Below are some ideas for Round Table forums that we think could be interesting and useful to members of the profession. Maybe you have other ideas. Please take a look, get the wheels turning, and consider submitting an article representing your thoughts on a some topic of interest. We don't pay very well but it's still worth doing.

Be aware that your article need not be as long as some that you might find here. Also, while it would be nice to hear of your good intentions so that we can plan future updates of the web site, we certainly don't want to discourage anyone who might be afraid to make the commitment that would seem to follow such a bold move. So, if it works for you, just write quietly and submit when you're ready. Better yet, let us know as soon as you're fairly sure you have something taking shape. Whatever... just write it!

In no particular order...

1. Techniques of classification - procedures by which variants of a selected type of crime (e.g., robbery, motor vehicle theft) are classified for purposes of pattern recognition and database queries



2. Relating crimes (and "quality-of-life" incidents) to selected types of land use, such as convenience stores, bars, commuter parking lots, and others



3. The content and design of crime/incident summary (output) reports for public use (e.g., neighborhood crime watch groups, owners or officials in charge of selected properties, such as hotels, schools, or City Hall)



4. Building and maintaining the stature of crime analysis within the police department



5. "The Perfect Form": what an ideal incident, offense, or arrest form might look like, with attention to optimum blending of the narrative format with checkbox and other discrete data formats



6. Fitting the functions of the crime analysis unit to the wants and needs of the department, and dealing with their desires for products that seem unfulfilling or even a waste of your time



7. Extracting data from CAD systems into a local pc-based data management system using queries, data exporting, and, if necessary, odbc software



8. Crime analysis in support of community policing - what, why, and how



9. Using the thresholds principle to identify inordinate numbers of crimes or "lesser" incidents that are not routinely tracked (e.g., a sudden outbreak of fights and disorderly behavior calls)



10. Working with UCR data to show how your city compares with others (to satisfy City Councilors, the Mayor, the press, etc.)