The Information and Geospatial Technologies (IGT) Center of Excellence (CoE) provides strategic planning, evaluation and outreach support to the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) for its four portfolios and Technology Working Groups related to information technology (IT) and analytics: Information-Led Policing; Geospatial Technologies; Operations Research; and Modeling and Simulation.
Task 1: License Plate Reader Technologies: LPR technology is disseminating extremely rapidly into departments; Lum et al. (2010) found that over one third of large police agencies have or are acquiring LPR systems, with many smaller agencies considering LPR, as well. However, a recent Police Executive Research Foundation (PERF) report (Taylor, Koper, and Woods, 2010) found no evidence that use of LPR in a controlled study reduced vehicle thefts, the original purpose of this technology. RAND will conduct a study of LPR technologies.
Task 2: Image and Video Sharing Technologies: Photo and video sharing technologies are additional areas that have seen heavy growth. Photo sharing technology is now being piloted by major information exchange systems such as NLETS and ARJIS to assist with both identity resolution (who is this person) and finding persons of interest. Video sharing technology has been used for similar purposes, as well as for both officers and interested citizens to conduct "virtual patrols" and assist crime investigations from their computer screens. RAND will conduct a study of image and video sharing technologies.
Task 3: Emerging Best Practices to use Information and Analytic Technologies to Improve Efficiency and Effectiveness: RAND will review practices for employing IT and analytics to help address budget cuts. RAND will review recent major paradigms for using IT and analytics (information-led policing, intelligence-led policing, predictive policing, etc.), as well as specific implementation projects. In addition to literature reviews, we will work with NIJ and NIJ-supported researchers conducting evidence-based practice research to identify promising initiatives that have used technology to improve both efficiency and effectiveness, and conduct interviews with representatives from these initiatives to collect lessons learned.
nca/ncf