Upstate Crime Analysis Center

Crime Analysis is a powerful set of tools and strategies for collecting and using data to identify crime patterns and inform policing decisions. There are many ways that crime analysts support public safety and help to enhance the effectiveness of their agencies.

For example, crime analysts can use data to identify a potential serial offender in an area or an increase in certain types of crime around particular locations or targets. This knowledge allows a policing agency to use the right resources in the right ways to eliminate opportunities for potential offenders to cause crimes. We have seen many times in many different areas that crime analysts offer critical support for any agency employing evidence-based policing strategies.

Employing a crime analyst is a particularly cost-effective measure for police agencies since the majority of crime tends to be committed by a small percentage of offenders and/or in a small percentage of locations within the jurisdiction. Crime analysts use statistics, mapping, and data science to figure out which factors are coming together to create crime problems. Then police agencies can work together with communities and other organizations, like city planning, code enforcement, or social service agencies to focus on those areas proactively and come up with strategies to disrupt crime.

To learn more about Crime Analysis at USC Upstate or the Carolinas Crime Analysis Association, Dr. Covington may be contacted at mcovingt@uscupstate.edu or (864)503-5719.