The dissertation A Behavioral Approach to Modus Operandi: Incident Form Completion and its Effect on Predictive Analysis can be found at this link.
So much emphasis on data-driven policing minimizes the shortfalls of how data is actually collected in policing, as well as the true quality problems of the data. Read this paper to expand your thinking about these issues.
The United States Secret Service guides below will give you a better understanding of the criminal activity known as business email compromise (BEC).
A Guide to Business Email Compromises
Anatomy of a Business Email Compromise
"RISS offers law enforcement agencies and personnel a full range of diverse and far-reaching services and programs to assist agencies, from the beginning of an investigation through the prosecution and conviction of criminals. Law enforcement personnel can query intelligence databases, retrieve information from investigative systems, solicit assistance from research staff, utilize surveillance equipment, receive training, and use analytical staff to help apprehend, prosecute, and convict criminals."
Analysts can access RISS to get additional information for their investigations. Here is the link.
Federal Directory of Training: Training Opportunities for State, Local and Tribal Law Enforcement is a page with links to agencies providing such training. Check it out here.
Why Law Enforcement Needs to take a Science-Based Approach to Training and Education is a report available at this link.
"Law enforcement has experienced significant challenges in 2020.
Recent events have sparked a nationwide discussion on the role law enforcement plays in society. As such, our communities are demanding and deserve highly trained law enforcement personnel equipped with the decision-making skills required to handle the increasingly complex calls for service that officers face nationwide.
This can only be accomplished by evaluating current police training methods against what science has proven to be effective. To this end, IADLEST and its Partner Advisory Committee (IPAC) have created a digital report as a reference guide for chiefs, sheriffs, mayors, risk managers, Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Directors, training academy directors and all those who have an investment in police training and education.
Use this tool to transform the quality of your law enforcement training and education in ways that will contribute to lasting progress."
CompStat360: Data Tricks and Tips for Working with Complex Data from National Police Foundation on Vimeo.
PREDICTIVE POLICING: The Role of Crime Forecasting in Law Enforcement Operations is a 2013 RAND report available at this link.
"Smart, effective, and proactive policing is clearly preferable to simply reacting to criminal acts. Although there are many methods to help police respond to crime and conduct investigations more effectively, predicting where and when a crime is likely to occur—and who is likely responsible for prior crimes—has recently gained considerable currency. Law enforcement agencies across the United States are employing a range of predictive policing approaches, and much has been written about their effectiveness. This guide for practitioners offers a focused examination of the predictive techniques currently in use, identifies the techniques that show promise if adopted in conjunction with other policing methods, and shares findings and recommendations to inform future research and clarify the policy implications of predictive policing."
While technology develops swiftly and has improved since 2013, this report is still very useful in articulating important predictive policing concepts, including predictive policing myths.
Looking for more OSINT resources?
Visit Awesome OSINT on GitHub at this link.
A curated list of amazingly awesome open source intelligence tools and resources. Open-source intelligence (OSINT) is intelligence collected from publicly available sources. In the intelligence community (IC), the term "open" refers to overt, publicly available sources (as opposed to covert or clandestine sources).
The January 2018 Police Executive Research Forum report The Changing Nature of Crime And Criminal Investigations is available at this link.
"The reality is that the science of criminal investigations is changing rapidly, and many law enforcement agencies are not prepared for the changes that are taking place. This report is a wake-up call for the policing profession. If we are to be successful in combating crime in the 21st century, agencies must have the training, tools, and skilled personnel to understand the changing nature of crime and to be resourceful in investigating new types of crime."
The excerpt below is on page 57.
The short answer is NO.
Do Serial Sex Offenders Maintain a Consistent Modus Operandi?: Findings from Previously Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits isa research article available at this link.
Another article: Understanding the Predatory Nature of Sexual Violence
Use of disguises in one way analysts connect crimes in crime series. It is so important that disguises are described in detail and consistently in crime reports.
It's Halloween and why not read about criminals who have used "scream" masks when committing crimes?
Police investigating after suspect wearing ‘Scream’ mask robs convenience store
“Scream” masked bandit sentenced in Jefferson County to 1,888 years in prison
Gang attacked police car wearing Scream masks during crime spree
Armed man disguised in 'Scream' mask wanted for multiple gas station robberies in Virginia, FBI says
And, even worse, some murders are attributed to the perpetrators watching the movie "Scream:"
Even if your jurisdiction has no nexus to marine ports, understanding how ports facilitate organized crime activity is good to know.
Organized Crime Research Brief no. 25 - Marine Ports and Organized Crime is available at this link.
Seaport Vulnerability to Criminal Networks: A Mixed Method Approach to Measuring Criminological Vulnerability in the Top 30 U.S. Container Ports is a research paper available at this link.
Read NIJ's What Is a Gang? Definitions at this link.
There is no universally agreed-upon definition of "gang" in the United States. Gang, youth gang and street gang are terms widely and often interchangeably used in mainstream coverage. Reference to gangs often implies youth gangs. In some cases, youth gangs are distinguished from other types of gangs; how youth is defined may vary as well.
Motorcycle gangs, prison gangs, hate groups, adult organized crime groups, terrorist organizations and other types of security threat groups are frequently but not always treated separately from gangs in both practice and research.
When I was a crime analyst in the city of Buffalo, many of our gangs were simply local groups, named by their own choice based on the blocks they lived on. Understanding what "gangs" operate in your jurisdiction is crucial! Knowing as much as you can about gangs in helpful to inform your analysis work.
