The purpose of Administrative Analysis is to familiarize students with the work products they will encounter as administrative analysts. Students are shown what these statistics mean by definition and concept. Although students may already have a job as a tactical or strategic analyst, more likely than not the work of the administrative analysis will fall on their lap at some point in their careers. This might mean everything from helping to plan for an agency’s personnel needs to analyzing response times for service calls. Professionals might even be asked to compile monthly statistical reports that reflect crime trends within a specific jurisdiction or to analyze racial profiling data.
It is likely the tasks you will have to perform will involve the statistics you've learned, but there may be occasions when you’ll have to step out of your comfort zone. Don’t stress out and never do anything you are not comfortable with, without the guidance of a trained professional. Networking with other analysts is very beneficial because you will have someone to turn to when you have a question or concern.
One great way to network is to join a crime analyst association or list server in your area. These associations not only have meetings and conferences that will help expand your knowledge of crime analysis, but they are also a wonderful way to enhance your contacts in the field.
As an analyst, it is important to be well versed in the crime definitions established by the Uniform Crime Reporting program. This program helps agencies categorize incidents in order to ensure and maintain nationwide uniformity in crime reporting for statistical purposes. According to the program, there are two distinct types of crime: Part I (more serious offenses) and Part II (less serious offenses). It is important to be able to tell the difference between them and to report a crime accurately.
This course is designed to improve students' ability to explain the differences between Part I and Part II crimes, as well as how the Uniform Crime Reporting program and its definitions affect nationwide reporting of crime statistics. You should also be able to interpret crime figures in a report tailored for police administration.