Author Archives: SpotCrime

Addressing gun violence, pattern-or-practice investigations, community-led responses to public safety, the rising homicide rate post Ferguson, undue influence of surveillance tech companies on policing, improving crime data to make better policy, transparency in police departments, and more… POLICE CONDUCT The People’s Response Act would establish a division within the Department of Health and Human ServicesContinue reading “Week of July 5, 2021”

Crime rate post pandemic, tackling gun violence, using data to stop crime, facial recognition tech rules blurred, body cam footage transparency, crime data transparency, license plate reader data shared transparently by police departments, some states working to make raps sheets disappear, and more… POLICE CONDUCT Police chief to provide update on pairing mental health cliniciansContinue reading “Week of June 14, 2021”

Federal law enforcement requires body cameras causing local Sheriff’s offices to pull deputies, police union contracts, access to public police scanners ends in Honolulu, data transparency failures of the Clery Act, ghost guns a problem in Philly, Dallas crime reduction plan working, racial profiling report compliance in Texas, and more… POLICE CONDUCT Minneapolis illegally withholdingContinue reading “Week of June 7, 2021”

Police reform, police conduct, morale low in Boston, violent crime increase to stall criminal justice reform, clearance rates low in some cities, Ring to make police requests public, Citizen employees raise concern, private control over policing reduces transparency, Houston’s transparency hub, and more… POLICE CONDUCT ‘We’re not afraid of transparency’: Phoenix Police Chief Jeri WilliamsContinue reading “Week of May 31, 2021”

Gun violence trends, body cam transparency, body cam law Botham Jean Act about to pass, reimagining police a year after George Floyd, will the anti-hate crime law fail, predictive policing leads to lists of suspects who have not committed any crimes (yet), do license plate readers enhance patrols, police reform, and more… POLICE CONDUCT TheseContinue reading “Week of May 24, 2021”

Complaints plummet after body cams,  police unions shift stance, broken windows policing, body cam transparency, police misconduct, gun violence, crime rate, anti-Asian hate crime legislation passed,  and more… POLICE CONDUCT Complaints against police plummet after body cams (WJAR) ‘This is a huge step for law enforcement.’ Police unions shift stance on protecting bad officers (CNN) The CloudedContinue reading “Week of May 17, 2021”

Arnold Ventures, a non-profit with focus on criminal justice reform, recently published the report “Because the Road to Reform is Paved by Data. CAMPAIGN FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE DATA MODERNIZATION”. The report notes that effective police reform relies on gathering data in order to effectively assess the criminal justice system and support reforms and restore public trust.Continue reading “Arnold Ventures Criminal Justice Data Report Aligns With SpotCrime’s Approach To Open Crime Data”

Accessibility to body cam footage, looking at misconduct record laws in all 50 states, policescorecard.org launches, crime jumps after policing reform then lowers, hate crimes on the rise, opioid crisis, tracing guns from violent crimes, technology used to track crime, fair and accurate recidivism forecasts, over half a million people with intellectual disabilities in prison,Continue reading “Week of May 10, 2021”