GeoProfile
Click the image for a screenshot tour of GeoProfile.
Features
Interactive Street Map
The probability map is overlaid an interactive street map for easy exploration of the profile down to the block level and beyond.
Capture More Information Per Profile
Each profile includes over half a million points of probability. This resolution, which is significantly higher than other software, allows you to make better informed decisions even at the highest levels of zoom.
Toggle Crime Scenes
Incidents can be toggled on and off for inclusion in the profile using the checkboxes; the profile can then be easily reanalyzed in seconds. Investigators are encouraged to include every incident that may be a part of the series. If they learn later that the scene is not linked to the series, then it can be turned off.
Prioritize Suspects
GeoProfile ranks suspects based on their location within the profile using a metric called search cost. Either hand-enter suspects for viewing on the map or upload a list containing thousands of potential suspects (e.g. sex offender, parole and probation lists). GeoProfile will return the list reordered to reflect their rank and report each person’s search cost.
View Custom Report
Each profile comes with a custom report that summarizes the series, ranks suspects and provides detailed information on interpreting and using the profile. You are free to include any part of the document in your own reports as well as modify the content to fit your agency’s needs.
Export Profiles
Profile can be exported to the KML format for viewing in Google Earth. The exported profile includes crime scene information, suspect rankings and excerpts from the report as popup info windows.
Enjoy the Confidence of an Expert Review
Each profile is reviewed by myself or another geographic profiling expert at no extra cost to ensure that the series was imported and analyzed correctly.
What is GeoProfile?
Geographic profiling has been around for nearly twenty years. However, it has yet to see widespread use by investigators. This could be because geographic profiling software is either too expensive or too difficult to use. After extensive research into the theory and practice of geographic profiling, I realized it didn’t have to be either.
As a student of the Forensic Psychology M.A. program at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, I decided to use my thesis to make geographic profiling accessible to any law enforcement agency that wanted to incorporate the practice into their investigations. My research involved designing, developing and testing the accuracy of a new geographic profiling application built around four core principles: simplicity, speed, affordability and accuracy. Read the thesis. The result was GeoProfile, an intuitive and affordable web-based geographic profiling application.
What is geographic profiling?
Geographic profiling is the practice of using the psychology of spatial behavior and target selection to predict where a serial offender operates out of. The output of a geographic profile is a probability map, depicted as a contoured or blended heat map, that provides investigators with areas to search for the offender. Investigators can use the profile to prioritize suspects and leads, canvas neighborhoods, distribute information requesting help from the public and saturate patrols. Learn more about geographic profiling.
How do I analyze a series with GeoProfile?
Click here to learn the four easy steps to analyzing a series with GeoProfile. You will be viewing your geographic profile in minutes.
How much does GeoProfile cost?
$49 per series.
I initially—and naively—wanted to offer GeoProfile free of charge. However, the operating costs for GeoProfile ended up dictating that I charge for its use. However, I designed GeoProfile in such a way that I do not have to charge much to make up for my expenses. So when I partnered with BAIR Analytics to make GeoProfile available to the widest possible law enforcement audience, I stipulated that GeoProfile be kept as affordable as possible. Consequently, GeoProfile was priced below most agencies’ petty cash limit—meaning investigators do not have to cut through any red tape to use GeoProfile in most cases.
Why is GeoProfile a web-based application?
The major reason for creating GeoProfile was to increase the accessibility of geographic profiling. Unfortunately, computers—especially those used by law enforcement agencies that are often strapped for cash—can become an obstacle to using the latest technology. Agencies use different operating systems of various ages and employ a wide range of security procedures.
An online application offers several advantages. There are no files to download and nothing to install. That means no admin or write privileges are needed to get started. Updates are incorporated automatically and silently on the server so agencies never have to do anything to take advantage of the latest features. Furthermore, it doesn’t matter which operating system an agencies uses—as long as they have a somewhat modern browser, they have access to geographic profiling. Finally, the online nature of GeoProfile provides a centralized location for you geographic profiles. Investigators can share profiles with others in your agency or fusion center by simply sending them the login information, regardless if the work in the same building or across the state.
Can a geographic profiler analyze my series instead?
Yes. I am available to analyze your series through BAIR Analytics. The geographic profile will include a detailed report with expert analysis, suspect prioritization, investigative suggestions, access to the profile in GeoProfile and discussion of the series with myself. Click here to be taken to the contact form on BAIR Analytics’s website where you can request a geographic profile.
Can I have my investigators or analysts trained in geographic profiling?
Yes. I am available to train law enforcement investigators and analysts to perform geographic profiling through BAIR Analytics. Training courses will be structured to fit your needs. Courses usually run from one to five days and will focus on the tools of your choice (CrimeStat, Dragnet, ArcMap, GeoProfile or even Excel). Click here to be taken to the contact form on BAIR Analytics’s website where you can request training.