CAU Development Center

Welcome to the Crime Analysis Development Center! This area of the IACA website contains all of the information you need to start a crime analysis unit. The Development Center is intended to provide knowledge and resources to help your department design and develop a crime analysis unit

Begin by selecting a resource area below, or browse the resource center content from the menu above.

What is Crime Analysis & What Can it do for My Agency?

Crime analysis is both a profession and a set of techniques. The professionals who perform crime analysis, and the techniques they use, are dedicated to helping a police department become more effective through better information. [Read More...]

What do Crime Analysts do?

Crime Analysts help police departments in five primary ways:

1. Finding Series, Patterns, Trends, and Hot Spots as They Happen
2. Researching and Analyzing Long-Term Problems
3. Providing Information on Demand
4. Developing and Linking Local Intelligence
5. Making Your Department Look Good

[Read More...]

Is My Agency Too Small to Have a Crime Analyst?

Maybe. Your agency may be too small for a full-time analyst, however this does not mean that you should not have a crime analysis function at all. The key is to regard crime analysis as a set of techniques, rather than a full-time position. Few small agencies have full-time identification technicians or accident investigators, but almost all have someone trained in fingerprinting and accident reconstruction. [Read More...]

How Should Crime Analysis be Implemented?

The IACA recommends a methodical process for implementing crime analysis at your department. These guidelines will help you establish a strong crime analysis foundation from the start. [Read More...]