Which type of crime analysis focuses on short-term trends?

Tactical crime analysis is primarily concerned with short-term trends and immediate crime patterns. This type of analysis assists law enforcement in responding quickly to crime outbreaks and in deploying resources effectively. By identifying patterns and spikes in crime over a limited timeframe—often days or weeks—tactical crime analysts can provide actionable intelligence that helps in real-time decision-making. This could include analyzing recent crime data to inform patrol strategies, community alerts, or operational plans aimed at addressing a specific spike in criminal activity.

In contrast, strategic crime analysis typically deals with long-term trends and focuses on broader patterns and systemic issues over a longer period, often months or years. Administrative crime analysis is more focused on policy development, budgeting, and evaluating the effectiveness of law enforcement strategies rather than on immediate crime responses. Incident crime analysis usually refers to the examination of specific crimes as they occur without the broader context of ongoing trends and does not necessarily focus on both the rapid changes and overall patterns that tactical analysis addresses. Therefore, tactical crime analysis is the correct choice as it specifically targets the short-term adaptation to crime trends.