ABSTRACT
Data analytics makes it possible for law enforcement to leverage data collected about criminals and their activities. Conventional law enforcement data collection (records management systems, modus operandi files, fingerprint, DNA, and weapons datasets, and open-source data) has been used by querying it. This can be useful but has serious drawbacks. In contrast, data-analytic systems build models of systems that are consistent with the available data and present them to users, who must decide if they are plausible and actionable. Because almost all aspects of crime are highly skewed, approaches that take this into account (intelligence-led policing, hot spot policing) are opportunities for high returns on effort. Data-analytic techniques have showed how skew operates and so how best to leverage its existence.
