The Australian Institute of Criminology
recently released a study exploring the viability and utility of
predictive policing techniques in an Australian
context. Titled, 'Predictive policing in an Australian context:
Assessing viability and utility' the study's authors were
Daniel Birks, Michael Townsley and Timothy Hart. It examines the
spatio-temporal patterns of burglary, theft of motor vehicle, and
theft from motor vehicle offences in three distinct local
government areas in Queensland.
In this post, we will explore the key findings of the study and
consider the potential implications of predictive policing for law
enforcement in Australia.
What is predictive policing?
Predictive policing is a technique that uses mathematical
algorithms and data analysis to identify areas where crimes are
likely to occur in the future. The idea behind predictive policing
is to proactively deploy police resources to prevent crime before
it happens. The technique's
