CRJU 673
Crime Mapping
1. Catalog Entry
CRJU 673
Crime Mapping
Three credit hours (3)
Prerequisites: CRJU 670 (required), CRJU 671 (recommended)
This course expands on the quantitative principles and applications used in tactical, strategic, and administrative crime analysis introduced in CRJU 672. The primary focus of this course is geographic mapping of crime patterns.
2. Detailed Description of Course
The topics covered by this course will include:
Students will be exposed to the two approaches to the spatial analysis of crime in
this course. First they will examine the way in which geographic units of analysis
are used to explain patterns, trends and series of crimes. This will enable them
to understand the relationship that 鈥渟paces鈥� have on changes in crime rates. Secondly,
students will examine the mapping of crime to look for clusters of criminal activity
or 鈥渉otspots.鈥� These approaches will enable students to apply geographic mapping
and analysis to aid policy construction that will reduce crime.
This course will focus on three main areas of instruction.
I. Data and Statistics: This section of the course will identify types of data that are utilized in the spatial analysis of crime.
II. Applications and Tools of Crime Mapping: Students will learn and execute the ArcGIS program utilized to analyze patterns, series, and trends in geographic data. This program will be applied to understanding the commission of crime, sites of crime scenes, and locations of offenders and victims.
III. Critical Policy Application of Crime Mapping: The final section of the course will explain the application of findings from the analytical techniques to inform policy and promote effective patrol and police functions.
3. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
Active student learning and engagement will be utilized to build a foundation of knowledge
regarding techniques and applications of crime mapping. Students will apply these
skills in exercises that utilize the ArcGIS program. A variety of instructional techniques
will be applied in this course. These include but are not limited to:
鈥� Class discussions about the implications of crime analysis for policing organizations,
as well as the larger field of criminal justice generally.
鈥� Case studies of particular crime problems with a reliance on data analysis as
the major tool for examination
鈥� Traditional lecture
鈥� Guest speakers
4. Goals and Objectives of the Course
鈥� To promote communication and critical thinking skills.
鈥� To learn and apply the geographic mapping program, ArcGIS.
鈥� To analyze patterns of crime, including type specific crime patterns, particularly
to identify hotspots of crime.
鈥� To develop the ability to aid policing agencies in determining patterns of crime
and allocate resources consistent with those patterns.
鈥� To understand the role of the crime analyst within policing/criminal justice
agencies.
鈥� To assess the allocations of resources within criminal justice agencies.
鈥� To describe patterns of crime via written and oral communications.
5. Other Course Information
None
6. Review and Approval
February 21, 2008