The criminal justice system is constantly changing.

The criminal justice system is constantly changing.

The criminal justice system is constantly changing. As our population increases, types of crimes change and crime rates fluctuate, the criminal justice system must change its tactics to stay relevant and manage these new developments. Utilizing intelligence-led policing (ILP) is one way to keep up with the changing trends in the criminal justice system.As such is multifaceted as it relates to enforcing the law, the apprehension of offenders, prevention of crime, predicting crime, preserving the peace and providing services during incarceration and post release.Carter and Phillips (2015) reflect that ‘a shift in organizational philosophy and practices required if we are to use criminal justice data to inform evidence-based decision making.ILP provides strategic integration of intelligence analysis into the overall mission of the organization rather than simply being an information clearinghouse that has been appended to the organization.’ Too often, those working the front line of criminal justice agencies respond to crime or incidents based upon their training and gut instincts.Leaders within the field, must understand and address issues based upon data and research to reduce incidents within corrections and crime within society.ILP is a way to use empirical data to drive decisions and manage how we deal with certain crimes in each phase of the system.“In 2011, John H. Laub, then Director of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), called for the creation of a culture of science and research within the institute.”He wanted the institute to embrace the data derived from criminal justice agencies transparency to have a critical perspective to show what strategies work in the area of criminal justice (Schmalleger, 2015).Virginia Department of Corrections is an agency that utilizes data to drive decisions within the organization. Virginia has the lowest recidivism rate in the nation at 23.4% due to the implementation and use of evidence based practices and enhanced reentry services that focus on the necessary skills required to successfully reintegrate into society (Nolan, 2016).

Fusion centers focus on creating an integrated national network of state and major urban area crime information.The goal is to create a more comprehensive threat picture, locally and nationally (Schmalleger, 2015).ILP links directly to the necessity for fusion centers.It is imperative that all localities share data and information on the state and international level.As this is the only way that we can truly be proactive and accurately study crime statistics and data.While fusion centers are useful, the question of privacy continues to come up as the manner in which information collected and shared varies across the forty-nine states that the centers operate in.Access to information systems is carefully controlled by law enforcement agencies because of concerns about privacy, sensitive threat information and historical information that is confidential and should only be shared with law enforcement personnel (Carter et el., 2016).

The necessity of information sharing and policing focused on the data has greatly increased since the events of September 11, 2001 as referenced by Schmalleger (2015).Proverbs 1:1-33 reflects “to know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance.”The key to understanding our criminal justice system and the trends within it is to study and utilize the data across our nation.This data should drive how policies and laws are implemented in addition to how we manage those that are incarcerated and those reentering society.The knowledge obtained should be studied to make the system better for the criminal justice employees and those managed within the system.

References

Carter, J. G., Carter, D. L., Chermak, S., & Mcgarrell, E. (2016). Law Enforcement Fusion Centers: Cultivating an Information Sharing

Environment while Safeguarding Privacy. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 32(1), 11-27. doi:10.1007/s11896-016-

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