Police in Cleveland are hoping to predict crime patterns through a study conducted by a superintendent seconded to the University of Teesside.
Superintendent Ashley Blackett, Cleveland police head of complaints and discipline, started a two-year research project funded by the university's school of social sciences in May .
Entitled The Longitudinal Survey of Crime and Disorder in Cleveland, it will compile crime data to build a model for predicting what types of offences are most likely to occur.
Superintendent Blackett said: "Our research will identify future trends in crime and the police can use this to adjust resources accordingly."