Resources:
Strategies to Address Gang Crime: A Guidebook for Local Law Enforcement
Street Gangs and Interventions: Innovative Problem Solving with Network Analysis
Did you know?
While most people and places do not get victimized by crime, those who are victimized consistently face the highest risk of being victimized again. Previous victimization is the single best predictor of victimization. It is a better predictor of future victimization than any other characteristic of crime.
from the POP guide: Analyzing Repeat Victimization
Crime analysis and crime prevention efforts should focus more on repeat patterns of victimization.
More reading:
Repeat Victimization: Lessons for Implementing Problem-oriented Policing
Repeat and Multiple Victimizations: The Role of Individual and Contextual Factors
The UCL Jill Dando Institute of Security and Crime Science, in London, is the first institute in the world devoted to crime science. It celebrated its 20th birthday recently - a video about that and its history is at this link.
Research at the Jill Dando Institute is concentrated on new ways to cut crime and increase security, drawing upon UCL's vast experience in related disciplines, including architecture, economics, engineering, geography, medicine, psychology, statistics and town planning.
It brings together 30 top research departments and research groups across UCL all with a working interest in the field of security and crime. The JDI aims to promote multidisciplinary research in crime and security and also promote multidisciplinary conferences, events, training and short courses in these fields. Partners and clients include organisations from academia, industry, commerce and government.
So, what IS crime science?
Crime science is the application of scientific methods and knowledge from many disciplines to the development of practical and ethical ways to reduce crime and increase security.
Read more about it at this link.
Crime and intelligence analysts are often mired in details and processes - it is wise to occasionally take a step back and look at the forest, rather than the trees.
Enter the "Investigation process" page at the College of Policing (for England and Wales).
What I really like about this webpage is this focus, below, from the web page, which assumes analysts are integral to the investigation process:
Proactive investigations can start from an intelligence package identifying groups or individuals who are assessed as being involved in ongoing criminal activity. They are often generated as a result of the tasking and coordination (T&C) process, and allocated for further investigation. Intelligence packages may include:
crime pattern analysis
network analysis
operational intelligence assessment
problem profiles
market profiles
subject analysis
tactical assessment
criminal business analysis
tactical profiles
The ASU Center for Problem Oriented Policing has a guide called Responses to the Problem of Burglary of Single-Family Houses, available at this link.
Crime analysts can be helpful by providing ideas for crime prevention that are proven to work.
Resources to help citizens:
Richardson Police Home Security Assessment Checklist
Franklin Police Department Home Security Checklist
Washington County (OR) Sheriff's Home Security Inspection
The 1999 publication Eyewitness Evidence: A Guide for Law Enforcement is available at this link.
Law enforcement analysts rely on witnesses information, because a great deal of the information we analyze comes from eyewitnesses. Good analysis depends on good information. Understanding the issues surrounding witnesses can help us improve our critical thinking about the information we have, and possibly improve information gathering in our agencies.
Eyewitnesses frequently play a vital role in uncovering the truth about a crime. The evidence they provide can be critical in identifying, charging, and ultimately convicting suspected criminals. That is why it is absolutely essential that eyewitness evidence be accurate and reliable. One way of ensuring we, as investigators, obtain the most accurate and reliable evidence from eyewitnesses is to follow sound protocols in our investigations.
Resources:
Chatham IL Police How to Be a Good Witness
CHULA VISTA POLICE DEPARTMENT HOW TO BE A GOOD WITNESS
Kent County Sheriff Department's Crime Prevention- A Good Witness
There are a number of tools to use at the website Analyze the Problem, at this link. While it is not geared toward law enforcement analysts, its generic approach applies to any work. Check it out to get some ideas for improving your critical thinking as you work on crime and intelligence analysis tasks and projects.
Questions we all can use when approaching a problem, from the website:
Getting started checklist:
What is the real problem?
Why is it necessary to solve this problem?
What have you done in the past with similar problems?
Who can help you solve your problem?
What is the root cause of your problem?
What are the key questions that need to be answered?
What should be done first?
How will you know when you are successful?
CompStat360: Understanding and Presenting Data for Police Managers from National Police Foundation on Vimeo.
The Integration Of Crime Analysis Into Patrol Work: A Guidebook is available at this link.
"This guidebook has been developed for mid-level managers and commanders of police agencies who are looking for guidance in fully incorporating crime analysis into their agency, particularly into patrol. The guide presents a series of considerations and recommendations for crime analysis integration, provides crime analysis product examples that have been implemented into innovative police agencies around the United States, discusses key issues of implementation, and outlines an implementation framework strategy. Notably, this guide is not a detailed plan that can be taken and immediately adopted by any one agency, but is a practical overview of the importance of crime analysis and its usefulness and offers recommendations and examples for crime analysis integration."
The informational needs for operational policing are vast - and that is why having law enforcement analysts is valuable. They analyze a variety of information and maximize its utility to policing agencies.
The chart below is from Improving Information-Sharing Across Law Enforcement: Why Can't We Know?, available at this link.
Interpol can assist you in investigations involving identity and travel document fraud. Check their resources out at this link.
Some resources they offer:
INTERPOL Travel and ID Document Reference Centre
With many thousands of different identity and travel documents in existence it can be a challenging task to differentiate between false and genuine documents. To help overcome these difficulties, INTERPOL provides a number of databases and reference libraries through its secure global police communications system, allowing member countries to conduct first-line checks and second-line inspection at airports, sea ports and border crossings as well as forensic laboratories.
• The INTERPOL Stolen and Lost Travel Documents Database contains records of travel documents that have been reported as lost, stolen, stolen blank and revoked.
