Crime Analyst Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a crime analyst. Feel free to use our crime analyst job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a crime analyst.
Who is a Crime Analyst?
Crime analysis, as defined by the International Association of Crime Analysts (IACA), is the process of transforming data into actionable information that enables law enforcement to intervene in crime patterns, trends, series, hot spots, and long-term problems.
Crime analysis is the examination of criminal patterns and probabilities. It is divided into three sections: tactical, operational, and strategic research. Tactical studies concentrate on immediate community problems, such as rapes, murders, and robberies; these are issues that must be addressed immediately. Operational studies are conducted to identify potential problems and determine which locations require additional or fewer police officers on duty. Strategic studies are based on any potential long-term issues and their resolutions.
These investigations are carried out by a crime analyst. The first phase of a crime analyst’s job is to research previous crimes and criminals to identify patterns. This entails creating profiles for criminals, noting their personality characteristics, the crimes they commit, and how they commit them. Individuals commit crimes for a variety of reasons, ranging from boredom to anger or jealousy. Understanding those reasons and any actions that preceded the crime can assist a crime analyst in establishing a pattern.
The second aspect of a crime analyst’s job is to forecast future crimes using the data gathered during the studies. While the analyst will not be able to walk down a busy street pointing out individuals about to commit a crime, the data from the studies can be used to prevent crimes in other ways. For instance, studies have shown that an area’s crime rate increases when street lights are out and the streets are neglected. In this case, crime prevention may be accomplished by cleaning up the streets, replacing the bulbs in street lights, and possibly establishing a neighborhood watch program.
The third component of the job is to communicate the study findings in a way that makes the data useful. A crime analyst may collaborate with the government to discuss economic and geographic factors that contribute to crime and ways to alleviate some of those factors. Additionally, a crime analyst may work with local law enforcement agencies to discuss current trends in criminal activity. Additionally, crime analysts may deliver community presentations on crime prevention and assist in the establishment of neighborhood watch programs.
The crime analyst uses prior crimes to help prevent future crimes. This work is distinct from that of an intelligence analyst, who is responsible for studying primarily organized crime behavior and establishing connections between organizations and criminal activity. Many people make the mistake of conflating the two jobs. While both careers require the study and analysis of crimes and criminals, the crime analyst deals with a much broader range of criminal activities, allowing him to predict and assist in the prevention of a much wider variety of crimes.
Typically, crime analysts are not law enforcement officers. They do, however, frequently work alongside law enforcement officers. Its mission is to close open cases, reduce future crime risk, and educate the public about crime prevention and criminal trends.
As is the case with many criminal justice jobs, a crime analyst’s job is heavily reliant on research. It entails the examination of criminal behavior patterns and trends. This research is frequently used to develop programs aimed at preventing crime. In other instances, crime analysts directly assist in identifying suspects. Additionally, some crime analysts may publish scholarly works that explain their findings to assist their international counterparts in law enforcement organizations. For instance, some professionals may contribute to the International Association of Crime Analysts by submitting reports (IACA).
However, crime analysts are not solely concerned with trends. Additionally, they work on specific cases. They examine raw data and analyze evidence and crime scenes. Crime analysts can create a psychological profile of a suspect based on their findings. This practice is referred to as criminal profiling. When a crime analyst profiles a suspect, he or she will take into account possible personality traits and psychopathologies, as well as demographic information, such as the suspect’s likely age and geographic location. These insights can aid investigators in narrowing the suspect list and apprehending the criminal.
Contrary to popular belief, crime analysts do not visit crime scenes on their own. The majority work in their local police station’s criminal investigative division, assisting detectives and officers with ongoing cases. Some of them may even be seasoned police officers.
A crime analyst employs database research techniques to detect, forecast, and assist in the prevention of crime. They assist police forces with strategic, statistical, and investigative support by developing strategies for reducing criminal activity in specific areas through the analysis of police and other data. This enables police forces to establish critical relationships and make more accurate timely decisions.
Since crime analysts analyze data from police reports, they frequently employ mapping software to identify trends and suspects, and offenders. For comparison purposes, crime analysts may collect data from local sources as well as national and international contacts.
Crime analysts analyze this data to provide insight into crime trends and to advise law enforcement agencies on how to increase efficiency and make the best use of their workforce and resources. Reports, graphics, visual content, and presentations are created by crime analysts. Crime analysts, depending on their specialty or focus, may assist agencies in identifying areas that require additional attention or coverage and determining equipment and training requirements.
Crime analysts work with a variety of different types of data for a variety of different purposes. They make recommendations about where and when to station law enforcement and other personnel based on strategic data. They make recommendations based on tactical data about the most effective use of resources to address immediate issues. They use administrative data to categorize leads and inbound information about a case, provide information to senior management, respond to inquiries, and analyze specific situations.
Crime Analyst Job Description
Below are the crime analyst job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a crime analyst job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a crime analyst include the following:
- Compiling and analyzing criminal data.
- Utilizing computer programs and statistical data to create a map of potential criminal activity.
- Preparing criminal reports in support of law enforcement activities.
- Developing and delivering visual presentations to law enforcement officers.
- Developing strategies for crime prevention.
- Establishing, maintaining, and updating a database of criminal activity based on a variety of data points.
- Recognizing criminal trends and providing advice to law enforcement personnel on crime prevention strategies.
- Maintaining current knowledge of police techniques and innovations.
