Invited Sessions

The invited sessions panelists will be renowned experts in computing and geospatial fields from governments, universities, and industries.

 

Geospatial Technology Research for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice

Organizers:

Ronald Wilson
Program Manager
Mapping and Analysis for Public Safety (MAPS) program & Data Resources Program at National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
United States Department Of Justice (U.S. DOJ)

Timothy Brown
Senior Consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton
Research Associate, MAPS Program at National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
United States Department Of Justice (U.S. DOJ)

1) Bringing Geography to the Practice of Analyzing Crime through Technology

Authors: Ronald Wilson and Timothy Brown, NIJ - U.S DOJ

Paper Abstract: The automation of geography through the continued development of software has allowed for advancements in the study of the spatial aspects of crime. The Mapping and Analysis for Public Safety (MAPS) Program at the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) continues to work toward the integration of geographic theories and principles into the technologies used to study crime. Specifically, the MAPS Program promotes advancement in the field through its grant-funded research on geospatial technologies. The main focus of future solicitations will be the development of cutting edge geospatial software, but also with an increased interest in geospatial sensor technologies, spatial cognition technologies, and location-based technologies and analysis.

2) Implementing a Bayesian approach to criminal geographic profiling

Authors: Mike O’Leary, Department of Mathematics, Towson University

Keywords: Criminology, Geographic profiling

Paper Abstract: The geographic profiling problem is to create an operationally useful estimate of the location of the home base of a serial criminal from the known locations of the offense sites. We have developed and released new software based on Bayesian methods that attempts to solve this problem. In this paper, we discuss some of the geographic and computational challenges in implementing this new method.

3) The Development of Urban Crime Simulator

Authors: Jay Lee and Chaoqing Yu, Department of Geography, Kent State University

Keywords: Urban growth, Crime, Simulation, Neighborhood life cycle, Routine activities theory, Deviant places theory

Paper Abstract: Based on routine activities theory, deviant places theory, and neighborhood life cycle concepts, an Urban Crime Simulator was developed to allow estimation for changes in crime rate in urban neighborhoods to be made when changes in the characteristics of the neighborhoods are known or can be projected. The developed simulator is fully integrated with GIS-formatted data and operational environment. It enables users the flexibility of choosing neighborhood attributes that best fit their experience and knowledge of local neighborhoods. In addition, the selection of neighborhood attributes to be included in the simulation can be made based on localized trends that best fit routine activities and deviant places theories.

4) New Tools for Statistical Point Pattern Analysis on Networks with Large Datasets

Authors: Luc Anselin, Serge Rey, and Andrew Winslow, GeoDa Center for Geospatial Analysis and Computation,
School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning

Paper Abstract: This paper presents preliminary results from a multi-year research project on "Flexible Geospatial Visual Analytics and Simulation Technologies to Enhance Criminal Justice Decision Support Systems." We discuss and apply several new geospatial technology tools for exploratory spatial data analysis developed at the GeoDa Center for Geospatial Analysis and Computation. The focus of this paper is on local crime hotspot analysis that takes network structures (such as streets) into account. The incorporation of networks overcomes the limitation of traditionally applied cluster methods, which assume that an event can be located anywhere. However, in practice, there are often limitations to the possible locations of crimes that are constrained by or related to street networks. Further, the featured tools work efficiently with large datasets, leverage the parallel architecture of modern desktop CPUs, work on Windows and Mac platforms, are user-friendly and do not require the installation of additional software. The benefits of taking networks into account for hotspot analysis are illustrated in case studies using crime data from police departments of the City of Mesa, AZ and Tempe, AZ.

5) Mobile Application for First Response and Emergency Evacuation in Urban Settings

Authors: William Ribarsky, KR Subramanian, Jianfei Liu, Onyewuchi Obirieze, and Jack Guest, Charlotte Visualization Center, Dept. of Computer Science, The University of N. Carolina at Charlotte

Paper Abstract: This work builds on a system we have developed for situation-aware mobile routing and response in an urban environment. The system permits police or other first responders to carry models of collections of often large scale, multi-floor urban buildings they encounter in urban environments. The responders must enter, find their way around, and coordinate activities with other responders and command personnel. Coordination requires overall understanding by command personnel of where first responders are (including directing these personnel), where occupants or victims are, where they are going, and what they might do. In addition, coordination may need to take into account response to the actions of perverse independent agents, such as shooters or other criminals. The system supports all this in multiple ways including permitting the responder or commander to determine shortest path 3D routes between floors in real-time, including updates of routes when path-blocking obstacles are present, locations of other responders, and locations of things of interest with respect to the responders current position (e.g., victims, flammable or dangerous materials, etc.). This paper will present some first results for this mobile system in terms of two real-world cases involving police responders: (1) response to a shooter or potential shooter in one or more large urban structures; (2) emergency evacuation in a large urban structure. The real world cases are developed as exercises with police and homeland security personnel. The paper demonstrates the need for tight integration of information provided or displayed through the command interface and the mobile interfaces. The command interface, in particular, must organize and disseminate a substantial amount of information in a timely manner. The paper will also describe initial evaluations of the interfaces and plans for improvement.