• Dial-Doc is a joint G8-INTERPOL initiative, which allows countries to share to share alerts on newly detected forms of document counterfeiting.
• EdisonTD is a reference tool that contains images of genuine travel and identity documents.
• DISCS is a database containing certificates of civil status such as birth, marriage, death, identity and citizenship.
Adapting and incorporating the After Action Review process could improve your work, especially if applied to a large project (such as completion of a big investigation or significant crime problem solving effort). The process helps you identify what can be improved for the next time.
"An AAR is centered on four questions:
What was expected to happen? What actually occurred?
What went well and why?
What can be improved and how?
An AAR features:
An open and honest professional discussion
Participation by everyone on the team
A focus on results of an event or project
Identification of ways to sustain what was done well
Development of recommendations on ways to overcome obstacles"
from GUIDE TO THE AFTER ACTION REVIEW
Read more about this subject:
After Action Review (AAR) Process: Learning From Your Actions Sooner Rather Than Later
The NW3C (National White Collar Crime Center) has a page with numerous "Investigative Resources,"and if you are working in U.S. law enforcement, you are eligible to access them. Check them out at this link.
Some of the Resources:
"The National White Collar Crime Center provides technical assistance to law enforcement and regulatory agencies in the areas of Cybercrime, Financial Crime, Intelligence Analysis, and Intellectual Property Theft. Technical assistance examples include providing guidance in handling financial investigations, and proper handling of electronic evidence (smartphones, computers, etc.)."
"NW3C offers, free of charge, a number of tools to assist our law enforcement partners in the prosecution of economic and high-tech crime."
Legal Templates
INFOSEC / OPSEC / PERSEC
Law Enforcement Guides
Cryptocurrency Resources
Investigative Guides & Resources
Law Enforcement Cyber Alerts
Have you developed any checklists to help you in your analytical work? Have you shared them with others?
Read:
Lessons We Can Learn From Aviation Checklists
Intelligence Checklists: How To Be Prepared For Any Contingency (Using Four Easy Steps)
Homicide Case Information Checklist
This "“Audit Checklist for the Criminal Intelligence Function” can assist law enforcement executives with conducting a review of their agency’s criminal intelligence function. Using this checklist, law enforcement agencies demonstrate their commitment to protecting the constitutional rights and the privacy of individuals, while ensuring the operational effectiveness of their criminal intelligence function."
Here are some resources to consider when you are hiring a law enforcement analyst!
Analyst Hiring Guide Podcast: Sean Bair's Guide to Hiring a Law Enforcement Analyst
International Association of Crime Analysts Testing Analyst Candidates
International Association of Crime Analysts Interviewing Analyst Candidates
International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts Buiding an Intelligence Unit
International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence AnalystsLaw Enforcement Analytic Standards
Read about the FBI's Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center (TEDAC) at this link. One of the roles of the law enforcement analyst is to expand their knowledge of available resources and to share as necessary - hopefully, you will never need this one.
"The FBI Laboratory’s Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center (TEDAC) is a multi-agency center that coordinates bomb-related evidence and intelligence collection for the U.S. government.
TEDAC’s experts analyze bombs. They also support law enforcement, the intelligence community, military, border protection, and science and technology partners.
Created in 2003 and located in Huntsville, Alabama, TEDAC provides direct support in:
Bombing crime scene investigations
Searching bomb factories and safe houses
Deploying to major bombings, both in the United States and internationally
Providing expertise on major bombing scenes
Training FBI and law enforcement personnel
TEDAC also provides expert witness testimony in court regarding the results of examinations."
The Handbook of Terrorism Prevention and Preparedness, edited by by Alex P. Schmid, is available at this link. It is published by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague (ICCT), "an independent think and do tank providing multidisciplinary policy advice and practical, solution-oriented implementation support on prevention and the rule of law, two vital pillars of effective counter-terrorism."
EVIDENCE-BASED POLICING IN 45 SMALL BYTES, by Gary Cordner, Ph.D., is available at this link.
"This guidebook presents a practical framework for understanding evidence-based policing (EBP). The framework is practical in the sense that it is understandable, feasible, and directly tied to making policing more effective. In other words, it isn’t about collecting data for its own sake, or about doing research for its own sake. Rather, it is about serving and protecting the public as effectively as possible."
Face Recognition Policy Development Template For Use In Criminal Intelligence and Investigative Activities is available at this link.
"Date Published: December 2017
Author(s): Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative
Description:
This resource is designed to provide guidance to state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement entities, fusion centers, and other public safety agencies on developing policies and procedures for the use of face recognition tools in criminal intelligence and investigative activities."
Below is a "concept map" from the 2018 paper, Case Deconstruction of Criminal Investigative Failures Final Summary Overview, by Dr. Kim Rossmo and Dr. Joycelyn Pollock, which is available at this link. The analysis in this paper begins by highlighting the wrongful conviction of Michael Morton, which you can read about this link. It is a study of 50 "investigative failures," in 45 murder and 5 rape/sexual assault cases.
Causal factors of investigative failures are in the Future 5. chart below. As analyst you may not be able to counter all the variables, but you definitely can add good critical thinking to investigations.
Ask yourself: can you contribute to the investigations that you support to help reduce the elements of investigative failures that lead to injustices? Can you slow down the rush to judgment, increase professionalism, reduce biased searching and interpretation, and follow investigative leads as an analyst?
Even if you are not involved cell phone forensics, it can be helpful to understand this subject, since you may be analyzing the evidence.
Guidelines on Cell Phone: Recommendations of the National Institute of Standards and Technology is available at this link.
