Program Overview

Crime and Intelligence Analysis Program

The Crime and Intelligence Analysis program is a certificate program offered by the College of Professional and Continuing Education at California State University, Long Beach. This program introduces students to the field of crime analysis, including the five steps in the data analysis process: data collection, collation, analysis, dissemination, and feedback/evaluation.

Program Overview

The curriculum provides an introduction to Real Time Crime Centers (RTCCs), the centralized hubs that distribute information and data to support real-time law enforcement responses to crimes and major incidents. Learners will be introduced to sources of criminal justice information and an understanding of how to collect general and specific crime data; create data tracking matrices; use data to determine the emergence of new crime problems; and prepare basic charts, graphs, and crime and intelligence analysis reports.

Program Objectives

This program will help prepare students for internships and entry-level positions in both the public and private sectors. Courses within this program meet law enforcement analyst training standards as established by the International Association of Crime Analysts and the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts.

Program Outline

The program consists of 10 modules:

1. Intro and Overview of Crime Analysis: Role of crime analysis in law enforcement, crime analysis functions and sources of information, types of crime, classifications, and radio and penal codes, data analysis, translation, and communication, computer skills including beginner Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Crystal Reports, and Tableau.
2. Crime Analysis Applications: Identifying crime patterns, forecasting crimes, identifying crime hot spots, tactical, strategic, and administrative crime analysis, eight functions of a crime analysis unit, specialized subjects including special victims, homicide, major crimes, gangs, and human trafficking.
3. Criminal Investigative Analysis: History of investigative analysis, typology and motives of crime, criminal profiling process, psychological make-up of suspects, analysis of career criminals, criminal deviants.
4. Research, Statistics, & Reporting: Research and statistics principles, concepts in research design and content analysis, sampling, survey techniques, statistics methods, research and writing, government documents, studies, and grants.
5. Criminal Intelligence Analysis: History and fundamentals of intelligence, intelligence cycle, proper handling of intel, development of intel, intel techniques and tools, applications of intelligence, briefing products, writing intel products, intel reports.
6. Social Media for the Crime Analyst: Using social media for intel and link analysis, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, open source databases, public/private databases, software programs, ethical considerations, elements of social media.
7. Crime Mapping and Spatial Analysis: Mapping usage as crime analysis tool, crime mapping methods, crime visualizing using maps, hot spots, spatial analysis and spatial statistics, map components.
8. Crime Analyst Reality: Daily analysis and creating products, Photoshop and graphic design, creating "six-packs", finding information including records, dispatch, RMS, CCTV/images, ALPR, pitching to officers and testifying in court, future of law enforcement.
9. Crime Analysis Practicum: Product review, student testing.
10. Career Preparation and Expectations: Career prep, interview strategies, getting hired, testing process, mock interviews.

Instructors

The program is taught by a cadre of experienced crime analysts, supervising crime analysts, and other law enforcement professionals knowledgeable in the fields of crime analysis, policing, and criminology. The instructors include:

• Cindy Anderson, Manager of Regional Information Services, ARJIS
• Kristin Blair, Crime Analyst, Arcadia Police Department
• Aine Eisenhauer, Civilian Investigator
• Ashley Hood, Crime Analysis Unit Supervisor, Anaheim Police Department
• Suzanna Howard, Crime Analyst, West Jordan Police Department, Utah
• Darcy Jones, Crime Analysis and Crime Prevention, Irvine Police Department
• Ashley M., Intelligence Analyst, Department of Justice
• Jenette Osborne, Crime and Intelligence Analyst, Hermosa Beach Police Department
• Martha Robbins, Crime Analyst, Huntington Beach Police Department
• Natalie Rowe, Senior Crime and Intelligence Analyst

Frequently Asked Questions

• What exactly is crime analysis?
  • According to the International Association of Crime Analysts (IACA), crime analysis is "a profession and process in which a set of quantitative and qualitative techniques are used to analyze data valuable to police agencies and their communities."
• Can I attend half of the modules this semester and half of them next semester?
  • No, you must register for all 10 modules in one semester.
• Are there financial aid or payment plan options available?
  • We do not offer financial aid, but payment plans are available.
• Do I need to be a CSULB student in order to register?
  • No, this course is not limited to California State University, Long Beach students.
• What requirements do I need to meet to register?
  • You must have graduated from high school and have an interest in working as a Crime Analyst, Civilian Investigative Support, or similar position.

Program Details

• Section Number: CPIE181.(2264-1)
• Dates: August 11, 2026 - December 12, 2026
• Schedule: See full schedule for details
• CEUs: 20.8
• Location: CSULB Online, CSULB Main Campus
• Cost: $4,500.00
• Last Day to Enroll: August 11, 2026
• Status: Available

Digital Badges

Effective January 1, 2026, all program completions will be recognized with a digital badge instead of a traditional certificate. Badges are issued immediately upon meeting program requirements and include secure, verifiable details about the achievement. From the badge dashboard, students can easily download or print a certificate if they need a hard copy. Digital badges make it simple to share accomplishments with employers—on resumes, emails, or professional platforms like LinkedIn—making it faster, smarter, and more sustainable while ensuring authenticity and easy access.