Presentation at the HEA-funded workshop 'Making undergraduate social science count: engaging sociology and criminology students in quantitative research methods'. This workshop aimed to encourage pedagogical reflection and debate on the teaching of quantitative methods to sociology/criminology undergraduates and provide delegates with opportunities for the sharing of best practice in this area. The event included dissemination of the outputs of two recent HEA-funded projects on teaching research methods in the social sciences. Delegates were also introduced to some new and existing quantitative datasets and resources and explore the potential for integrating these across the undergraduate curriculum. This presentation is part of a related blog post that provides an overview of the event: http://bit.ly/1iBrVMR For further details of the HEA's work on teaching research methods in the Social Sciences, please see: http://bit.ly/15go0mh

1. Using Police Statistics and
Crime Maps in Social Science
Teaching and Research
Karen McComb, Higher Police Analyst, PSNI
Fiona O’Hara, Higher Police Analyst, PSNI

2. Aims
To provide an overview of:
• The use of maps by Analysts within the PSNI
• The techniques utilised in GIS to meet specific operational needs
• The types of data available for analysis
• The current and future use of maps by Analysts

3. Data – Serious Crime
• Collation
• Types
- Common
- Uncommon / Unusual
• Origin of data
• Caveats
• Dates

4. Evolution of Serious Crime Mapping
• ARCMAP
• How our maps are used
• Inferences based on data
• Product dependant upon data / incident / investigation
• Extracts from Serious Crime Analytical Products
• Sanitised

5. Example (1) – Limited Data
Statement of Alison BROWN S1
“I was walking along A road in the
direction of the playground when I
saw a man standing next to the first
shop in the row. He was wearing a
hat, glasses and a long dark coat….”
Statement of Constable Colin BLACK S2
“I was in uniform and on patrol with
Constables BLUE and GREEN when I
witnessed a blue car carry out a u-turn on
the A road between the playground and the
Primary School. The car then sped off in a
country wards direction….”
• Colour to indicate routes
• Location of incident
• Significant locations
• Limited witnesses
• Limited CCTV
• No telecoms data
• Discrepancies

6. Example (2) - Sequencer
• Sightings
• Telecoms data
• Financial Transactions
• Plot movements

7. Example (3) – Bearing Distance to Line
• Azimuths
• Cell coverage
• Investigative Opportunities

8. Example (4) – Locate
• Visibility and Safety
• Resourcing
• Aftermath of attacks

9. Crime Maps
• Available on PSNI website, www.psni.police.uk
• Drop down lists
• Crime types
• Reported dates
• Within a 1 mile radius
• Draw your own area
• Download crime data as a .csv file
• Download provides Lat / Long and Crime Type

10. Evolution of Volume Crime Data & Mapping
• Crime data
– PSNI Crime Recording
– Home Office Counting Rules
– Statistics Branch Verification
– Crime, ASB, Motivations, Offenders…
• Analysis of volume crime to identify patterns, trends, crime series, and
emerging risks.
• Drives key decision making – resourcing, patrol planning, enforcement
strategies, crime prevention, investigative strategies, etc.
• Problem Solving: What works?! Interpretation: Why?!
• Continuously evolving criminal environment influenced by many factors –
need for constant development and innovation of data collection and
analysis techniques.

11. Hotspots

12. Emerging Risks

13. How to be one step ahead of crime:
Predictive Policing Masterclass
Monday 5th November 2012 10am to 3.30pm
NPIA Ryton
How to be one step ahead of crime:
Predictive Policing Masterclass
Monday 5th November 2012 10am to 3.30pm
NPIA Ryton
Evidence Based Policing

14. Evidence Based Policing

15. Other Datasets - NISRA
• Crime & Justice
• Education & Skills
• Economy
• Health & Social Care
• Labour Market, Migration
• Ethnicity, Language, Religion
• Population & Households
• Travel & Transport
• Deprivation
• Neighbourhood Renewal
• Recorded Crime
• ASB Incidents
• Domestic Abuse
• Hate Crime
• Confidence in Police
• Confidence in Justice System
• Fear of Crime
• Police Ombudsman Allegations

16. Demographics – 2011 Census

17. • Big Data
• Social Media
• Risk
• Prediction
Future

18. • PSNI Homepage http://www.psni.police.uk
• NI Statistics & Research Agency http://www.nisra.gov.uk/
• NI Neighbourhood Information Service http://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk/
• Crime Maps http://www.nicrimemaps.org/
• UCL Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science http://www.ucl.ac.uk/jdi/
• Centre for Problem-Orientated Policing http://www.popcenter.org/
• Society of Evidence Based Policing http://www.sebp.police.uk/
• Westminster Briefing http://www.westminster-briefing.com/features/
Open Source Data & Useful Links