"Mobile phone forensics is the science of recovering digital evidence from a mobile phone under forensically sound conditions using accepted methods. Mobile phones, especially those with advanced capabilities, are a relatively recent phenomenon, not usually covered in classical computer forensics. This guide attempts to bridge that gap by providing an in-depth look into mobile phones and explaining the technologies involved and their relationship to forensic procedures. It covers phones with features beyond simple voice communication and text messaging and their technical and operating characteristics. This guide also discusses procedures for the preservation, acquisition, examination, analysis, and reporting of digital information present on cell phones, as well as available forensic software tools that support those activities."
It has been exactly 24 years since I first started working as a crime analyst; since then, opportunities for law enforcement analysts have changed significantly. Many more educational programs teach people the fundamentals of being an analyst in law enforcement. Many more places are hiring analysts. There are many more analysts than ever before.
There is a problem in this scenario, though - everyone is doing it differently, and the profession suffers from that. A crime analyst becomes a chameleon, adapting to whatever organization he or she find themselves in. The professional associations try to guide the profession, but they cannot change the actual law enforcement agencies that hire analysts - agencies vary widely in their understanding of what a robust analytical capacity looks like in law enforcement. The chameleon analysts survive the best they can in such an environment.
Yet, as a lonely one person analyst in my county back then, it IS rather amazing to me there are currently eleven crime analysis centers in New York State. The video below explains some of the ways they help out now, very different to the way I worked as an analyst back then... Different from many states who address the role of the analyst. It is interesting.
Reducing Crime Through Intelligence-Led Policing, published in 2008 by the Bureau of Justice Assistance/USDOJ is available at this link.
Case studies of ILP were provided by these agencies:
1. Austin, Texas, Police Department
2. Evans County, Georgia, Sheriff‟s Office
3. Medford, Oregon, Police Department
4. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Police Department
5. Palm Beach County, Florida, Sheriff‟s Office
6. Phoenix, Arizona, Police Department
7. Richmond, Virginia, Police Department
8. San Diego, California, Police Department
9. San Francisco, California, Police Department
10. Tampa, Florida, Police Department
Are you wondering how electronic evidence holds up in the courts of law?
Electronic Evidence in Criminal Investigations and Actions: Representative Court Decisions and Supplementary Materials, Ronald J. Hedges, Editor, is available at this link.
How to Prevent Wire Transfer Fraud is a video interview available at this link. One of the panelists is Matthew O’Neill, special agent at the U.S. Secret Service.
Learn about:
Common methods of wire transfer fraud;
Technologies that can be leveraged to mitigate the fraud risks;
Why employee training is an essential component of fighting fraud.
Are you working on money laundering investigations? Here are some resources to help you understand the current environment and the future of money laundering regulations and enforcement efforts.
Read Deloitte's Anti-money laundering (AML) program effectiveness views and watch videos at this link.
Read Orrick's Guide toThe Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 at this link.
Read Enhancing National Security by Reimagining FinCEN at this link.
The 7th edition of the National Intelligence Council’s Global Trends report is available at this link.
“Intelligence does not claim infallibility for its prophecies. Intelligence merely holds that the answer which it gives is the most deeply and objectively based and carefully considered estimate.”
-Sherman Kent
Founder of the Office of National Estimates
Welcome to the 7th edition of the National Intelligence Council’s Global Trends report. Published every four years since 1997, Global Trends assesses the key trends and uncertainties that will shape the strategic environment for the United States during the next two decades.
Global Trends is designed to provide an analytic framework for policymakers early in each administration as they craft national security strategy and navigate an uncertain future. The goal is not to offer a specific prediction of the world in 2040; instead, our intent is to help policymakers and citizens see what may lie beyond the horizon and prepare for an array of possible futures.
Each edition of Global Trends is a unique undertaking, as its authors on the National Intelligence Council develop a methodology and formulate the analysis. This process involved numerous steps: examining and evaluating previous editions of Global Trends for lessons learned; research and discovery involving widespread consultations, data collection, and commissioned research; synthesizing, outlining, and drafting; and soliciting internal and external feedback to revise and sharpen the analysis.
The Suspicious Transaction Report Podcasts are available at this link.
The Suspicious Transaction Report is the flagship podcast of RUSI’s Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies (CFCS). It offers 'behind-the-scenes' insights and practical advice on how to implement the latest financial crime research and policy developments in the real world – from anti-money laundering and illicit flows to sanctions evasion and cryptocurrency abuse.
The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) is the world’s oldest and the UK’s leading defence and security think tank.
What We Know About Maritime Illicit Trades is a report available at this link.
What We Know About Maritime Illicit Trades is the second in a series of reports as part of the Transnational Organized Crime at Sea: New Evidence for Better Responses project. The project is a collaboration between the SafeSeas Network, based at the Universities of Bristol (UK) and Copenhagen (Denmark) and the One Earth Future Foundation’s Stable Seas program and is funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as part of UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Partnership for Conflict, Crime and Security Research (PaCCS) and the One Earth Future Foundation.
This paper provides an overview of what we know about maritime illicit trades, how data is collected, what information is available, and which organizations are analyzing these data.
The first report in the series, What We know About Piracy, is available at this link.
The report, What We Know About Piracy is the first in a series of reports on Transnational Organised Crime at Sea. The project is a collaboration between the SafeSeas Network, based at the Universities of Bristol (UK) and Copenhagen (Denmark) and the One Earth Future Foundation’s Stable Seas program.
CompStat360: Presenting Data for Analysts from National Police Foundation on Vimeo.
I love timelines because they tell a story.
