Socks, cold medicine, even deodorant. Going to Target or CVS these days to grab essentials is a little more complicated as retailers lock up everyday goods in an effort to curb shoplifting. It’s enough to get shoppers frustrated and wondering “Is all this really necessary?” Just how much shoplifting and organized retail crime is hurtingContinue reading “NGN: Stores are Locking Up Everyday Goods. Is Organized Retail Theft on the Rise?”
Category Archives: Expert Commentary
Wired: Predictive Policing Software Terrible at Predicting Crimes
Crime predictions generated for the police department in Plainfield, New Jersey, rarely lined up with reported crimes, an analysis by The Markup has found, adding new context to the debate over the efficacy of crime prediction software. Geolitica, known as PredPol until a 2021 rebrand, produces software that ingests data from crime incident reports andContinue reading “Wired: Predictive Policing Software Terrible at Predicting Crimes”
Cambridge Day: Cambridge Police Launch their Justice Dashboard, Exploring Unequal Treatment by Showing Trends
The long-awaited Procedural Justice Dashboard, a major Cambridge police department project since 2019, has arrived after repeated delays from staff shortages and technological barriers. Unveiled Aug. 15, the dashboard appears to have kept many – but not all – of its promises to shed light on police interactions with the public and examine them forContinue reading “Cambridge Day: Cambridge Police Launch their Justice Dashboard, Exploring Unequal Treatment by Showing Trends”
The Philadelphia Inquirer: There Isn’t any Body Camera Footage in the Fatal Shooting Along I-95 Involving PA State Troopers
As authorities continue to investigate the fatal shooting of Anthony Allegrini Jr., who was killed by a state trooper on I-95 earlier this month, they will not have the benefit of footage from body-worn cameras to assist in their work.
The Daily Free Press: Boston Joins Program to Reduce Gun Violence Within the Next Few Years
Mayor Michelle Wu announced last Tuesday that the city of Boston aims to reduce homicide rates by participating in a new program that is designed to create Boston-specific strategies to address gun violence in the city. The program, designed by the Violence Reduction Center of the University of Maryland, brought together experts from across theContinue reading “The Daily Free Press: Boston Joins Program to Reduce Gun Violence Within the Next Few Years”
Albuquerque Journal: Study on ShotSpotter in Kansas City Finds ‘No Meaningful Change’ in Violence
ShotSpotter has been around for decades and, according to the company, has been implemented at one time or another in more than 130 cities nationwide. Although only a few years old in Albuquerque, numerous studies and surveys have been done on the technology and its effectiveness over the years. On its website, ShotSpotter described theContinue reading “Albuquerque Journal: Study on ShotSpotter in Kansas City Finds ‘No Meaningful Change’ in Violence”
Fort Worth Telegram: Robbers are Carjacking Ride-Share Drivers and Then Picking Up Victims, Baltimore Police Say
Unlike the millions of Americans who use apps such as Uber and Lyft and arrive at their desired locations, some riders in Baltimore found themselves unexpectedly shuttled to ATMs where they were robbed, police said. Police are investigating the criminal phenomenon in cooperation with ride-share companies and federal agencies. Police are looking into “a stringContinue reading “Fort Worth Telegram: Robbers are Carjacking Ride-Share Drivers and Then Picking Up Victims, Baltimore Police Say”
State Tech: Command Center Turns to Video Surveillance to Improve Response Times
After Newport News, Va., unveiled its real-time crime center (RTCC) last year, the city saw a tangible, near-immediate boost in its crime-fighting abilities, Newport News Police Department Chief Steve Drew says. “We’ve caught homicides on video,” Drew says. “Trials that may have been hung juries become plea agreements. We had a really bad carjacking, andContinue reading “State Tech: Command Center Turns to Video Surveillance to Improve Response Times”
ABC 7 Washington D.C.: I-Team Exclusive uncovers some DC police surveillance cameras broken, malfunctioning
WASHINGTON (7News) — Washington is one of the most monitored city’s in the world, but a 7News investigation is uncovering police crime cameras broken when detectives need them most. Metropolitan Police Department equipment records show 445 D.C. surveillance camera malfunctions since 2019. Police records show cameras unable to pan, tilt, zoom, produce any image orContinue reading “ABC 7 Washington D.C.: I-Team Exclusive uncovers some DC police surveillance cameras broken, malfunctioning”
Eric L. Piza, Ph.D. 