Development of Web-Based Application for Crime Report Handling in Police Force A Case of Jubek State, South Sudan National Police Services

ABSTRACT 

Paper based system for handling crime reporting becomes one of the challenging methods in police services globally ever since paper was invented. The South Sudan National Police Services (SSNPS) uses this system for handling crime reporting. This system presents a number of challenges such as a delay in disseminating crime reports by victims or witnesses, misplacement or loss of crime recorded files from the Police shelves and inconsistency of suspect documentation due to wrong manipulation or alteration by some individual in the Police offices. Many studies have reached the importance of Police Force in crime report and investigation process; however few researches have focused on how to handle crime report and hence law enforcement agency experienced trouble with methods of handling crime reports. This research work focused on the development of a web-based application for enhancing crime report and investigation in the Police Forces. This is based on qualitative and quantitative approach using cross-sectional design. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods were used for Police departments data including structured questionnaires and interviews with some Police personnel and a thematic analysis was conducted based resulting in emerging coding categories. Then four constructs such as suspect identity/recorded information, crime details, digital and physical evidences were analyzed using questionnaires and interview guide respectively. The results indicated that respondents are concerned about the loss, misplacement and manipulation of the crime details, suspect identity/recorded information, physical and digital evidence respectively in Polices Services. Secondly after the data were analyzed, then web-based application was designed. This was done to illustrate the user functional requirements using unified modeling languages (UML) by envisioning Use case diagrams, activities diagrams, class diagram and deployment diagram. Thirdly web-based application was implemented using PHP, HTML and Java script programming languages and database system using MYSQL programming language. Finally, the web-based application was tested and validated to ensure that its actual requirements and specifications are met. In conclusion based on the finding the researcher recommended that the Police Force need to put more emphasize on effective utilization of crime reporting factors to mitigate and reduce risk of losing evidence, assigned officer is needed to supervise the uses of application implemented in the Police Forces to make sure it is used for right work and moreover organizing training should be done to the Police officers for effective operation and management of the web-based application system.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION...............................................................................

APPROVAL ................................................................................................................................... i

DEDICATION................................................................................................................................ i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT........................................................................................................... iv

ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................... v

TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................ vi

LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................... xii

LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................................... xiii

CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................... 1

1.0 Introduction..............................................................................................................................1

1.1 Background of the Study .........................................................................................................1

1.1.1 Historical Perspectives..........................................................................................................1

1.1.2 Theoretical Perspective.........................................................................................................3

1.1.3 Conceptual Perspective ........................................................................................................3

1.1.4 Contextual Perspective .........................................................................................................4

1.2 Problem Statement...................................................................................................................4

1.3 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................................5

1.4 Objectives of the Study ............................................................................................................5

1.4.1 General Objectives................................................................................................................5

1.4.2 Specific Objectives ............................................................................................................... 5

1.5 Research Questions..................................................................................................................6

1.6 Scope of the Study ....................................................................................................................6

1.6.1 Geographical Scope ..............................................................................................................6

1.6.2 Theoretical Scope ..................................................................................................................6

1.6.3 Content Scope ........................................................................................................................7

1.6.4 Time Scope .............................................................................................................................8

1.7 Significance of the Study .........................................................................................................8

1.8 Operational Definitions of Key Terms ...................................................................................8

1.9 Organization of the Research Study ......................................................................................9

CHAPTER TWO ........................................................................................................................ 11

LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................................................... 11

2.0 Chapter Overview..................................................................................................................11

2.1 Crime Report Handling .........................................................................................................11

2.2 Development of Web-based Application..............................................................................12

2.3 Theoretical Model Supporting the Study ............................................................................13

2.3.1 Hybrid Evidence Investigation Theory.............................................................................13

2.4 Review of Related Literature ................................................................................................15

2.4.1Weakness and Strength on the Web-based Application ..................................................18

2.5 Research Gaps........................................................................................................................19

2.6 The Conceptual Framework ................................................................................................ 20

2.6.1 Explanation of Theoretical Framework ........................................................................... 21

2.6.1.1 Suspect Identity ............................................................................................................... 22

2.6.1.2 Crime Details................................................................................................................... 22

2.6.1.3 Physical Evidence .............................................................................................................22

2.6.1.4 Digital Evidence................................................................................................................23

2.6.1.5 Victim-Witness Survey ....................................................................................................23

CHAPTER THREE.................................................................................................................... 25

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................. 25

3.1 Research Design .....................................................................................................................25

3.2 Population of the Study .........................................................................................................25

3.3 Sampling Strategy..................................................................................................................25

3.4 Sample Size .............................................................................................................................25

3.5 Data Collection Instruments .................................................................................................26

3.6.Validity and Reliability of Research Instruments...............................................................27

3.6.1 Validity .................................................................................................................................27

3.6.2 Reliability .............................................................................................................................28

