The Importance of Feedback in a CGIC
The Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) model is a seven-step process designed to identify prolific shooters, disrupt criminal activity, and prevent future gun crime. CGICs rely on the use of crime gun intelligence generated through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to identify prolific shooters and remove them from the communities they harm. Each step of the process involves various stakeholders who must work in coordination to accomplish the ultimate goal of reducing violent gun crime. The final step of this model involves providing feedback to CGIC’s internal and external participants. This feedback is crucial to the cyclical nature of the CGIC workflow as it motivates stakeholders to participate in the CGIC process.
All personnel involved in the CGIC process should routinely receive feedback to reinforce the importance of the CGIC program and the critical role that each person or unit plays in its success. Feedback can be provided in various ways and should include the community in addition to law enforcement, prosecution partners, and other CGIC stakeholders. The community should be provided with feedback regarding the CGIC's successes and the work that is being done to combat violent crime. In turn, the community could provide law enforcement with information about crimes that are happening in their neighborhoods. Feedback helps generate awareness of the violent crime impact that the CGIC can have, which promotes buy-in and program sustainability.
Core Components
There are four main components for a successful CGIC feedback mechanism: internal feedback, distributing success stories, community feedback and outreach, and public information campaigns. Each feedback method serves different audiences to gain buy-in from all relevant CGIC stakeholders. The following sections will highlight feedback components examples with templates that agencies can adopt as their own.