Project Summary:
Intelligence-led policing (ILP) is a conceptual framework that prioritizes the use of data and analytical methods to inform strategy and tactics. A group of justice agencies, led by the New Jersey State Police (NJSP), institutionalized the use of ILP to support criminal investigations across New Jersey. The bedrock of this effort was the establishment and dissemination of the Backtrace system—a repository of criminal justice data that integrates live feeds of over 30 separate data sources. The comprehensive collection and management of crime related data in Backtrace provides law enforcement with timely tactical, investigative and strategic intelligence on violent crime incidents, suspects, victims, and geographic locations over time. This project uses a mixed-method design to analyze how ILP disseminated across New Jersey and its effect on shooting case clearance rates.
Project Description:
This project leverages 10 years (2015 – 2024) of data from the NJSP Backtrace system as well as surveys and interviews with Backtrace users to explore 5 research questions: 1. What are the different categories of Backtrace users and what types of data do they use?; 2. How do the different Backtrace user categories report incorporating intelligence data?; 3. How do power users tactically use Backtrace data to support priority strategies and interventions?; 4. What effect did Backtrace upgrades have on user login activity and case clearance rates?; 5. What intelligence characteristics and user search behaviors are significantly related to case clearance?
This project is funded by the National Institute of Justice, grant number 15PNIJ-24-GG-02572-RESS
