CHALLENGES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT

Challenges of Law Enforcement

Challenges of Law Enforcement

Introduction

Morgan Hill, CA, violent crime, on a scale from 1 (low crime) to 10, is 3. Violent crime is composed of four offenses: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. The US average is 3.

Morgan Hill, CA, property crime, on a scale from 1 (low) to 10, is 5. Property crime includes the offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The object of the theft-type offenses is the taking of money or property, but there is no force or threat of force against the victims. The US average is 3.

Following research into the FBI's automated case linkage system, known as the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP), the Canadian police community was presented with the Major Crimes File (MCF) as Canada's first attempt at automated case linkage. Data relative to homicides was to be captured on “fill-in-the-blank” questionnaires by investigators in the field and then forwarded to regional analysts who would input the data. Subsequent analysis would then be based upon a query of key words and phrases, or combinations thereof.

By 1990, the MCF had approximately 800 cases on the database; however, no “hits” (linkages) had occurred and the system had acquired a less than enviable reputation as an investigative aid. Concurrent with the lack-lustre performance of the MCF, Inspector Ron MacKay, Officer-in-charge of the Violent Crime Analysis Branch at RCMP Headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, returned from training at the FBI's Behavioural Science Unit in Quantico, Virginia.

Insp. MacKay had spent 10 months at the Academy to acquire the training and skills necessary to become Canada's first qualified Criminal Investigative Analyst, or “Psychological Profiler”, as it is more commonly known. Upon his return, he recognized the advantage of having an automated case linkage system that utilized some of the same behavioural principles that were applied in psychological profiling to identify and track serial violent crime/criminals.

In 1991, Insp. MacKay undertook a cursory examination of the MCF and, upon finding the dismal results thereof, had a position created to examine the MCF and determine whether it could be improved or rather, should be replaced altogether.

Crime

Morgan Hill, CA

United States

Violent Crime

3

3

Property Crime

5

3

Present strategies

Some of the systems they examined included:

FBI Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP);

Iowa State Sex Crimes Analysis System;

Minnesota State Sex Crimes Analysis System (MINN/SCAP);

Washington State Homicide Investigation Tracking System (HITS);

New York State Homicide Investigation & Lead Tracking (HALT);

New Jersey ...