What is the Institute for Governmental Service and Research?
Continuing its nearly 60-year commitment to public service, the University of Maryland established the Institute for Governmental Service and Research (IGSR) in October 2006 through the consolidation of the Institute for Governmental Service (IGS) and the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR). The Institute provides applied research, outreach, and technology innovations that meet the needs of state and local government in areas such as public health, criminal justice, organizational effectiveness, leadership and governance, land use and growth management, fiscal analysis, and infrastructure financing.
What is the project "Implementing and Institutionalizing CompStat in Maryland"?
The project “Implementing and Institutionalizing CompStat in Maryland” is a sister project to the initiative “Maryland Crime Analysis Training and Technical Assistance;” in that the two projects complement one another and the project team is the same for both. The former has the overarching goal of expanding the implementation and institutionalization of CompStat to as many Maryland police agencies as possible by providing tailored assessments and recommendations for adopting and improving CompStat, training, and technical assistance as well as making available standardized systems for crime analysis and accountability. Like the Crime Analysis Initiative, the project team is a combination of researchers and practitioners with experience implementing and working with the important components of CompStat—supervision and management, crime analysis, and problem solving. A multi-phased plan has been designed and implemented to assist Maryland law enforcement agencies in implementing and institutionalizing CompStat into their organizational structures. To access more information about CompStat and IGSR’s efforts, visit the website for the project at www.compstat.umd.edu. The Maryland Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention has also funded the “Implementing and Institutionalizing CompStat in Maryland” project (Grant # BJAG-2007-1106) through the Byrne-Justice Assistance Grant Program, funded 100% by federal money for a total of $198,937.
What is the difference between CompStat and Crime Analysis?
Occasionally, the terms “CompStat” and “crime analysis” are used interchangeably, but it is important that the difference between the two is understood, because they do refer to two different concepts. CompStat refers to a police management model in which analysis of crime and disorder data, and strategic problem solving are facilitated through a clear accountability structure in order to address crime and disorder problems. CompStat, when executed correctly, encourages the use of accurate and timely analysis of crime and disorder data to develop tailored responses implemented through rapid deployment of personnel and resources. The accountability structure is key to the CompStat process, as it ensures that analysis is acted upon and the responses are implemented correctly as well as assesses whether responses are effective.
Crime analysis, on the other hand, is not a management process, but is “the systematic study of crime and disorder problems as well as other police-related issues—including socio-demographic, spatial, and temporal factors—to assist the police in criminal apprehension, crime and disorder reduction, crime prevention, and evaluation” (Boba, R. Crime Analysis with Crime Mapping, 2008: Page 3). Although crime analysis is integral to CompStat, CompStat is not necessary for an agency to conduct and gain benefits from crime analysis, and, in fact, many agencies utilize the results of crime analysis but have not implemented CompStat. For this reason, the crime analysis resources provided through the “Maryland Crime Analysis Training and Technical Assistance” initiative are intended to assist agencies with their overall crime analysis capacity, no matter the management strategy used in the agency.