). This sounds like a higher tech version of that, basically taking the instincts out of the equation and substituting it with statistics. Perhaps adds more coordination at the central office level too although I'm sure that also already occurs.

  2. Re:Just a higher tech version of what cops already by man_of_mr_e · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Ok, so first, if the crime doesn't happen, how do you know you prevented it? Maybe it just didn't happen.

    Second, doesn't this seem like there will now be a market for anti-prediction? That is, find out where the cops think the crime will occur, and do the crime somewhere else. Because the cops will be somewhere else, your chances of getting caught are less.

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  3. Re:Just a higher tech version of what cops already by Raptoer · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Unfortunately individual police officers were drawing from a much smaller pool of data which was then put through their personal biases. If an officer had a racial or cultural bias then they may perceive an area as having more crime, when the actual statistics don't match.

  4. Re:If they can prevent a plane from crashing ... by kraut · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Did someone forget to tell Bernie Madoff about his immunity?

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  5. Re:If they can prevent a plane from crashing ... by Ozeroc · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Apparently they CAN get away with a lot: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/11/08/wealthy-fund-manager-avoids-felony-charges-running-cyclist/

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