sexual predator analysis system conceptual design

Miami-Dade Police Department Sexual Predator Analysis System Conceptual Design

Prepared for:

Miami-Dade Police Department Systems Development Bureau

Ira S. Feuer, Bureau Commander

Prepared by:

Miami-Dade Information Technology Department Application Consulting and Technical Services Division

Orlando Suarez, Director 29 August 2012

Juan Tobar Senior Systems Analyst/Programmer

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Background The MDPD Systems Development Bureau has requested services for the development of a Sexual Offender / Predator Analysis System (SOPAS). MDPD requires a database to assist Crime Analyst and Police Officers in the collection, query and reporting of released sexual offender and predator information. Document Objective The objective of this document is to establish a framework that can be used to develop a Sexual Offender / Predator Analysis System. Document Scope The scope of this document is as follows:

Document current processes

Document business requirements Design the database, application, queries and reports

Document GIS functions

Current Process – Analysis and Reports The Sexual Predator Unit of MDPD is charged with oversight of released sexual offenders and predators. The information to accomplish this task is currently accessed from a variety of sources including:

The FDLE web-enabled database known as CJNET,

Investigative notes,

Vehicle information from the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS)

and probation orders. Investigative notes, vehicle information and probation orders are used extensively but do not occur in digital forms. At present query and reporting functions are conducted manually and because of this the process is slow and many queries cannot be accomplished. The Sex Crimes Unit of MDPD maintains a Sex Crimes Analysis System (SCAS) for the purpose of collecting, analyzing and reporting on current sex crime investigations. As such, the database was not created with the intent of tracking released sexual offenders and predators. As already stated the Sexual Predator Unit tracks released sexual offenders / predators through CJNET. CJNET provides the most complete set of digital information currently available. The unit only uses this application for address verification because of numerous limitations and bugs. Some of the limitations of

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the application include: the inability to do update on columns other than those related to address verification, inconsistent and incomplete records in many of the tables, the inability to view updated information, an inability to query and produce reports. Diagram 1: Current Analysis and Report Process Current Process – Address Verification Address changes of Sexual Offenders / Predators on probation are reported to FDLE by Probation Officers. Address changes of Sexual Offenders / Predators not on probation are reported to FDLE by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). In addition, the Sexual Predator Unit of MDPD also provides FDLE updates through address verification using CJNET. MDPD which is charged with notifying the public receives sexual offender / predator address updates from FDLE. Residential notifications occur within 24 hours using a Reverse 911 system. Within 48 hours after receiving notification of the presence of a sexual predator, MDPD is charged with notifying each day care center, elementary school, middle school and high school within a one-mile radius of the temporary or permanent residence of the sexual predator of the presence of the sexual predator. Analysts perform the latter notification using the GIS Mapping Application. The analyst geocodes the address of the sexual predator and then performs a notification analysis that produce a report of the schools and day care centers that exist within a specified area around the address. The analysts then use this report to label mandated notification flyers and hand deliver them to the establishments. This 48-hour notification system is in place because it is the only method that guarantees the delivery of these materials within 48 hours.

CJNET Investigative

Notes

Probation Orders CJIS

Manual Queries and

Reports

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Figure 2: Current Address Verification Process

Business Requirements The Sexual Predator Unit of MDPD needs a SOPAS for the collection, analysis and reporting of released sexual offender / predator information. A Sexual Predator Unit Crime Analyst will be responsible for the entry of data into the SOPAS database this will include information from the afore mentioned investigative notes, vehicle information and probation orders. Although incorporation of the actual data behind CJNET would be beneficial it is not necessary as much of this database is unpopulated. The database will need to support basic tabular queries and the production of reports based on name, address, zip code, physical description, vehicle, victim type and modus operandi.

FDLE

DHSMV MDPD

CJNET Semi

Automated GIS Mapping Geocoding

Paper Report of Day Care Centers

and Schools

Hand Delivered

Notifications

Reverse 911 Notifications

Manual Creation of

Mailing Labels

Probation Officers

Manual Address

Input

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Diagram 3: Proposed Analysis and Report Process

There is also a need for GIS queries based on a one-mile radius of the temporary or permanent residence of sexual predators. This function as documented above is being provided through the GIS Mapping Application. The Sexual Predator Unit would like to enhance this capability by eliminating the need to type in the predator address in order to create the one-mile buffer. This can be accomplished by creating a procedure for the daily update of sexual predator locations in a GIS data set. The unit also expressed a desire to have an automated method for the creation of mailing labels for day care facilities and school within a one-mile radius of the residences of known sexual predators.

