Predictive policing in the United States

rdf:langString Predictive policing in the United States

rdf:langString 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. 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, methods for predicting perpetrators' identities, and methods for predicting victims of crime. In the United States technology has been described in the media as a revolutionary innovation capable of "stopping crime before it starts". However, a RAND Corporation report on implementing predictive policing technology describes its role in more modest terms: Predictive policing methods are not a crystal ball: they cannot foretell the future. They can only identify people and locations at increased risk of crime ... the most effective predictive policing approaches are elements of larger proactive strategies that build strong relationships between police departments and their communities to solve crime problems. In November 2011, TIME Magazine named predictive policing as one of the 50 best inventions of 2011, using the term "pre-emptive policing".