Temporal Analysis of Crime Patterns and Forensic Resource Allocation in Ibadan Metropolis

Temporal analysis of crime patterns enables forensic investigators and law enforcement administrators to optimise resource allocation, staffing, and preventive deployment based on evidence-based understanding of when crimes cluster. This study conducts a temporal analysis of crime patterns in Ibadan Metropolis, Oyo State, using recorded incident data from 2019 to 2024, with a specific focus on the implications for forensic resource allocation. An empirical analytical design was employed, extracting 2,400 geocoded and time-stamped crime incident records across six offence categories from the Oyo State Police Command database, applying time-series analysis and temporal clustering algorithms to identify daily, weekly, and seasonal patterns. The study then models optimal forensic team deployment schedules based on predicted crime peak periods. Findings reveal distinct temporal clustering across offence types: armed robbery peaks between 9 pm and 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays, while vehicle theft and domestic assault follow distinct diurnal patterns. Seasonal analysis identified an eighteen percent increase in property crime during the December-January festive period. The proposed forensic deployment model demonstrates a projected twenty-six percent reduction in scene response times through temporally optimised scheduling. Recommendations include the adoption of temporal crime analysis as a routine management tool within the Ibadan forensic unit and investment in predictive analytics software for the Oyo State Police Command. Keywords: temporal analysis, crime patterns, forensic resource allocation, Ibadan, Oyo State.