TIMELINES
Document significant events
Help us forecast what might happen next
Summarize large amounts of information
Can include the activities of one or many persons
Can be created in software such as i2 Analysts's Notebook
Can be created in MS Excel
Can be created in MS Word
Can be created in MS PowerPoint
U.S. law enforcement analysts: you may be eligible for this well-respected program. Check it out at this link. The application deadline is December 1, 2021.
"The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Preparedness Directorate, FEMA and the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) have pioneered graduate education programs for homeland security. Since 2003, CHDS has built a cadre of graduate education programs and resources used by universities and agencies across the country. The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree program is offered at no cost to eligible local, state, tribal, territorial, and federal officials."
Analysts focus on time because it matters in our analyses. Patterns of time help us link crimes.
Time of day – when? Example that time matters: burglaries when people are at work.
Day of week – when? Example that time matters: robberies only on weekends in bar areas.
Day of month – when? Example that time matters: purse sancthings near ATMS on dates of the month when people receive benefit deposits.
Date – when? Example that time matters: a frequency of every-other-day larcenies of motor vehicles in a neighborhood.
Significant dates – when? Example that time matters: anniversaries of a mass shooting that indicate a new threat.
Pattern in time –when? Example that time matters: an escalation of sex crimes attempts and occurrences by a violent criminal occurring closer and closer in time.
Opportunities – when? Example that time matters: crimes that occur at times when there are no suitable guardians around.
Season – when? Example that time matters: thefts of snowblowers only when it is winter in a community.
Time is recorded in crime reports, as exact or in time ranges. It is recorded it calls for service.
Some other places where time is recorded:
Read an article about "Antinalysis," a "new service has launched on the darknet offering criminals a way to check how "clean" their digital coins are," in this article from the BBC.
The United Kingdom's July 2021 BEATING CRIME PLAN: Fewer victims, peaceful neighbourhoods, safe country is available at this link. It is very worth reading.
An interesting statistic from this document:
"As we increasingly rely on technology and spend greater proportions of our lives online, criminals seek to exploit whatever digital opportunities they can. Fraud and cyber-related offences are growing rapidly and now make up over 50% of all crime."
Another interesting statistic:
"Nearly a quarter of all neighbourhood crime was committed in just 5% of local areas in 2018-19."
One role for analysis:
"By analysing where crime takes place, we can target resources more accurately and return a sense of governed space to the areas where it is needed most. And by deepening our understanding of the problems particular parts of our country face, we can invest in the things that will make the biggest difference: removing opportunities to commit crime; increasing the capacity of partners to cut crime; and making it more difficult for criminals from one part of the country to export the crimes they commit to another."
I believe all law enforcement analysts should understand money laundering, even if they are not tasked with investigating it. Money laundering is itself a system that plays a part in a number of seemingly unrelated crimes. Understanding more about high-risk businesses can help analysts identify problems that are not obvious at first glance.
Read Money Laundering 101 at this link.
The Internal Revenue Service's Part 9. Criminal Investigation, Chapter 5. Investigative Process, Section 9. Methods of Proof is available at this link. It can help you if you are new to financial crimes, as might the chart below.
Some analytical tools you could use:
Spreadsheets
Filtering
Pivot Tables
Mathematical analyses
Databases
I2 Analyst’s Notebook
Research
Colloquium 3 on August 25, 2021 from 11am-5pm ET: Future Strategic Environment, of the Revolution in Intelligence Affairs: Colloquium Series, is a free online event.
Intelligence gathering and analysis at the national and international levels requires skills and awareness from which law enforcement analysts can learn.
"Emerging and disruptive technologies are in the process of facilitating a revolution in intelligence affairs (RIA). These technological drivers will impact intelligence strategy, operational and organizational concepts, and contribute to shaping the future strategic environment. This revolution will create new threats, opportunities, and challenges for the U.S. Intelligence Community."
For those analysts interested, sign up at this link.
If you are a new analyst in the United States, you may not be aware of the list of Fusion Center Locations and Contact Information available at this link.
Reach out to them if you need assistance on cases! See if they would like to be in your distribution list for analytical products. Find out what they have that might be useful to you.
Network!
Law Enforcement Analysis Podcasts video Quick Take E2 - Effective Mentoring offers tips for both mentors and those they mentor.
" Homeland Security Affairs is the peer-reviewed online journal of the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS), providing a forum to propose and debate strategies, policies, and organizational arrangements to strengthen U.S. homeland security. The instructors, participants, alumni, and partners of CHDS represent the leading subject matter experts and practitioners in the field of homeland security."
It is available at this link.
You can watch the full 2021 Cambridge Evidence-Based Policing Conference on YouTube at this link.
So much learning is possible, but so little extra time for many working analysts.
Understanding Crime: Analyzing the Geography of Crime , a 2021 book by Spencer Chainey, "delves into both theory and technique to explain the geographic analysis of crime. Intended as a comprehensive resource and textbook, this book breaks down old, new, and complex approaches to make crime analysis more accessible for readers wanting to improve their own understanding of crime."
Learn more about it, and how to purchase it, at this link.
Is crime analysis at the heart of policing practice? A case study is a research paper available online at this link.
From the study:
It could be argued that the lack of conceptual clarity around exact role or job description of analysts as well as varied understanding of the main purpose of analysis might explain why crime analysis is still in the process of trying to find its niche at the heart of policing practice.
So true!
Read a blog post about the National Intelligence Model (UK) at this link.
Have you tried using The Internet Archive (also known as the Wayback Machine) in your law enforcement analysis work, and felt frustrated, like I have?
