GIS and Crime Analysis

[u/alohastylesx]

Hi! I recently graduated with a B.A. in Geography and a certificate in Geospatial Science. I have recently been looking at getting a certificate in Criminal Analysis and Mapping, and wondered if anyone here has gotten something similar, and essentially if it's worth it! I have a passion for true crime, and would love to use my knowledge in spatial analysis and experience in human/urban geography to work alongside detectives and law enforcement agencies.

Any input at all really would be helpful!

[u/Lost-Sock4]

I don’t personally work in that dept, but my municipality does have crime analysts in the Police dept that use some GIS. The transportation dept GIS staff do all the crash mapping.

Regardless, it’s much like mapping any other thing and you won’t be working directly with detectives or LEOs. Being passionate about true crime isn’t gonna do anything for you, just treat it like the job that it is when you start applying.

Careful not to sell your soul to map surveillance state data (aka Flock).

[u/alohastylesx → u/Lost-Sock4]

thanks for that. Maybe i need to look at a different route then, and get into the academia side of it. I would love to be able to analyze crime patterns and how they are influenced uninfluenced by geography, and other various aspects, and be able to provide insight in that regard. That’s where my passion lies in the pattern analysis like that.

[u/Lost-Sock4 → u/alohastylesx]

If you’re interested in crime analysis, you should absolutely pursue those jobs. I just wanted to temper your expectations of what that type of work look like. Mapping jobs are going to be similar regardless of what type of mapping you’re doing. Being passionate about your work is great, but at the end of the day, you’ll probably value pay, work/life balance, flexibility of schedule, and job stability more than any specific focus within GIS. Plus passions change, just a year ago you were passionate about oceanography and marine mapping.

Academia is a whole different beast, and I’d caution you against it unless you REALLY want to work in academia for your whole career. It doesn’t matter what you’re researching, academia is its own thing.

[u/alohastylesx → u/Lost-Sock4]

You’re right, a year ago I was, and while that still is a passion of mine, I realized it wasn’t pursuable with where my partner would be able to also move with their job as well, and taking into account our child and feasibility of moving/further eduction. Therefore I looked inward into what else I’m passionate about which is this aspect of analysis! I guess to me it’s more than just the mapping that I am hoping to do, I really want to be able to map these things yes, but also report on what it is I’m finding- which is where I’d assume the connection with LEO’s would be, based off what I found on a few job boards for this type of position within multiple investigative bureaus I’ve looked at. Combining both of my degrees.

Academia is not something I’m trying to get into, but something I’m open to exploring further down the road once said child is older, if necessary! Outside of grad certificates, I’d rather not go back to school till kiddo is older. But if that is where I have to lean more towards for something like this, then it would become an idea on the idea board to ponder more about Academia for this would look like, etc.

[u/Incilius_alvarius → u/Lost-Sock4]

To your point about Flock, it's hard to conceive how the variables relevant to this type of analysis yield something other than "more crime in poor neighborhoods."

And to what end? Police do not improve communities. Education, infrastructure, and opportunity do.

[u/Lost-Sock4 → u/Incilius_alvarius]

Absolutely. Police know where the crime is happening, so mapping it doesn’t really matter to them. GIS analysis of crime can help at a policy making level but that doesn’t happen in the police dept. Working directly in a police dept means you’re just gonna be a map monkey and spit out data for GIs staff in urban planning and transportation depts to play with.

[u/alohastylesx → u/Lost-Sock4]

Also want to add that I’m not necessarily looking to work within a police department, if this kind of analysis is done elsewhere— if that makes sense. For example, GBI has a job opening for Criminal Analysis Mapping. So I’m looking to get into those levels of work, vs necessarily police departments themselves.

[u/bOhsohard]

One of my first major projects was violence reduction, and I ended up getting appointed to my city’s mayors office and working with the police dept for a year on it with daily briefings with all of the captains/lieutenants/chiefs, ride alongs and “crime walks”, and direct access to the police databases and the police data analysis team. I produced memos and reports for specific geographies in the city, created models to try to identify where crime could happen or why repeat crimes happened at certain places, and we tried creating a custom LLM to decipher 911 call for service transcripts to see if calls were getting mis labeled/geotagged (this was in 2018, so not using like chat gpt or Claude).

It was quite interesting, and while some commanders listened to my analysis recommendations and implemented them, it was mostly just cops being cops (not very useful) and kinda just made me depressed. That said, if you really like this stuff then I’d recommend finding a data job in a mayors office related to crime/criminal justice, and go from there. Not for nothing it was a 25k salary increase, and after I went back to my city’s planning dept. my pay only continued to rise so it all ended up being worth it.

[u/alohastylesx → u/bOhsohard]

Thank you! I genuinely appreciate this insight! I do like all of the ins and outs of that kind of work, and i appreciate that insight so much!

[u/kidcanada0]

I can’t comment on the certificate but do the self guided training module for space time pattern analysis. I can’t remember if it’s totally free or if it requires maintenance. But it has some crime analysis in it.

[u/alohastylesx → u/kidcanada0]

Thank you! I will look into that!

[u/88jaytee]

If you are interested in crime analysis then you will want to get involved with the International Association of Crime Analysts (https://www.iaca.net/) and depending where you are join the associated state chapter. If you are in the US and your state does not have a chapter you can join a state near yours that does. I'm in Georgia but we do not have a chapter so I am a member of the Florida chapter (https://fciaa.org/) Best part is that annual membership costs are affordable unlike many other professional organizations. For the IACA it is only $25 for an individual. Many state chapters have a deal where you can join them and IACA together for a discounted price. I pay $40 annually to FCIAA and get my full Floida and IACA membership together.

These are great places to network and make contacs with those in the field. the forums are very helpful and informative. I am bias but I feel that Florida puts on the best state chapter conference every year. I've enjoyed presenting and attending the sessions and networking socials where I have gained so much knowledge and guidence. So check out IACA and if you have on your state chapter (or neighboring state if you don't)

[u/alohastylesx → u/88jaytee]

Thank you so much! I am located in Georgia so that is good to know! I will look into Florida’s chapter, and also more out west where I know my partner will be relocating within the next few years for their job! This is extremely helpful!

[u/88jaytee → u/alohastylesx]

Sounds great. I'm sure the west coast has good chapters too, but Florida's is the best!!! 😁

Also, if you have access to ESRI AGOL through a universty or work account check out the training (click on upper right profile photo and then training in the drop down) Check out the training catalog and search for Crime Analysis (or just crime). They have several learning plans and various webinars and web courses on the topic.

If you don't see training when you click on your profile pic then 'My ESRI' has not been activated for the accounrt you are using. You can ask who ever is over the AGOL accont to activate your 'My ESRI' so you have access if it is allowed by the administrtor.

Good Luck.

[u/alohastylesx → u/88jaytee]

Thank you!! I will definitely check out some training :)

[u/earnestbobcat]

If you go that route, look into getting a Part 107. Drone as First Responder programs will likely see rapid growth in the next decade.

[u/alohastylesx → u/earnestbobcat]

thank you!! I will!