Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety (DDACTS) integrates location-based crime and traffic data to establish effective and efficient methods for deploying law enforcement and other resources. Using GIS mapping to identify areas that have high incidences of crime and crashes, DDACTS uses traffic enforcement strategies that play a dual role in fighting crime and reducing crashes and traffic violations. Drawing on the deterrent of highly visible traffic enforcement and the knowledge that crime often involves the use of motor vehicles, the goal of DDACTS is to reduce the incidence of crime, crashes, and traffic violations across the country. This has proven to be an effective, predictive, location-based policing approach to crime and traffic safety that delivers law enforcement services at the right place and at the right time.

DDACTS relies on prompt collection and analysis of crash and crime data to provide actionable reports that inform tactical and strategic decisions of a law enforcement agency. Agencies currently participating are: Baltimore County, Maryland Police Department; Lafourche Parish, Louisiana Sheriff’s Office; Nashville, Tennessee Police Department; Shawnee, Kansas Police Department; Fitchburg, Massachusetts Police Department; St Albans Police Department and Vermont State Police; and Washoe County, Nevada Police Department.

IADLEST provides project management and workshop implementations for DDACTS. The National Highway Transportation Saftey Administration, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and the National Institiute of Justice are collaborating to promote and support DDACTS.

For further information, visit the DDACTS web site at http://www.nhtsa.gov/ddacts or email DDACTS@dot.gov.