Graduation Year

2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.A.

Degree Name

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Degree Granting Department

Criminology

Major Professor

Bryanna Fox, Ph.D.

Co-Major Professor

Shayne Jones, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Wesley Jennings, Ph.D.

Keywords

experiment, policing, profiling, replication

Abstract

This study used a quasi-experiment in order to evaluate the effect the SPOT-burglary profile on burglary arrest rates. A single police agency split into three different districts was used for the quasi-experiment. The SPOT-burglary profile was implemented in one district, while leaving the other two as control groups. The differences between the districts were controlled for using a statistical analysis. Burglary arrest rates were collected each month for all three districts for a period of one year before the implementation, and for six months after the implementation. Results show that the district who received the SPOT-burglary profile raised their burglary arrest rates by almost 75% in only 6 months, even after controlling for all relevant variables. This shows that the experimental intervention, the burglary profile, had a significant effect on the intended outcome- burglary arrest rates. The results of this study suggest that the SPOT-burglary profile may be able to provide law enforcement agencies with another tool to help increase burglary arrest rates in the future.

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