Adam Gartenberg's Blog

IBM SPSS Predictive Analytics Helps City of Memphis Reduce Serious Crime by More Than 30%

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• Author: Adam Gartenberg
• July 22, 2010
• Category:  IBM  SPSS  Memphis 

Along with yesterday's report about the benefits Sun World is getting from predictive analytics comes another case study with very impressive results.  

IBM has been worked with the Memphis Police Department (MPD) to enhance its crime fighting techniques through the use of IBM predictive analytics software.  As a result of these efforts, the City of Memphis is reporting a 30% reduction in serious crime, including a 15% reduction in violent crimes since 2006.  These gains come from the ability to identify trends, forecast "hot spots" and proactively deploy resources and personnel to the areas that will need it most.

From the press release (Memphis Police Department Reduces Crime Rates with IBM Predictive Analytics Software):  "Aware that traditional policing approaches were becoming less effective, MPD created Blue CRUSH™, or CriminalReduction Utilizing Statistical History, an innovative, evidence-based approach using IBM predictive analytics software, built in partnership with the University of Memphis' Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice."

Blue CRUSH uses IBM SPSS predictive analytics software to analyze past and present information and create multi-layer maps of crime "hot spots" based on various arrests and incidents. MPD is able to evaluate incident patterns throughout the city and connect the dots — such as outside of concert venues; or crime trends, such as increased car burglary on rainy nights. The software enables Blue CRUSH to analyze an array of data in areas as wide as the city's entire nine precincts or narrowed down to a single block.

Analyst firm Nucleus Research independently studied the deployment, and found that MPD recorded an 863 percent ROI in just 2.7 months, an average annual benefit of $7,205,501. You can download their full case study here.  This unique approach to fighting crime earned IBM and Memphis Police Department a 2010 Technology ROI Award from the firm.

You can also hear MPD Colonel James Harvey discuss how the department is using IBM predictive analytics software in the Blue CRUSH program here.

Link:  Memphis Police Department Reduces Crime Rates with IBM Predictive Analytics Software

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