To help answer this, we conducted the first scientific experiment on the effect of profiles used in active police investigations. To do this, we trained one police department to use new statistical profiles in their investigations, while three nearby departments continued their standard policing techniques. One year later, we compared results. Our experiment found that the police department using the profiles solved over 260% more crimes compared to the departments not using the profiles. This experiment provides the best empirical evidence of the real-world effects of profiling, and they are quite positive. However, results were based upon statistically generated profiles and may differ for profiles developed using less sound statistical methods.
