Crime Analysis

Crime analysis is a profession that aids both the criminal justice system and private industry. Our M.S. Crime Analysis program will provide you with the theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills to be a crime analyst for various types of criminal justice, intelligence and business organizations.

In the program, you’ll develop knowledge and expertise in understanding the basics and purpose of crime analysis. You’ll study the research which indicates why using analysis can be cost effective and help criminal justice agencies to become better equipped to solve problems and make citizens safer. These techniques also help banks, insurance companies and other corporations to reduce fraud and prevent or solve crimes.

The completion of 30 semester hours of course work is required to receive the Master of Science in Crime Analysis, offered in a 3-semester format if taken full-time.

Professional crime analysis Training

• Have direct access to faculty members who are nationally known for their skills and contributions to the crime analysis field.
• Have the opportunity to work with various professionals within the criminal justice field, including police officers (all ranks), dispatchers, prosecutors, community members and administrators.
• Learn software technologies used in crime analysis.
• Become eligible for major professional discounts, such as Fraternal Order of Police and Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association discounts.
• The M.S. Crime Analysis degree can be completed within one year.

The crime analysis program is taught by practitioners who bring years of experience in the field. Most of our instructors have worked as crime analysts within large metropolitan police departments, and the majority of our faculty are currently working in the field that they are teaching. Most are members of the International Association of Crime Analysts, have held administrative positions for this organization, including president, and are widely published in the field. These practitioners bring their real-world experiences to the classroom to ensure that you gain the skills you’ll need to be successful in the field.

In the program, you’ll be exposed to how police, state and governmental agencies use intelligence. You’ll also learn how law enforcement uses social media to investigate and communicate with the public. The program offers evidence-based policing concepts related to how law enforcement approaches gangs, financial crimes and drugs.

Spatial theories and the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) will help you in identifying hotspot mapping and temporal analysis.  You’ll be exposed to using GIS to help make Compstat or managerial meetings more effective by using good cartography to get your message across to the end user. You’ll learn how to bring data together with various agencies such as government, business and non-profits to create crime reduction strategies. The program culminates with a practical capstone exercise to put all the skills you’ve learned into action.

ohio police officer training academy (opota)

To be a sworn police officer in Ohio, you must successfully complete the Ohio Police Officer Training Academy (OPOTA). Tiffin University partners with Terra State Community College to include the cost of the academy in tuition and can be earned in just one semester.

This unique training academy is state mandated for all police officers and covers firearms, legal administration, human relations, traffic, patrol, driving, subject control, investigations, civil disorder, physical conditioning and other aspects of law enforcement. Students apply direct, hands-on practice in the crime lab, firing range and police cruisers. With experienced, certified instructors and hands-on application, our students consistently achieve passing rates on the state-certified exam. Once graduates of the program earn the certification, they are immediately eligible for full-time employment.

As problem solving is a fundamental part of the field of crime analysis, your exposure to a vast array of professionally focused instructors will instill in you the importance of critical thinking and collaboration. Most every course presents opportunities for spirited debate among students who are already professionals in the field. Group work is constant and replicates the cooperation needed for success as a criminal justice leader.

bringing knowledge to practice

• Acquire the necessary skills to analyze crime patterns for agencies of all sizes.
• Learn various software technologies, including Microsoft and GIS software.
• Join the International Association of Crime Analysts as a student member and begin to stay connected to the discipline early in your academic journey.
• Write practitioner and academic articles and present at conferences, which often lead to receiving job offers or acceptance into doctoral programs.
• Create a personalized crime analysis project in the capstone course to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and abilities to future employers.

FORMAT

Online – Offered in two terms per semester starting in January, March, May, July, August and October

SAMPLE COURSES

Crime Analysis Project (ENF627) – Capstone course utilizing the skills for other analysis courses, the student will work with an instructor to develop a crime analysis project. This project will describe a defined problem, set parameters for solving the problem, select tools and options for choosing a correct path for solving the problem. The project does not necessarily have to involve crime analysis but it must approach a significant problem that any police department might experience. To be taken in the last semester.

Contemporary Criminal Justice: Issues and Trends (JUS510) – Provides a contemporary overview of the criminal justice system with a focus on current trends, major crime problems and statistics, crime control issues, the nature and causes of crime, justice agencies and personnel, key decision-making by justice agents and the changing features of the American legal system and criminal justice agency management which impact the quality of service to community residents.

Research Design and Analysis (JUS515) – Examines various research design models applied to the study of crime and agency administration issues. The course concludes a discussion of the philosophy of scientific inquiry, the discovery and conceptualization of research questions (descriptive, relational, and casual), the operationalization of project concepts and variables, conduct of the study, data analysis, formulating conclusions and generalization of findings. This course will allow students to analyze various research designs such as historical, legal, action, quasi-experimental, experimental, content analysis, polling, meta-analysis, data mining, citation analysis, policy analysis, investigative reporting, action research, comparative method, observer, participant-observer, micro history, ethnography, oral history, symbolism, photographic analysis, geographic information systems, program evaluation, evaluation, survey research and other designs and methods. Students will also read and practice policy decisions from report research.

Statistical Applications in Criminal Justice (JUS320) – Explores and applies practical statistical methods to the relevant work of criminal justice agents, managers and executives. The course will focus on statistical methods to prepare students to be intelligent consumers of reported research, to apply appropriate statistical analysis to various types of research designs, to report criminal justice agency performance results and to identify and use various criminal justice statistical data sources in print and electronic form.

All MSCJ concentrations offered:

• Crime Analysis
• Crime Science
• Criminal Behavior
• Forensic Psychology
• Homeland Security
• Homeland Security Administration
• Justice Administration

The M.S. Crime Analysis program will prepare you for a multitude of careers in the criminal justice field and/or private industry. The field of crime analysis has been growing significantly over the past couple of decades. There are many career opportunities available for individuals interested in the field.

CAREERS

• Anti-Money Laundering Analyst
• Attorney General’s Office Investigator
• Crime Analyst
• Crime Research Analyst
• Criminal Intelligence Analyst
• Detectives and Criminal Investigators
• Management Analysts
• Operational Support Technician
• Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers
• Postsecondary Teachers
• Supervisory Death Investigator

where tu grads have worked

• American Express
• Cuyahoga County
• Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)
• Erie Crime Analysis Center
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Franklin County Children Services
• Houston Police Department
• Narcotics and Organized Crime Task Force of Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office
• Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office
• Tampa Police Department
• Transportation Security Administration

WHAT IS CRIME ANALYSIS?

Crime analysis includes a set of evidence-based analytical techniques and processes used to analyze crime and security data to support planning and implementing security and other resources to reduce the risk of future crimes.

WHAT IS A MASTER’S IN CRIME ANALYSIS?

A master’s in crime analysis provides students with a theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills to be a crime analyst for various types of criminal justice, intelligence and business organizations. Students will develop knowledge and expertise in understanding the basics and purpose of crime analysis. Students will study the research which indicates why using analysis can be cost effective and help criminal justice agencies to become better equipped to solve problems and make citizens safer.

WHAT can i do with A degree IN CRIME ANALYSIS?

With a degree in crime analysis, you will be qualified for a variety of career opportunities, including anti-money laundering analyst, attorney general’s office investigator, crime analyst, crime research analyst, criminal intelligence analyst, detectives and criminal investigators, management analysts, operational support technician, police officers, postsecondary teachers and more.