This spring I will be teaching a new graduate level course, Crime Science. A better name for the course would be evidence based policing tactics to reduce crime — but that name is too long!

Here you can see the current syllabus. I also have a page for the course, which I will update with more material over the winter break.

Given my background it has a heavy focus on hot spots policing (different tactics at hot spots, time spent at hot spots, crackdowns vs long term). But the class covers other policing strategies; such as chronic offenders, the focused deterrence gang model, and CPTED. We also discuss the use of technology in policing (e.g. CCTV, license plate readers, body-worn-cameras).

I will weave in ethical discussions throughout the course, but I reserved the last class to specifically talk about predictive policing strategies. In particular the two main concerns are increasing disproportionate minority contact through prediction, and privacy concerns with police collecting various pieces of information.

So take my course!