CJNET Investigative

Notes

Probation Orders CJIS

Manual Data Input

SOPAS Queries

Reports

SexPred ID# Police District Police Grid Municipality Council Dist. Com. Dist.

Automated Geocoding Procedure

Browse

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Diagram 2: Proposed Address Verification Process FDLE SOPAS Database Not withstanding the limitations expressed above regarding the CJNET application the FDLE MS SQL SOPAS database is perfectly suited for the recording of released sex offender / predators information as it was created for this purpose (Appendix A: Modified FDLE Sex Offender / Predator Database Structure). It is therefore recommended that this database be the foundation for the creation of MDPD’s own SOPAS. Modifications to this database will include the standardization of table names and fields to more closely follow MDPD established databases CAS and CIW (See Appendix B: FDLE, CAS, CIW Table Names and Fields). The FDLE SOPAS database was created for the collection of Sexual Offender / Predator information throughout Florida, as such, many of the tables can be further normalized by the simplified needs of a single county. Since the FDLE SOPAS database has been provided to MDPD in a MS SQL database format it is recommended that database standardization and normalization occur on this platform. Once in its final form this database can be recreated in ORACLE through SQL.

FDLE

DMV MDPD

CJNET

Download Data from

FDLE

Creation of Mailing Labels

Manual Notifications

Reverse 911 Notifications

GIS Mapping

Geocoding

Probation Officers

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Database and Front-end The number of users of this database will consist of the 5 or 6 individuals within the Sexual Predator Unit and the number of daily transactions is unlikely to be greater than 100 per day once all the data elements have been entered. In addition, unlike CJNET SOPAS does not necessitate the update of records by remote agencies and so a web component for data entry is not recommended. There are numerous database solutions to this project but based on these numbers ORACLE Forms or ORACLE with a Visual Basic front-end should be considered. Queries - Reports Queries and associated reports include: basic tabular queries based on name, address, zip code, physical description, vehicle, victim type and modus operandi. There is also a need for GIS queries based on a one-mile radius of the temporary or permanent residence of sexual predators. To accomplish these queries live in the application Visual Basic / MapObject components will have to be integrated into the ORACLE environment. Other GIS queries based on different types of geography other than circular buffers were considered beneficial but not essential. Data Entry/Query/Report Screens (Appendix C) Data entry screens will include the following:

Main

Data Entry o Subject information o Addresses o Alias and Ids o Pictures o Employers o Crimes and Victims o Vehicle

Query o Subject Information o Addresses o Alias and Ids o Crime and Victims o Vehicle

Reports o By Physical Description o By Vehicle o By Victim Type o By Statute

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o By Geography Automated Sexual Offender / Predator GIS Data Set Creation The FDLE Sexual Offender / Predator Unit has enabled an option for receiving a local copy of search results from their web site. With this enhancement, users can also save the results of the flyer search conducted against Sex Offender / Predator database. This feature is available to users who are authorized by the Sex Offender / Predator Unit (SOPU) at FDLE. Using this technology it is now possible to automate the creation of a sexual predator GIS data sets on a daily basis. This would occur by automating the download of a countywide search results from the FDLE web site. Geocoding these results and through a comparison of the previous days geocoded events identify new or changed records then generating a new shape file. This file could then be made available through the GIS Mapping Application to the Sexual Predator and Sex Crimes Unit of MDPD. Conclusion The Sex Offender / Predator Unit needs an application for tracking released sexual predator information and CJNET can be used as a template for the creation of a Sexual Offender / Predator Analysis System. An ORACLE database and Visual Basic front end is recommended as the tools for this implementation. Additional functionality must be added in the area of querying and report preparation.

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Appendix A: Modified FDLE Sex Offender / Predator Database Structure

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Appendix B: FDLE, CAS, CIW Table Names and Fields

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Appendix C: Data Entry/Query/Report Screens