Using Flow Charts to Navigate Data Analysis in a Public Safety Open Data Exchange

• In Event: The Washington State Data Exchange for Public Safety

Abstract

There are a handful of open-source data websites in the US that provide access to policing data, as well as tutorials on performing methods to analyze it. While these resources are widely used and have been popularized, few systematically organize the various methods used to study different types of such data. For this reason, we construct an interactive flow chart that includes tutorials on how to implement different methods of data analysis based on the type of research questions asked and the type of variables being explored within the data set. Some analysis methods we discuss include data clustering and classification, time-series analysis, and variable-importance analysis. Our flow chart targets four stakeholder groups: the public, police agencies, legislators, and experts. Our interactive chart aims to educate these people on how to analyze and understand police data in a user-friendly way that can provide insights into important policy questions and increase public safety.

Authors

• Elizabeth Thompson, Washington State University

• Wooyoung Kim, Washington State University

• Dean Johnson, Washington State University

• Bala Krishnamoorthy, Washington State University