Frequently Asked Questions

How is HunchLab different from other crime analysis software?

HunchLab does more than just displaying crime incidents on a map and alerting users when simple thresholds are exceeded.      

At the core of HunchLab is geographic data mining.  By detecting statistically significant changes in the rate of crimes in a given area, HunchLab identifies areas where crime levels are truly changing helping analysts to focus on areas that need attention.  HunchLab also enables agencies to apply proven criminology research to generate risk forecasting maps to allocate limited resources more effectively.

There are many great crime mapping packages on the market; but there are few crime analysis packages that go beyond simple visualization.  We've built HunchLab to assemble advanced crime analysis algorithms into one easy-to-use tool that is entirely web-based.  A tool that satisfies both the most basic crime mapping needs of an officer and the most advanced risk assessment needs of an analyst; a tool that helps your agency go beyond dots on a map.

How much does it cost?

It varies. Each deployment of HunchLab is customized to integrate into the client's existing environment. The cost of acquiring HunchLab consists of software license fees and implementation services. Your agency may also need to license third-party software and services depending on your needs. We can easily prepare a quote based on your specific needs.

Where does HunchLab get its data?

HunchLab utilizes the incident data that your agency is already collecting.  The system is customized to fit your agency's crime classification system (classes and codes) and custom geographic areas (districts, beats, etc.).  HunchLab is integrated with your operational datastores such as your records management system (RMS) and computer aided dispatch (CAD) databases and fetches new data on a schedule that you define.

Will HunchLab slow down my operational datastores?

HunchLab only needs to communicate with your operational datastores at the regular interval of your choosing to import new data -- usually daily or hourly.    All data mining and user queries within HunchLab are performed against this optimized database so that your operational datastores are unaffected.

Where is the data stored?

To maximize security, HunchLab stores your data on your servers.  HunchLab requires no communication outside of your network.

How often does HunchLab analyze data?

Most processes within HunchLab are performed on the schedule of your choosing.   Additional analyses are performed when a user prompts the system to execute them so that HunchLab can take into account the options they specify.  If your agency has real-time data systems, HunchLab can be configured to analyze a real-time stream of incidents.

What do you mean by forecasting?

No software can predict the future with complete accuracy.  What software can do is identify geographic patterns in crime to forecast aggregate incident levels and increases in risk levels across a jurisdiction based on spatial analysis.   While not generating perfect forecasts, analytic approaches have been shown to result in better deployment strategies than deploying resources based on simply assuming that historic crime hotspots represent what will happen again.

How do I know the statistics and forecasts are correct?

Azavea works with leading criminologists and statisticians to implement analysis and forecasting techniques based on sound academic research.  We operationalize these techniques into features that are fast and easy-to-use.  While the source code and performance optimizations we've developed for HunchLab are proprietary, the techniques themselves are openly available for explanation, criticism, and improvement.  Unlike some software vendors' "black box" algorithms, your staff can see and adjust the analytical variables in HunchLab. 

Want us to explain in detail how something works?   Just ask.