What is DSPACE?
The Data Science, Police Accountability, and Community Engagement (DSPACE) Group partners with communities to work towards data-informed police accountability. Housed within the Institute for the Quantitative Study of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (QSIDE) since 2021, the DSPACE Group serves as the Institute’s research-intensive branch in the realm of police accountability. Our team of mathematicians, statisticians, and data scientists collaborates with community members and organizations to answer challenging questions about patterns in policing. Our endeavor is to make a direct and meaningful impact to the public and to contribute to scholarly research at the intersection of data science/statistics and policing.
Recent Work
Data Collection and Analysis for Small-Town Policing: Challenges and Recommendations
According to the 2020 U.S. Census more than 60% of the U.S. population lives in towns with fewer than 50,000 residents, yet this is not in proportion with the research and public data surrounding policing, which focus on large and dense urban areas. One reason for this disparity is that studying small-town police departments presents unique obstacles.
In the research below, published August 2024 in Statistics and Public Policy, we present some of the challenges that we have encountered in studying small-town police activity such as data availability, quality, and identifiability, and our solutions to these challenges using computational tools. Finally, we give our recommendations in getting involved in this space based on our efforts to-date.
Connecting the Dots: A Preliminary Network Analysis of Complaints about Police in Minneapolis
Recent research on policing suggests that some officer behaviors, such as misconduct and use of force, can be described as social phenomena. Rather than being one-off events attributed to individual dispositions or situational factors, these behaviors often reflect peer and organizational dynamics. Scholars emphasize the role that interpersonal connections play in influencing how, when, and with whom these incidents occur. One central question that researchers ask is whether trends in misconduct, use of force, or other types of police behavior within a department tends to cluster within specific subgroup(s) of officers and, if so, what characteristics drive these patterns.
To read more about the research, collaboration, or explore the Interactive Network Visualization (pictured below), visit https://dspace-qside.github.io/posts/complaint-network/.
How Can I Join?
If you are seeking partnership with or would like to contribute to our lab, please fill out this form and one of our directors will contact you shortly.
Meet our Team!
DSPACE Director, Ariana Mendible.
Dr. Ariana Mendible is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Seattle University. Her experience in data-driven modeling led her to research that applies data science to social justice contexts. Ariana currently serves as a co-director for QSIDE’s DSPACE (Data Science, Police Accountability, and Community Engagement) Research Lab.
DSPACE Director, Claire Kelling.
Dr. Claire Kelling (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Statistics at Carleton College, and earned her Dual PhD in Statistics and Social Data Analytics from Penn State. Her research engages statistics, sociology, and data science in order to develop statistical methods for complex social science applications. Her primary focus recently is on the development of statistical methods in spatial statistics for the analysis of policing data in partnership with community members and organizations. Claire currently serves as a co-director for QSIDE’s DSPACE (Data Science, Police Accountability, and Community Engagement) Research Lab.
DSPACE Senior Researcher, Alex Wiedemann.
Alex Wiedemann (he/him) completed his PhD in mathematics at the University of South Carolina and is now a Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Computational Data Science at Hamline University. His main areas of interest are graph theory, operator theory, linear algebra, and mathematical physics, with recent projects involving spectral theory, discrete mathematics, and data-driven applications thereof. Apart from theoretical research, Alex is interested in promoting equity and justice in mathematics and in the development of teaching practices which better serve students from underserved groups. He currently serves as Chair of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility for Spectra, the Association for LGBTQ+ Mathematicians, and a member of QSIDE’s Data Science, Police Accountability, and Community Engagement (DSPACE) Lab.
DSPACE Researcher, Tim Marrinan.
I am an applied mathematician focused on bridging computational mathematics and rigorous machine learning. I am working to support the mental health of students in math and engineering, and advocating for students from historically excluded groups.
I am a member of the Data Science, Police Accountability, and Community Engagement (DSPACE) Research Lab.
DSPACE Researcher, Mia Wang.
Mia (Cong) Wang is a student researcher pursuing their Bachelor’s in Mathematics & Statistics at Carleton College. They currently serve as an active member of the Data Science, Police Accountability, and Community Engagement (DSPACE).
DSPACE Researcher, Will Asinger.
Will Asinger is a current student researcher pursuing their PhD in Biostatistics & Health Data Science at the University of Minnesota. They currently serve as an active member of the Data Science, Police Accountability, and Community Engagement (DSPACE) Research Lab.
DSPACE Community Partner, Reinvestigation Workgroup.
Reinvestigation Workgroup is a Minnesota-based volunteer investigative team that investigates cases of police violence after the official investigation is over. Reinvestigation Workgroup helps request government data, advocate for data-driven changes to police policy, and help families understand the truth of what happened to their loved ones.