The blog article Using Archive.org for OSINT Investigations, available at this link, provides excellent tips on using the site to find the information you are looking for.
Experiment!
Check out the new Arizona State University Online Master of Science In Crime Analysis program at this link.
"Help law enforcement solve crimes and learn to lead a crime analysis unit in the online crime analysis graduate program. You’ll gain a strong understanding of the fundamental issues, strengths and limitations associated with crime analysis."
Crime Script Analysis is an underutilized tool in the analyst toolbox. You can learn more about it by reading the research article Theft of oil from pipelines: an examination of its crime commission in Mexico using crime script analysis by Arantza Alonso Berbotto & Spencer Chainey, available at this link.
"The theft of refined oil products provides criminal groups with significant financial resources that threaten the environment and socio-economic stability of countries where it occurs. Violence is also associated with this criminal activity. Using crime script analysis, a detailed interpretation of the theft of oil via the illegal tapping of pipelines in Mexico was constructed. The analysis revealed the roles performed by members of criminal groups, the recruitment of individuals outside of the criminal group to provide information about the pipelines and perform technical activities, and the supporting role of citizens and businesses from local communities."
Arantza Alonso Berbotto & Spencer Chainey (2021) Theft of oil from pipelines: an examination of its crime commission in Mexico using crime script analysis, Global Crime, DOI: 10.1080/17440572.2021.1925552
"The effective use of cellular records analysis and mapping in civil insurance claims and investigations is simply building a better mousetrap."
Using Cellular Records Analysis in Insurance Claims is an informative article available at this link.
It has a few thumbnail case studies that are interesting.
Some of you work with insurance agencies on fraud cases, or maybe someday will work FOR them.
Check it out!
When I learned about Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) early in my crime analysis career, it seemed underutilized and undervalued to me. I mean, who would not want to use methods to prevent crime that involve changing the physical environment in intelligent, proven-to-work ways, rather than only trying changing victims' and criminals' attitudes and behavior to prevent crime, which is so much more difficult?
Check out this site. It provides information on CPTED-related books and training classes. Learn more about CPTED!
How Local Police Can Combat the Global Problem of Human Trafficking: Collaboration, Training, Support for Victims, and Technology Are Keys to Success is a PERF publication available at this link.
From Recognizing Human Trafficking at this link:
Warning signs that victims do not have control over their own actions:
Has few or no personal possessions
Is frequently monitored
Is not in control of their own money, financial records, or bank account
Is not in control of their own identification documents (ID or passport)
Is not allowed or able to speak for themselves (a third party may insist on being present and/or translating).
From DHS:
https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/materials/indicator-card
Here's a heads-up on the UK's National Analyst’s Online Conference 8-9 December 2021 - information is available at this link. It is sponsored by the law enforcement training company called "The Investigator."
"The Investigator is delighted to announce the dates for our fourth national event that aims to bring together crime and intelligence analysts to debate current best practice, challenges and opportunities."
One of the positive results of the terrible pandemic is that opportunities to attend events like this online have flourished and given analysts from unconnected locations more opportunities to learn and support one another. Learning is always good!
The Real-Time and Open Source Analysis (ROSA) Resource Guide is available at this link.
"The National Network of Fusion Centers (NNFC), in partnership with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence's (ODNI) Office of Partner Engagement-Information Sharing Environment (PEISE), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the associations represented on the Criminal Intelligence Coordinating Council (CICC), developed the Real-Time and Open Source Analysis (ROSA) Resource Guide to assist agencies and fusion centers in understanding the lawful and appropriate use of open source information, focusing on social media. It is designed to help law enforcement agencies and analytic personnel understand the potential tools and resources available to support law enforcement operational and analytic activities, while ensuring that related privacy, civil rights, civil liberties (P/CRCL) concerns are addressed."
5 Ways to Use Social Media for Event Security is an article available at this link.
It may provide you with useful tips to offer the community and private sector in your jurisdiction.
Read more about social media and better event security:
A Guide To Social Media Intelligence Gathering (SOCMINT) is an online article available at this link.
Be sure to follow your agencies guidelines when using social media as an open source for information gathering.
Also, be sure to follow a policy that helps you track when you retrieved information online!
The 2019 Research Report by the Urban Institute, Social Media Guidebook for Law Enforcement Agencies: Strategies for Effective Community Engagement, is available at this link.
Crime prevention efforts can be enhanced by effective law enforcement use of social media. Intelligence-gathering efforts can be improved. Public safety warnings can be issued. Is your agency maximizing this modern tool? How do you, as an analyst, improve your effectiveness by benefiting from and contributing to these efforts?
"In April 2017, the National Institute of Justice convened an expert panel to identify high-priority needs for law enforcement's use of social media and social network analysis."
Using Social Media and Social Network Analysis in Law Enforcement is the RAND report outcome of this work, available at this link.
Since so many analysts are using social media to research criminals and criminal activity, it is worthwhile to be more educated in the policy nuances involved. Check it out!
Watch Manny San Pedro's All About Analysis YouTube Interview with John Ng on Evidence-Based Policing.
Below is snippet of my MA final project written in 2001. The entire paper can be found at the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts' website on the Resources & Publications/Police and Intelligence section - the bottom line, "The Role of the Crime Analyst in Policing (Osborne)." Access it at this link.
Improving Analytic Rigour in Intelligence, a study from the University of Melbourne, is available at this link. While this focuses on intelligence analysis in the national security arena, there is always something to learn from best practices in other analytical perspectives.
For example: the acronym LOTSA as described below, from this study, applies to the work of law enforcement analysts.
