Identifying Crime Patterns
Write a 3-5 page essay responding to the following questions.
The following are year-end figures for your jurisdiction. Prepare a report for your police chief that accurately depicts the crime data provided. Then on a separate page, respond to the questions below in essay form.
(Make sure you include headings that properly identify your agency, which you can make up. Do not forget to calculate the percentage of change.)
• In 2009 there were 15 homicides, and in 2010 there were 21.
• In 2009 there were 23 forcible rapes, and in 2010 there were 19.
• In 2009 there were 55 robberies, and in 2010 there were 79.
• In 2009 there were 85 aggravated assaults, and in 2010 there were 115.
• In 2009 there were 125 burglaries, and in 2010 there were 138.
• In 2009 there were 103 motor vehicle thefts, and in 2010 there were 103.
• In 2009 there were 35 larcenies, and in 2010 there were 38.
Essay Questions
1. In a short paragraph, explain what you believe the crime trend is for this jurisdiction.
2. What information is missing that might explain some of the increases?
3. What crime(s) is (are) staying the same?
4. What crimes should be analyzed a little closer in the hopes of finding a trend? What would you try to identify? Would this be a tactical, administrative, or strategic analysis?
5. Are the crimes above Part I or Part II crimes? Explain the differences between the two types.