Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
The Hotspot Matrix as a framework for the spatio-temporal targeting of crime reduction
Jerry Ratcliffe
Temple Universitywww.jratcliffe.net
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Intelligence-led crime reduction
UK Criminal Intelligence Strategy Group (Working Group 3) said:
“Analysts should not simply provide management with statistics and colourful
charts but a real understanding of criminal activity and the direction in tackling it.”
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Four intelligence products
UK National Intelligence Model
StrategicAssessments
TacticalAssessments
TargetProfiles
ProblemProfiles
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Four intelligence products
UK National Intelligence Model
Aim: Identify established and emerging crime/incident series and hotspots.
Purpose: Assist investigative needs, hotspot management, targeting, crime reduction and prevention.
StrategicAssessments
TacticalAssessments
TargetProfiles
ProblemProfiles
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
The Hotspot Matrix as a framework for the spatio-temporal targeting of crime reduction
Need to communicate fairly simple ideas to busy people
Lack of environmental criminology knowledge in practitioner community
Establish a common language for ourselves and the practitioners
Take ‘what works’ further
Process not dependent on particular software
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Temporal components
Diffused
0000Time
f
1200 2359
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Temporal components
Focused
0000Time
f
1200 2359
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Temporal components
0000Time
f
1200 2359
Acute
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Spatial components
Dispersed
++ +
+
+
+
+++
+
+
+
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Spatial components
Clustered
++
+
+++
+ ++
+
++
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Spatial components
Hotpoint
++++++++++++
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Spatial components
Hotpoint
+
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Hotpoint
Acute
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Dispersed
Focused
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Dispersed Clustered Hotpoint
Diffused
Focused
Acute
++ +
++
+
+++
+
++
++
++++
+ ++
+
++ +
Housing estate
Hotspot Matrix
Uniform vehicle patrols Foot patrols Plain clothes patrols
Uniform vehicle patrols Foot patrolsSurveillance and plain
clothes foot patrols
Unmarked vehicle patrols
Surveillance and plain clothes patrols
Surveillance and arrest squads
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Short term
Hotspot
Matrix
Dispersed Clustered Hotpoint
Diffused
Focused
Acute
++ +
++
+
+++
+
++
++
++++
+ ++
+
++ +
Prevention
Detection
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Long term
Hotspot
Matrix
Dispersed Clustered Hotpoint
Diffused
Focused
Acute
++ +
++
+
+++
+
++
++
++++
+ ++
+
++ +
Prevention
Prevention
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Dispersed Clustered Hotpoint
Diffused
Focused
Acute
++ +
++
+
+++
+
++
++
++++
+ ++
+
++ +
Housing estate
Hotspot Matrix
Uniform vehicle patrols Foot patrols Plain clothes patrols
Uniform vehicle patrols Foot patrolsSurveillance and plain
clothes foot patrols
Unmarked vehicle patrols
Surveillance and plain clothes patrols
Surveillance and arrest squads
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Dispersed Clustered Hotpoint
Diffused
Focused
Acute
++ +
++
+
+++
+
++
++
++++
+ ++
+
++ +
Housing estate
Hotspot Matrix
Uniform vehicle patrols, architectural changes
Random breath tests, foot patrols,
architectural changes
Plain clothes patrols, random breath tests,
private security, CCTV
Uniform vehicle and foot patrols, improved
lighting
Vehicle and foot patrols, private
security, improved lighting
Surveillance units, plain clothes foot
patrols
Unmarked vehicle patrols, private
security, improved lighting
Surveillance and plain clothes patrols, CCTV
Surveillance, arrest squads, CCTV,
unmarked police units
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Caveats
First step
No definitive rules for classifications
Contents of the matrix are examples only
Could have a more complicated matrix…
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
Summary
Simple to use and communicate
Not software dependent
Practitioners and academics could fill in what works, and communicate using a common language
Temple UniversityDepartment of Criminal Justice
The Hotspot Matrix as a framework for the spatio-temporal targeting of crime reduction
Awaiting publication in Police Practice and Research Copies of the paper and slides are at jratcliffe.netClick on Conference notes
Jerry Ratcliffe
Temple University
www.jratcliffe.net