- Preparing, analyzing, and disseminating analytical data and other pertinent information about crime series, trends, patterns, and suspect information to foster proactive and reactive law enforcement capabilities.
- Collecting data from a variety of sources and converting it to a computerized format; manipulate and analyze the data to identify trends and patterns that can be used to prevent criminal activity
- Analyzing intelligence reports and bulletins containing criminal intelligence information.
- Providing statistical data to aid in planning the deployment of resources aimed at preventing and suppressing criminal activity, assisting in investigations, and increasing apprehensions and case closures.
- Conducting a variety of sophisticated professional analyses, including geographic mapping analyses of crime, trends, patterns, and perpetrators.
- Conducting daily case reviews to identify crime trends and to inform appropriate personnel of crime trends and anticipated criminal activity.
- Providing information on crime analysis with specific investigations.
- Preparing and distributing reports, charts, publications, and other related materials to track, display, and explain crime analysis findings and activities.
Other important tasks include data research and analytics.
- Data analysis and collection
This role is heavily focused on data analysis and collection. Criminal data is gathered from a variety of sources, including community crime maps, police reports, and interviews, to gain a better understanding of the types of crimes committed in a given area. They can interpret data for the police force and provide actionable intelligence information by utilizing data analysis software such as geographic information systems (GIS) and crime mapping systems.
- Producing Reports
Following the completion of research and analysis, crime analysts typically compile reports based on their findings. Reports may contain graphs, tables, or charts that contain statistical data about current and potential criminal activity. The findings are extremely beneficial in terms of making recommendations for combating crime and allocating police resources appropriately to specific geographical areas.
- Presentation
Along with producing reports, analysts are required to present their findings to police officers and supervisors to demonstrate their support for their efforts. Presentations and community meetings are frequently used in the profession to explain the context of data and to provide clarity.
Qualifications
- A bachelor’s degree in criminology, criminal justice, statistics, sociology, or public administration.
- A minimum of two years of experience in law enforcement or data analysis is required.
- Possess an in-depth understanding of data collection, verification, and analysis.
- Extensive knowledge of anti-crime and GIS & data analytics programs.
- Ability to recognize patterns and think strategically.
- Ability to work in a team and collaborate effectively.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
Essential Skills
To track, predict, and prevent crime, crime analysts employ both qualitative and quantitative methods. Generally, police organizations seek candidates with a bachelor’s degree and the following skills:
- Analytical abilities
Since crime analysts analyze large amounts of data in support of crime prevention and policing, effective analytical abilities are a requirement for this position.
- Pattern recognition
Because criminal analysts identify crime patterns using a variety of techniques, they should be able to discern patterns from data from a variety of sources.
- Collaboration
Most crime analysts work close to police departments and officers. As a result of this, they should be able to collaborate and coordinate their efforts to advance common goals and promote public safety.
Apart from analyzing data to derive insights, crime analysts contribute significantly to the development of community and policing strategies aimed at predicting, preventing, and reducing crime.
- Communication skills
Written and oral communication skills are critical in this position, as crime analysts prepare reports and present information to law enforcement personnel.
How to Become a Crime Analyst
Crime analysts employ statistical analysis to forecast crime trends to assist law enforcement in preventing and responding to crime effectively. A person interested in pursuing a career as a crime analyst should first earn a degree from an accredited college or university. The majority of future crime analysts will study criminal justice. Nevertheless, some students pursue degrees in psychology or information systems, as well as in statistics or public administration.
However, education is only the first step toward becoming a crime analyst. Additionally, successful candidates will possess advanced computer skills and knowledge of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software, which is frequently used in crime analytics. Additionally, statistical skills, such as trend projections and regression analysis, are required. Internships are also critical for a career as a crime analyst, as very few crime analyst positions are available without at least one year of on-the-job experience.
To succeed as a crime analyst, one must possess a strong analytical streak and be comfortable processing large amounts of dry data. Another responsibility of crime analysts is to make connections between various events and factors. As surprising as it may seem, those interested in a career as a crime analyst must be equally adept at dealing with people as they are at math. Because crime analysts are frequently asked to present their findings to politicians, law enforcement officers, and administrators, interpersonal skills are critical. When a candidate decides to pursue a career as a crime analyst, he or she will select one of three specialties: tactical crime analysis, strategic crime analysis, or administrative crime analysis.
Tactical crime analysts concentrate on crimes that immediately pose a threat to society, such as robbery or burglary. Tactical analysts also use statistics to analyze violent crimes such as murder and rape. They associate offenders with a specific modus operandi (M.O.) to assist investigators in generating leads and assisting their investigations. These analysts concentrate on a narrower range of crimes than other types of criminal analysts.
Strategic crime analysts are concerned with the use of police presence to deter crime. They are primarily concerned with operational strategies, to resolve ongoing problems. These analysts identify crime patterns and match law enforcement requirements to areas with unusually high crime rates. Strategic criminal analysts are primarily concerned with preventing future crimes.
The administrative crime analyst is the most visible type of crime analyst. This analyst is frequently assigned to long-term projects. He or she prepares and presents reports on crime statistics to law enforcement and government officials. This type of work is primarily concerned with legislative and political objectives, as well as financial and organizational objectives. These analysts are frequently seen delivering speeches on crime prevention and conducting research on the relationships between crime and organizations.
Where to Work as a Crime Analyst
Criminal analysts are typically employed by police departments or other law enforcement agencies on a contract basis.
Crime Analyst Salary Scale
Crime analysts earn an average annual salary of $46,720 in the United States.