The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents has approved creation of Tarleton State University’s Institute for Predictive and Analytical Policing Sciences, a part of the School of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Strategic Studies.
“The institute comes at a time when racial profiling, use of force and increased police officer safety are of national concern,” said Tarleton President Dr. James Hurley. “The institute will strengthen the criminal justice community worldwide by encouraging policies and practices based on robust academic research.”
The institute was created to foster evidence-based research in predictive policing — the application of analytical quantitative techniques to identify likely targets for police intervention and prevent crime or solve past crimes through statistical predictions.
“We expect the institute to lead efforts toward a better understanding of criminal justice data,” said institute Director Dr. Alex del Carmen, Associate Dean of the School of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Strategic Studies. “Our first steps will involve analyzing racial profiling data across the state with the intent of better understanding patterns and practices.”