Yonkers: Crime Analyst

[batt2 145]

CRIME ANALYST - EXAM

Salary/Pay Rate: $42,053 - $68,226 Posted Date: 7/22/2008

THIS IS NOT AN OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT

MUNICIPAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

40 South Broadway

City Hall Room 120

Yonkers, N.Y. 10701

A NON-REFUNDABLE $15.00 APPLICATION FEE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH SEPARATELY NUMBERED EXAMINATION FOR WHICH YOU APPLY

CRIME ANALYST

OPEN COMPETITIVE #61-355

EXAMINATION DATE: SEPTEMBER 20, 2008

FILING OPENS: JULY 21, 2008

LAST DATE FOR FILING APPLICATIONS: AUGUST 20, 2008

APPOINTING AUTHORITY VACANCIES SALARY RANGE (per annum)

City of Yonkers As they occur $42,053 - $68,226

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT WAIVED

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:

The work involves responsibility for gathering and reviewing crime incident data, arrest reports and calls for service submitted by police personnel for the purpose of identifying crime trends through statistical and spatial analysis. The work involves analyzing, categorizing, tabulating and mapping data on crimes and arrests for New York State reports, intra-departmental reports, preparing presentations to command staff and special assignments. This civilian works under the direct supervision of the police personnel with considerable leeway to exercise independent analytical judgment on findings and recommendations. This work often involves a responsibility to improve the quantity and quality of available data. The work may involve handling confidential or sensitive information. Does related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: (Illustrative only)

Analyzes the linkages and similarities between crimes, offenders, suspects and victims

and makes recommendations to Department Administrators on the current

trends based upon the analysis of crime data and various research or statistical

findings;

Reviews, analyzes and categorizes calls for service, crime and arrest data in preparing

statistical reports on crimes and arrests occurring in the geographical region;

Identifies emerging or existing crime problems and patterns, geographically and through

similar offense patterns;

Prepares crime related and other maps utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS);

Inputs and maintains data and other information in computerized records, requiring

advanced knowledge of agency procedures;

Prepares a variety of studies, reports and related information for decision-making

purposes;

Conducts research, analysis, and prepares recommendations;

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Candidates must meet the requirements of one or the following groups on or before the date of the written test.

OPEN COMPETITIVE: EITHER

A) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered graduate

school with a Master’s Degree in criminal justice, criminology, public

administration, statistics, social science or a related field and one (1) year of

experience in research, data collection and analytical report preparation; or

Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered four year

college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in criminal justice, criminology,

public administration, statistics, social science or a related field and three (3)

years of experience as described in (A); or

C) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered two year

college or university with an Associate’s Degree in criminal justice, a social

science or a related field and five (5) years of experience as defined by the limits

of (A) and (; or

D) An equivalent combination of education/training and experience as defined by

the limits of (A) through ©.

Note:

Twenty four (24) credit hours of coursework in geographic information systems and spatial analysis, or research methods and statistical analysis or information technology coursework can be substituted for one year of the required experience.

The equivalent amount of voluntary and part-time experience, including paid or unpaid internships in research, data collection and report preparation can be substituted for up to one year of the required experience.

SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION: A written test designed to evaluate knowledge, skills and/or abilities in the following areas:

1. BASIC STATISTICAL CONCEPTS

These questions test for knowledge of the analytical methods used to reduce and describe large sets of numerical data. The questions cover such areas as the organization and presentation of data, statistical terminology, central tendency, variability, the normal curve, and correlation.

You will not be required to do any substantial manipulation of data.

2. PREPARING WRITTEN MATERIAL

These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.

3. RESEARCH METHODS AND TECHNIQUES

These questions test for knowledge of the conceptual foundations for the collection and interpretation of data. The questions cover such areas as survey methods and techniques, sampling theory and techniques, and drawing conclusions from research results.

You will not be required to do any substantial manipulation of data.

4. UNDERSTANDING AND INTERPRETING TABULAR MATERIAL

These questions test your ability to understand, analyze, and use the internal logic of data presented in tabular form. You may be asked to perform tasks such as completing tables, drawing conclusions from them, analyzing data trends or interrelationships, and revising or combining data sets. The concepts of rate, ratio, and proportion are tested. Mathematical operations are simple, and computational speed is not a major factor in the test.

5. UNDERSTANDING AND INTERPRETING WRITTEN MATERIAL

These questions test how well you comprehend written material. You will be provided with brief reading selections and will be asked questions about the selections. All the information required to answer the questions will be presented in the selections; you will not be required to have any special knowledge relating to the subject areas of the selections.

UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED, CANDIDATES ARE ALLOWED TO USE QUIET, HAND-HELD, SOLAR OR BATTERY POWERED CALCULATORS. DEVICES WITH TYPEWRITER KEYBOARDS, “SPELL CHECKERS”, “PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANTS”, “ADDRESS BOOKS”, “LANGUAGE TRANSLATORS”, “DICTIONARIES”, OR ANY SIMILAR DEVICES ARE PROHIBITED. YOU MAY NOT BRING BOOKS OR OTHER REFERENCE MATERIALS

Edited July 22, 2008 by batt2