Data Mining and Predictive Analysis: Intelligence Gathering and Crime Analysis [Paperback]

Colleen McCue Ph.D. Experimental Psychology (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0750677961 | ISBN-13: 978-0750677967 | Publication Date: May 1, 2007 | Edition: 1

It is now possible to predict the future when it comes to crime. In Data Mining and Predictive Analysis, Dr. Colleen McCue describes not only the possibilities for data mining to assist law enforcement professionals, but also provides real-world examples showing how data mining has identified crime trends, anticipated community hot-spots, and refined resource deployment decisions. In this book Dr. McCue describes her use of "off the shelf" software to graphically depict crime trends and to predict where future crimes are likely to occur. Armed with this data, law enforcement executives can develop "risk-based deployment strategies," that allow them to make informed and cost-efficient staffing decisions based on the likelihood of specific criminal activity.

Knowledge of advanced statistics is not a prerequisite for using Data Mining and Predictive Analysis. The book is a starting point for those thinking about using data mining in a law enforcement setting. It provides terminology, concepts, practical application of these concepts, and examples to highlight specific techniques and approaches in crime and intelligence analysis, which law enforcement and intelligence professionals can tailor to their own unique situation and responsibilities.

* Serves as a valuable reference tool for both the student and the law enforcement professional
* Contains practical information used in real-life law enforcement situations
* Approach is very user-friendly, conveying sophisticated analyses in practical terms

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Dr. Colleen McCue pairs an educational background in neuroscience and psychology with extensive experience in the fields of behavioral science, crime analysis and intelligence gathering to create Data Mining and Predictive Analysis , a must-read for all law enforcement professionals. Within the ever-growing fields of criminal justice and crime analysis, Dr. McCue combines all facets of the public safety community, effortlessly examining techniques in which law enforcement, analysts, and researchers are able to delve deeper through her accessible explanations of relative degrees of data quality, validity and reliability; all essential tools in this modern, technological era."
- Arthur E. Westveer (Associate Professor, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University)

"[Data Mining and Predictive Analysis] is a must-read..., blending analytical horsepower with real-life operational examples. Operators owe it to themselves to dig in and make tactical decisions more efficiently, and learn the language that sells good tactics to leadership. Analysts, intell support, and leaders owe it to themselves to learn a new way to attack the problem in support of law enforcement, security, and intelligence operations. Not just a dilettante academic, Dr. McCue is passionate about getting the best tactical solution in the most efficient way-and she uses data mining to do it. Understandable yet detailed, [Data Mining and Predictive Analysis] puts forth a solid argument for integrating predictive analytics into action. Not just for analysts!"
- Tim King (Director, Special Programs and Global Business Development, ArmorGroup International Training)

"Dr. McCue's clear and brilliant guide to attacking society's greatest threats reveals how to best combine the powers of statistical computation and the experience of domain experts. Her emphasis on understanding the essential data through fieldwork and close partnership with the end users of the information is vital to making the discovered patterns "actionable". Anyone seeking to harness the power of data mining to "connect the dots" or "find needles in a haystack" will benefit from this lively and reliable book packed with practical techniques proven effective on tough real-world problems."
- Dr. John Elder (Chief Scientist of Elder Research, Inc., www.datamininglab.com)

Book Description

Cuts through the technical language of other books to provide an ideal primer for those looking to use data mining in crime and intelligence analysis

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann; 1 edition (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0750677961
• ISBN-13: 978-0750677967
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #178,569 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting in a criminalistic perspective but . . ., December 31, 2010

By 

Ricardo Martinez - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Data Mining and Predictive Analysis: Intelligence Gathering and Crime Analysis (Paperback)

From a technical perspective you won't find details about what algorithms are used and how to implement them in the real world. I came to this book looking for some field applications of DM, Instead a found a very interesting introduction to the kind of decisions related to crime prosecution and prevention without deep technical details.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Data Mining & Predictive Analysis, September 28, 2010

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mikamazon - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Data Mining and Predictive Analysis: Intelligence Gathering and Crime Analysis (Paperback)

Great book that covers numerous elements of the topic. It goes beyong just an academia understanding of the topic that is often too isolated from reality of crime(inability to understand operations by the law enforcement & its impact on the greater crime trends). Rather it focuses on an underlining issue of merging analysis & operations. The book is easy to read & is subdivided in a well progressive fashion. Any student who wish to pursue Masters in CJ or who does Behavioral Statistics must own this book!

6 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Analytics guided CSI, May 27, 2008

By 

Mary G. crissey "Mary Grace" (san antonio, tx USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Data Mining and Predictive Analysis: Intelligence Gathering and Crime Analysis (Paperback)

Dr McCue's book shows how math can be applied in the public sector today to solve problems impacting all of us - namely finding the "bad guy". The author shows how patterns in data hold the key to intelligence - just as Tom Davenport does when he talks about analytics in the business world. Competing on Analytics: The New Science of Winning.

Data mining Data Mining Techniques: For Marketing, Sales, and Customer Relationship Managementis a popular practice in the marketing field and this new book shows how data mining software is being applied in the public sector as well. With data all around us - it is essential that we begin to apply techniques and implement softwareData Mining Using SAS Enterprise Miner: A Case Study Approach that can help us make sense out of the growing amounts of information.Information Revolution : Using the Information Evolution Model to Grow Your Business

I highly recommend this book to readers in the analytical field as well as to those in the police and law enforcement practice.