"Analytic rigour is conducting analytic work in a manner that is appropriately:
Logical: observing principles of good reasoning and avoiding fallacies;
Objective: being free from influence of values, desires, interests or belief systems;
Thorough: tackling analytic work with completeness and attention to detail;
Stringent: observing relevant rules, guidelines, principles or policies; and
Acute: noticing and addressing relevant issues and subtleties.
We call these the “LOTSA” dimensions of analytic rigour."
If you are a law enforcement analyst in the United States and you are NOT using National Data Exchange (N-DEx) System, it is time to sign up!
Go to this link for more information.
How can it help you as an analyst?
"Analysts: Connecting the Dots
Analyst looking for patterns about IED.With the N-DEx system, analysts have access to the criminal justice records of thousands of agencies across the nation to link investigative information and quickly obtain more detailed reports. Additionally, N-DEx provides visualization tools to graphically depict associations between people, places, things, and events either on a link-analysis chart or on a map. For ongoing investigations, the subscription and notification feature automatically notifies analysts if other users are searching for the same criteria or if a new record concerning their investigation is added to the system. N-DEx allows analysts to work with other analysts across the nation in a collaborative environment that instantly and securely shares pertinent information, including images, videos, charts, graphs, notes, and case reports, via any type or size of file."
It's interesting to note that if you search for information on reasoning fallacies online, you will see colleges, universities, schools, and philosophy sites - maybe we only think of our thinking to get good grades, debate, or philosophize?
You can read an introduction to fallacies at this link.
An analyst needs to be a good thinker.
Access the 1982 Crime Analysis Unit Operations Manual of the Fairfax County Police Department at this link.
Reading things like this help me know I am not imagining the importance of crime analysis - almost 40 years since this was published, I can't be blamed for being impatient for its full integration into policing.
Crime and intelligence analysts in law enforcement are encouraged to improve their critical thinking skills, but resources are scarce for actually doing that. Here is a podcast that might illuminate some concepts: OODAcast: Kathy and Randy Pherson, Authors of Critical Thinking for Strategic Intelligence is a podcast available at this link.
In this podcast "Kathy reviews what she calls the “5 habits of the critical thinker”, which include:
Examine your key assumptions
Consider multiple alternatives
Look for disconfirming data
Look for drivers underneath your topic and finder indicators of future action
Understand the context and how the issue is framed, through framing seek to understand"
I encourage you to venture outside of the world of law enforcement to find tools that might help you grow. One of those arenas is national security. Analysts there also struggle to grow - you are not alone!
The article Crime Analysts and Intelligence Analysts, by Dr. Charles Russo, posted September 28, 2020 on the College of Safety and Emergency Services at Columbia Southern University (CSU) Academic Journal website, is available at this link.
Abstract from the article:
This article will examine theoretical and the applied practitioner insights into similarities and differences between criminal intelligence analysis (intelligence-led policing) and intelligence analysis (national security). How intelligence theory applies to both crime and intelligence analysis. It will assist with understanding similarities and differences between these two domains of data information collection and analysis; whether the roles played by both are equal; whether they are different fields or whether they are interrelated trying to achieve the same goal.
The author's conclusion:
Having expounded on both criminal and national intelligence analysts’ definitions, concepts, theory, and roles, it is relatively easy to compare the roles played by each of them and see each employ the same analytical theories and principles in their work regardless of the entity they support.
Sad to say, a number of law enforcement analysts leave public service to go to the private sector not because they want to leave policing, but because they will get paid more and possibly have more room for advancement. I say "sad," because highly qualified and motivated individuals no longer are serving the public.
Nevertheless, everyone deserves the right to be compensated for their talents, and to strive for growth and improved professional status.
If you are one of these analysts who need change, check out What is a Competitor Analysis? at this link to learn more about what you might be doing if you move to the private sector of the analysis world.
The page is at the site for the Strategic & Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP,) whose main page is at this link.
Here are some criteria for judging your analytical product. Don't rely on just your own opinion - get feedback for your work from trusted users and other analysts.
How Intelligence Analysts Can Improve Critical Thinking and Writing Skills is an article available at this link.
It is rarely, if ever said, but analysts in law enforcement do NOT do much in the way of writing reports. Our reports tend to consist of brief summaries at best, followed by charts, graphs, maps, and the like.
Therefore, if you compare analysts in the intelligence community to those in law enforcement, you will see a huge difference in tasking.
Those analysts in policing tasked with writing reports on threats, trends or strategies do write more than analysts assigned to the majority of law enforcement analytical tasks. That said, if one is training/teaching analysts to be generic, to fit in any analyst role, it is important to understand that analysts in law enforcement are not writers per se. Over-emphasizing writing skills with seem irrelevant to them.
Violent Crime Typology and Continuum, by Christine Army and Karim H. Vellani, is available at this link.
From the Introduction:
"Violent crimes represent a small but significant portion of the reported crime in the United States. Categorically, violent crimes occur at a much lower frequency as compared to property crimes and disorder crimes. However, violent crimes can cause significant harm. While a robust body of knowledge regarding the effectiveness of crime prevention measures for property and disorder crimes exists, far less evidence exists regarding the effectiveness of security measures used to prevent violent crime."
"The objective of this article is to explore the nuanced nature of violent crime by disaggregating the disparate forms of violence.
Worth reading!
Are you experiencing a spike in thefts of catalytic converters in your jurisdiction?
A flyer called "Combat Catalytic Converter Theft Prevention Marking" is available at this link and may help in your prevention measures.
