What is predictive policing and how does it work?

What is predictive policing and how does it work?

Predictive policing therefore uses computer systems to analyze large sets of data to help decide where to deploy police or to identify individuals who are purportedly more likely to commit or be a victim of a crime. Broadly speaking, there are two applications of predictive policing.

What are the benefits of predictive policing?

A first specific claim of the benefits of predictive policing is that resources can be deployed more accurately in place and time. In respect to identifying areas at increased risk, predictive policing techniques are used that rely both on historic crime data and a wider range of data.

Is predictive policing still used?

In June 2020, Santa Cruz, California became the first city in the United States to ban municipal use of predictive policing, a method of deploying law enforcement resources according to data-driven analytics that supposedly are able to predict perpetrators, victims, or locations of future crimes.

Where is predictive policing being used?

In the United States, the practice of predictive policing has been implemented by police departments in several states such as California, Washington, South Carolina, Alabama, Arizona, Tennessee, New York, and Illinois. In New York, the NYPD has begun implementing a new crime tracking program called Patterinzr.

What is a primary goal of predictive policing?

Predictive policing is the application of analytical tech- niques to identify promising targets for police intervention, with the goal of reducing crime risk or solving past crimes.

Which countries use predictive policing?

Outside the US, police departments in countries such as China, Denmark, Germany, India, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom are reported to have tested or deployed predictive policing tools on a local level.

When did predictive policing start?

ILP emerged in the 1990s, initially from attempts by Kent Police in the UK to disrupt local crime networks.

What are the methods of predictive policing?

Predictive policing refers to the usage of mathematical, predictive analytics, and other analytical techniques in law enforcement to identify potential criminal activity. Predictive policing methods fall into four general categories: methods for predicting crimes, methods for predicting offenders,…

Can AI predictive policing prevent crime?

Rather than predicting crime, predictive policing can be used to prevent it. The “AI Ethics of Care ” approach recognizes that some locations have greater crime rates as a result of negative environmental conditions. Artificial intelligence can be used to minimize crime by addressing the identified demands.

Does predictive policing reinforce racial bias in the criminal justice system?

Attempts to forecast crime with algorithmic techniques could reinforce existing racial biases in the criminal justice system. Police departments in some of the largest U.S. cities have been experimenting with predictive policing as a way to forecast criminal activity.

How can law enforcement use data analytics to predict crime?

This two-pronged approach — applying advanced analytics to various data sets, in conjunction with intervention models — can move law enforcement from reacting to crimes into the realm of predicting what and where something is likely to happen and deploying resources accordingly.