3.7 Tools and Technologies Used for the Proposed Web-based Application..........................29

3.7.1 Data Analysis Tools.............................................................................................................29

3.7.2 Models Design Tools ...........................................................................................................29

3.7.2.1 Use Case Diagram............................................................................................................30

3.6.2.2 Sequence Diagram ...........................................................................................................30

3.7.2.3 Activities Diagram............................................................................................................30

3.7.2.4 Class Diagram ..................................................................................................................31

3.7.2.5 Deployment Diagram.......................................................................................................31

3.7.3 Technologies for Implementing the Web-based Application..........................................31

3.8 Application Development Process ........................................................................................32

3.9 Data Collection and Analysis Process and Ethical Consideration of the Participations.33

3.10 Order of Information in South Sudan National Police Services......................................34

3.11 System Information Flow....................................................................................................35

CHAPTER FOUR....................................................................................................................... 37

ANALYSIS, DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION, TESTING AND VALIDATION OF THE WEB-BASED APPLICATION.................................................................................................. 37

4.0 Chapter Overview..................................................................................................................37

4.1 Analysis of Research Findings and Discussions ..................................................................37

4.1.1 Basic Background Information of Respondents ..............................................................37

4.1.1.1 Gender of Respondents....................................................................................................37

4.1.1.2 Level of Education............................................................................................................38

4.1.1.3 Years of Work Experience ..............................................................................................39

4.1.1.4 Police Department............................................................................................................39

4.1.2 Findings of Objective One ..................................................................................................40

4.1.2.1 To Investigate the Existed Problems Of Crime Reporting System in Jubek State, South Sudan National Police Services.....................40

4.1.2.1.1 Suspect Identity/ Recorded Information.....................................................................40

4.1.2.1.2 Crime Details.................................................................................................................41

4.2 Discussion of Results..............................................................................................................42

4.3 Objective Number Two..........................................................................................................44

4.3.1To Design a Model of Web-based Application for Crime Reporting System in Jubek State, South Sudan National Police Services................44

4.3.1.1 Architectural Modeling of Web-based Application......................................................47

4.3.1.2 Web-based Application for Crime Report Handling: Activities Diagrams................48

4.3.1.3 Web-based Application for Crime Report Handling: Use Case Diagram..................50

4.3.1.4 Web-based Application for Crime Report Handling: Sequence Diagram .................53

4.3.1.5 Web-based Application for Crime Report Handling: Class diagram.........................58

4.3.2 Database Design ..................................................................................................................59

4.3.2.1 Data Tables.......................................................................................................................60

4.4 Objective Number Three.......................................................................................................64

4.4.1 To Implement the Web-based Application for Crime Reporting System in Jubek State, South Sudan National Police Services...........................64

4.4.1.1 Home Page ........................................................................................................................65

4.4.1.2 Registration Form............................................................................................................65

4.4.1.3 Contact Form....................................................................................................................66

4.4.1.4 Users’ Login Panel ...........................................................................................................67

4.4.1.5 Police User Home Page ....................................................................................................68

4.4.1.6 Victims Information Report Form .................................................................................69

4.4.1.7 Suspect Information Report Form .................................................................................69

4.4.1.8 Crime Information Report Form ...................................................................................70

4.4.1.9 Admin Home Page Panel.................................................................................................71

4.5 Objective Number Four.........................................................................................................72

4.5.1To Test and Validate the Web-based Application to ensure that it’s Actual Requirements and Specifications are met...................72

4.5.1.1 Components Testing and Validation ..............................................................................72

4.5.1.2 System Testing and Validation .......................................................................................74

4.5.1.3 System Usability Testing and Validation Using Experts ..............................................78

4.6 Deployment of Web-based Application............................................................................... 79

CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................................ 81

CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CHALLEGES ........................................... 81

5.0 Chapter Overview..................................................................................................................81

5.1 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................81

5.2 Recommendations of Research Findings .............................................................................83

5.3 Recommendation for Future Research Areas.....................................................................83

5.4 Challenges of the Research Study ........................................................................................84

REFERENCES............................................................................................................................ 85

APPENDICES ..............................................................................................................................90

APPENDIX A: RESPONDENTS QUESTIONNAIRES ........................................................90

APPENDIX B: INTERVIEW GUIDE .......................................................................................93

APPENDIX C: HOME PAGE CODES .....................................................................................94

APPENDIX D: USERS LOGIN CODES...................................................................................96

APPENDIX E: USERS REGISTRATION CODES ...............................................................100

APPENDIX F: SUSPECT REGISTRATION FORM CODES ...........................................1066

APPENDIX G: CRIME REGISTRATION FORM CODES.................................................111

APPENDIX H: VICTIM REGISTRATION FORM CODES ...............................................116

APPENDIX I: BUDGET SUMMARY...................................................................................1433

APPENDIX J: STUDY PLAN SCHEDULE ........................................................................1444