Also, visit www.scraptheftalert.com to look for relevant alerts that include spikes in catalytic converter thefts in your region, as well as other metal thefts alerts.
Improve your analytical products by using this:
BLUF: Bottom Line Up Front
Resources to help you:
How to Write an Intelligence Product in the Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF)Format found here.
CIA - IC Writing Style short pdf resource found here.
Make Persuasive Presentations with Bottom Line Up Front article found here.
BLUF: The Military Standard That Can Make Your Writing More Powerful article found here.
It is super important you care about finding important information in your analytical work, because when you don't find things, no one knows if you could have done so. It is up to you to care, to have integrity to do so, and to act responsibly as an analyst.
Tracing funds from environmental crimes - OECD/Basel Institute webinar is available at this link.
"This virtual event on "Connecting the dots: Tracing funds from environmental crimes" took place on 17 March 2021 as part of the Corrupting the environment event series co-hosted by the OECD and the Basel Institute’s Green Corruption team.
The panelists highlighted three critical imperatives to tackle the hundreds of billions in illegal funds flowing annually from environmental crimes:
1. Proper assessments of financial crime risks arising from environmental crimes, by governments and the private sector.
2. More proactive cooperation across sectors and countries, through public-private partnerships and similar mechanisms.
3. Applying good ideas and effective tools from other areas of financial crime-fighting to the challenge of environmental crime."
If you are a new analysts in a small jurisdiction without specialized charting software, or are a student and cannot afford such software, check out RFFlow Criminal Analysis Charts at this link.
The templates provide a good starting point for thinking about how to organize investigative information.
This week I had a great conversation with Chris Bruce, currently a college professor, Past President of the International Association of Crime Analysts, and an experienced former local level crime analyst. We discussed the importance of qualitative crime pattern analysis in local level law enforcement analysis, since we both agree its value is underestimated and underutilized in the field.
My colleague in the US Secret Service, Investigative Analyst Ryan Heethius, assisted on a murder case and played a significant role in solving it. Listen to how that played out at this link. It's interesting!
He is featured in another analyst success story in a podcast at this link.
Ryan illustrates how a good analyst thinks in investigations and you can learn for his processes.
"IA Ryan Heethius is under the Investigative Support Division (ISD) for the Office of Investigations. Ryan has worked on many different cases to include, including counterfeit operations, money laundering, homicide, and cybercrime. The role of an Investigative Analysts are multi-faceted, consisting of broad-based criminological research, link analysis, intelligence data gathering, performing complex statistical analysis and trend forecasting for criminal and protective intelligence, develops curricula for and provides high-quality training for investigators, researchers, and support staff. IAs also travel frequently to support field offices and task forces, often assisting with search warrants and asset forfeiture. The work of IAs involves extensive knowledge of criminological theories, research methodologies, and the development and use of investigative and intelligence systems and analysis of investigative cases such as; financial crimes, access device fraud, telecom fraud, high- tech crimes, counterfeit U.S. currency and obligations, and protective intelligence."
It was my honor to work as an IA for the USSS.
The 5th Annual American Society of Evidence-Based Policing Conference registration form is available at this link. You can attend in-person or virtually.
Do you want to learn more about policing in the United States? Are you passionate about bringing positive change to the law enforcement community? Do you want to learn about the latest policing research?
The American Society of Evidence Based Policing is committed to bringing you the latest on policing research.
Please join us for our hybrid virtual/in-person conference August 28 & 29, 2021.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, capacity is limited and we expect in-person tickets to sell out quickly. As we approach August, more tickets may become available as restrictions and the University's guidelines change.
This is the perfect opportunity to expand your knowledge of evidence-based policing and meet researchers and practitioners alike whose mission is to bring cutting edge empirical evidence to policing practice.
With participants from around the world, attendees will learn about the newest evidence-based policing practices and ways to reduce crime and disorder and improve police-community relationships.
Our keynote speakers, Michael Millensen, Seth Stoughton, and Lawrence Sherman will be speaking about how evidence-based medicine informs evidence-based policing, effective strategies to reduce police use of force, and much more.
It has been almost 24 years since I became the first crime analyst for the Buffalo Police Department, and FINALLY, New York State has a law enforcement analysts' association! The New York Association of Law Enforcement Analysts welcomes working analysts (especially those in NYS), interested students, and people like me - former analysts who want to support growth of the profession.
To join NYALEA, email nyaleaanalysts at gmail.com. It needs your support to get off the ground. They have a Facebook group but no website yet.
Matthew Zacharewicz is the President of NYALEA and is featured on this episode of L.E.A. Podcasts. He talks about NYALEA is his interview.
Read more about the Intelligence Analyst Apprenticeship at this link.
"The Cambridge Centre has launched a 15-month intelligence analyst apprenticeship course for police officers and civilians, for English police forces, and in 2022 for police outside of England.
Our next cohort begins on 21st and 22nd July 2021 with the two day launch event in Cambridge.
For more information and to enroll, contact apprenticeship@cambridge-ebp.co.uk.
This apprenticeship is available to employees of English police agencies and other employers paying an Apprenticeship Levy. It is available to all participating employers at no cost beyond the fees they have already paid—and can only be spent spend on registered apprenticeships, such as the Cambridge Centre-OPG Intelligence Analyst Apprenticeship."
The Standards & Training Director Magazine is a new publication by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training, which is available online at this link.
Check it out!
One of the ongoing challenges for the field of law enforcement analysis and its analysts is training others in law enforcement regarding the crucial elements of the process and the real value of the field. Writers guidelines for this publication are including in the back of the new publication. Consider submitting an article!
