Below is a list of common questions and answers regarding our CRIMECAST® products.
Please view the answers by clicking on the questions.
Q. What are the specific components of a CRIMECAST® score?
Answer: The CAP Index crime forecasting model incorporates a wide
variety of information from the following sources: neighborhood demographic and
physical housing data; Uniform Crime Reports/Government Crime Data; National Crime Surveys; local
police data; and company crime loss reports from all of the major industries. It
is important to note that ethnicity is NOT a factor in our model.
Q. What does a CRIMECAST® report contain?
Answer: A sample CRIMECAST report provides "Past", "Current" and
"Projected" CRIMECAST scores relative to the national, state and county average
of 100. We provide CRIMECAST scores for ten (10) different crime categories and
a total of ninety (90) crime risk scores per location. Custom samples may also be
generated at CAP Index's discretion.
Q. What do the scores mean?
Answer: CAP Index's scores range from 0-2000 with one hundred (100)
being the average for each geographic comparison. A National Current CAP score of
270 means the address has a 2.7 times higher likelihood of a crime occurring there
than the national average when comparing this site to every addressable location
in the United States. A State Current CAP score of 450 means the address has a 4.5
times higher likelihood of a crime occurring than any addressable location within
that particular state. The County scores compare the address to the rest of the
county in which it is found. This allows for an objective comparison when comparing
a "high risk" location in a "high risk" area vs. a "high risk" location in an otherwise
"low risk" area.
Q. How was the CAP Index model created and how is it validated?
Answer: The CAP Index model was created and is continuously maintained
by a team of Criminologists, Statisticians, Security and Mapping professionals.
The model contains the weighted averages of seven dozen demographic variables as
well as numerous sources of historical reported crime. We conduct ongoing validation
research with individual clients and industry groups, comparing their actual incident
history to our projections. The demographic databases included in the model are
updated on an annual basis, ensuring the most up-to-date crime forecasting information
available while allowing users to objectively compare risk at one location to any
other location within the country in which they reside.
Q. What is the difference between the FBI's Uniform Crime Report(UCR) and CAP Index
scores?
Answer: The UCR represents historical crime counts voluntarily
provided to the FBI by most, but not all of the police departments in the United
States and is subject to differences in their reporting practices. It is collected
to give a general overview of the rate of crime in U.S. cities by measuring the
number of incidents per 100,000 population. The UCR does not recognize any one section
of a city as more or less risky than another. Additionally, the UCR does not forecast
crime because it is not address-specific nor is it available for all areas.
Q. Are the CRIMECAST® scores alone sufficient to evaluate the risk at a location?
Answer: Many corporations rely solely on CAP Index for their crime
risk assessment. We advise, however, that companies make an effort to accumulate
whatever information is available for a given location, including crime loss reports,
police data, neighborhood security practices, and any other "due diligence" indicated
by local, state and national industry standards.
Q. What is the difference between national, state and county scores?
Answer: The national score compares the crime risk at a specific
location to the crime risk at "Main Street, USA". The national score allows you
to compare multiple sites, regardless of location, to each other with a common baseline.
Thus, you can compare the risk at a location in New York City to a location in Los
Angeles without poring through and interpreting subjective police data.
Q. Does the presence of an above-average CAP Index score automatically make a company
liable for any crime on their property?
Answer: No. The majority of CAP Index's clients utilize our data
to determine their risk of crime in order to address it properly. It is entirely
possible and appropriate for a business to identify high crime risk, implement appropriate
security measures, and operate a safe and profitable business. The risk of crime
alone does not dictate either that a company should not locate in an area, or that
they assume responsibility for any and all criminal acts.
Q. Are CAP Index reports frequently used to support legal opinions in Inadequate
Security and Premises Liability lawsuits?
Answer: Yes. Since incorporating in 1988, CAP Index has served
thousands of corporate clients interested in protecting their employees, visitors
and other invitees. Many of our clients share our information internally between
their Security, Real Estate, Risk Management and Legal Departments and utilize it
whenever appropriate.
Q. What does "CAP" stand for?
Answer: Crimes Against Persons or Crimes Against Property