INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS AND CRIME INVESTIGATION

By Sanela Nikolic

- One of the law enforcement strategies is Intelligence Analysis as well as Crime Analysis, patrol, and field operations. Intelligence analysis is the process by which the information collected about an enemy is used to answer tactical questions about current operations or to predict future behavior.

Sometimes, there is confusion about the difference between intelligence analysis and criminal intelligence. Information from the intelligence unit is typically considered confidential and thus is perceived to be of greater value because of its sensitive nature. On the other hand, crime analysis information is less sensitive and is used more widely throughout agencies.

The purpose of intelligence analysis is to reveal to a specific decision-maker the underlying significance of selected target information. Analysts should begin with confirmed facts, apply expert knowledge to produce plausible but less certain findings, and even forecast when the forecast is appropriately qualified.

Also, is very simple to understand the differences between criminal intelligence and criminal information. Information is essentially raw data, without any analysis, while Intelligence is processed information, often from multiple sources.

Understanding properly the difference between these terms and how they interact is important, even at an early stage, and leads to key differences.

In its simplest form, intelligence analysis is about collecting and utilizing information, evaluating it to process it into intelligence, and then analyzing that intelligence to produce products to support informed decision-making.

We have three types of criminal intelligence: administrative, strategic, and tactical.

Administrative crime analysis is the presentation of findings of crime research and analysis based on legal, political, and practical concerns to inform the law enforcement administration, the city government, and citizens. The primary purpose of administrative crime analysis is to inform audiences. An example of administrative crime analysis is to post information on the police department’s website to inform citizens and the community. Besides citizens, the audience can include police personnel, businesses, victims, criminals, and the media.

Strategic crime analysis is the study of crime and police information, which assists in problem-solving, as well as research and evaluation responses and procedures. This type of crime analysis is used for identifying problems and potential approaches for dealing with them.

Tactical crime analysis is the study of reported crime, calls for service, and other related information in order to inform short-term operational crime control activities and problem-solving. Tactical crime analysis deals with immediate criminal offenses to promote quick response. Criminal intelligence analysts research and analyze data to detect and protect against crime.

Criminal investigation is a multi-faceted, problem-solving challenge. Arriving at the scene of a crime, an officer is often required to rapidly make critical decisions, sometimes involving life and death, based on limited information in a dynamic environment of active and still evolving events. After a criminal event is over, the investigator is expected to preserve the crime scene, collect the evidence, and devise an investigative plan that will lead to the forming of reasonable grounds to identify and arrest the person or persons responsible for the crime.

Intelligence analysis aids investigations by helping to target available resources and identifying information gaps to focus the investigation more clearly.

Criminal intelligence analysis permits law enforcement authorities to establish a proactive response to the crime.

Law enforcement need intelligence to create reports, briefs, threat assessments, and other intelligence products to aid in the prevention and deterrence of crime.

Accurate, timely, and relevant analysis is a critical component in crime prevention and crime-fighting efforts. Criminal intelligence analysts use many resources and copious data to identify patterns of criminal behavior to assist officers, detectives, and other professionals.

We have five basic steps in the crime analysis process:

-the collection

- categorization

- analysis

- dissemination

- evaluation of information.

We can say that the primary purpose of crime intelligence analysis is to support and assist the operations of a police department by criminal investigation, patrol activities, crime prevention, and resolving problems. Intelligence in criminal investigation is very important because provides the knowledge on which are based decisions and then selects appropriate targets for investigation.

Criminal intelligence is particularly useful in cases of organized crime.

It enables to identify and understand of criminal groups who are operating in areas.

In any case, criminal intelligence analysts will use the intelligence cycle.

The intelligence cycle is a model that describes the process by which data and information can be meaningfully converted or developed into intelligence. It is a process used by analysts to create intelligence.

The process allows the intelligence analysts to identify the Information and develop an intelligence plan to collect the information which are required.

Criminal Intelligence refers to the knowledge essential to the prevention of crimes and the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of criminal offenders. Intelligence in combination with traditional policing methods, uniformed officers, and civilian analysts, collect and analyze information from a variety of sources in order to advance criminal but also terrorist investigations.

By Sanela Nikolic,

Police Officer, Crime Analyst

General Director of IPO Headquarters &

IPO LED - Law Enforcement Department