ESRI Canada - Criminal Justice & Intelligence

Criminal Justice & Intelligence

Virtually every task and challenge has a geographic component. These tasks require both strategic and tactical planning in rapidly changing social, economic, and political environments. While law enforcement agencies collect vast amounts of data, only a very small part of this information can be absorbed from spreadsheets and database files. GIS provides a visual means of displaying data, allowing law enforcement agencies to integrate and leverage their data for more informed decision making.

GIS software supports law enforcement and criminal justice by

Providing a platform for accessing and managing data and information from multiple agencies and sources
Integrating and displaying massive amounts of location-based data and information in a highly accessible medium
Enabling the analysis of data and information for patterns and trends and for testing new or emerging theories
Transforming data and information through tools and techniques for effective planning and enhanced situational awareness and for developing best practices

All emergencies, whether caused by nature or people, begin locally and elevate to county, regional, state, or national levels depending on severity, complexity, size, and the nature of the event. During these events, law enforcement managers need the right information at the right time to deploy resources, implement plans (tactical, emergency, evacuation, etc.), establish medical or other aid, and manage events as they unfold.

Criminal justice professionals and researchers provide a critical link in managing emergencies as well. By examining and clarifying patterns in crime and in response, new tools and techniques for deployment and implementation are developed. New theories are tested and weighed, with GIS providing the means and the avenue to promote them.

GIS is the next step in the evolution of information technology. It is a core information and analysis tool that helps manage not only geographic data but other datasets as well. GIS has been embraced by professionals in all areas of law enforcement and criminal justice for conducting day-to-day operations and for planning, analysis, and decision support.