Predictive Policing: A National Discussion

This week in Los Angeles, California, the Justice Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) hosted the Nation’s first symposium on Predictive Policing. Predictive policing is a relatively new law enforcement concept that integrates approaches such as cutting-edge crime analysis, crime fighting technology, intelligence-lead policing and more to inform forward thinking crime prevention strategies and tactics.

The Justice Department is supporting activities in a number of police departments nationwide, some of who are participating in demonstration projects of specific predictive policing models. A list of those projects is located, here (PDF). The newly confirmed Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs, Laurie Robinson, provided luncheon remarks on Thursday and introduced keynote speaker Former Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton. In addition, Acting NIJ Director Kristina Rose, and Acting BJA Director James Burch, spoke with Southern California Public Radio along with Chief Bratton about the importance of using information to drive innovative crime fighting strategies. The interview can be heard, here. Although we have made impressive gains in reducing crime over the last 10 years in this country, we still face unacceptable pockets of violent crime in some neighborhoods. This symposium was an important forum for bringing together researchers, practitioners, and leaders to develop and discuss the concept of predictive policing and its impact on crime and justice. Leading criminal justice policymakers and practitioners had the opportunity to explore current issues and the future of prediction in criminal justice. In addition, attendees discussed what Predictive Policing is, where it is being practiced, and what we can learn from those experiences to develop a concrete strategy that can be replicated across the country. The 2½ -day workshop is a springboard for action. Following the symposium, the group, comprised of police chiefs, federal law enforcement experts, criminal justice researchers, and national police organizations, will begin a national dialogue about Predictive Policing and its future in the criminal justice field. Innovative strategies, such as Predictive Policing, can help us understand our communities better and make us better partners in carrying out the mission of the Department of Justice. This symposium will help us define for the field how we should be moving forward to meet the challenges of law enforcement in a new era.