"The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) prepared this overview to help partners defend against insider threat concerns that could materialize during the 2024 election cycle."
Read the report here: 2024 U.S. Federal Elections: The Insider Threat
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Behavioral Analysis Unit launched a Prevent Mass Violence campain this month.
Read more here:
Team Approach to Keeping Potential Attackers Off ‘Pathway to Violence’
The Council of Criminal Justice's Crime Trends in U.S. Cities: Mid-Year 2024 Update is available at this link.
"This study updates and supplements previous U.S. crime trends reports by the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) with additional data through June 2024. It examines monthly crime rates for 12 violent, property, and drug offenses in 39 American cities that have consistently reported monthly data over the past six years. The 39 cities are not necessarily representative of all jurisdictions in the United States. Not all cities reported data for each offense (see appendix for which cities reported which offenses); trends in offenses with fewer reporting cities should be viewed with caution. In addition, the data collected for this report are subject to revision by local jurisdictions."
"The Center for Intelligence and Crime Analysis (CICA) was established in January 2023 and is housed within the Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice. Our mission is to assist public safety agencies by enhancing their analytical capabilities through professional development, education, and research."
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) recently celebrated its 51st anniversary. Read about its history at this link.
Analysts come in alll sizes and shapes.
Explore some interesting things in analysis at this Sloan School of Management course called "The Analytics Edge" at this link: https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/15-071-the-analytics-edge-spring-2017/pages/an-introduction-to-analytics/
No Escape Room is an interactive film designed to illustrate how teens get trapped in online sextortion. It is a resource for anyone concerned about this problem.
"The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) is committed to providing training, technical assistance and resources to public safety and child-serving professionals.
NCMEC hosts in-person classroom training sessions in its state-of-the-art Walsh Training Center located in our Alexandria, VA headquarters, as well as facilities located across the country at our regional offices and partner agencies. Online courses are available through NCMEC Connect, designed to provide easy access to training and resources for professionals on the frontlines.
Contact NCMEC training staff via email, training@ncmec.org."
Your growth as an analyst will accelerate if you take risks and do extra things for the profession. While much of this will be unpaid work, it can give your great satisfaction.
Don't let fears stand in the way. Grow.
"NICB partners with insurance companies, consumers and law enforcement to combat insurance fraud and theft through the combination of intelligence and analytics, investigations, and learning development."
Vist these sites to learn more about insurance fraud and resources available from the National Insurance Crime Bureau:
National Insurance Crime Bureau: YouTube videos
National Insurance Crime Bureau: website
National Insurance Crime Bureau: Regional News
Advocating Against Romance Scammers is a website and a resource for combatting the significant problem of romance scams.
A guide for the victims of romance scams can be found at this link.
Read the Federal Trade Commission's article "Romance scammers’ favorite lies exposed" at this link.
I remember waiting to hear about when I would have an interview once I saw that I scored in the top three in the crime analyst civil service test. Once the interview was scheduled, I wondered what to wear. I looked to Scully in the X-Files, the only role model I could think of, and bought conservative pumps and a nice plain suit. Now I find that funny, but back then it was the best I could do.
"What should I wear ?"is a small question, but it is one worth considering. In my early days as a crime analyst I was overdressed, but that gave me a kind of confidence I needed when there was not much else to base it in. I had much to learn. It was important to look professional and business-like.
Think about what you wear. How does it contribute to your work life? Does it detract from your image? Do you fit in your environment? Do you stand out in an appropriate way?
I saw this resource on LinkedIn and though perhaps it will be of some help to you.
"The Deleted Tweet Finder is a web-based tool that enables you to search for deleted tweets using various archival services. Whether the tweet was recently deleted or disappeared a while ago, this tool provides multiple options to explore the archives of the internet."
The FTC has a blog called Data Spotlight. Click the link below for one of their informative articles and explore the site further.
"Description: From the creators of Analyst Talk with Jason Elder comes a new limited podcast series designed to help managers hire and retain quality analysts. Sean Bair’s Guide to Hiring a Law Enforcement Analyst podcast series details each step of the process to ensure you find the right fit for your agency. The first episode is titled The Search, referencing the initial step of the hiring process -- searching for a candidate and searching for a position. This episode covers the initial items hiring managers should consider when attempting to hire a quality analyst as well as tips and tricks for job seekers to find their ideal position. This first episode covers a wide range of topics that will be further elaborated in the next episodes."
There are six more eprisodes to watch of this series. If you are an aspiring analyst, or an analyst looking to switch positions, getting the perspective of those who are looking to hire analysts is invaluable! Watch these videos. Links to the other episodes can be found at this link.
As an analyst, you gather, sift, and sort through a great deal of information to come up with relevant insights. Your role is often simply to present the possibility that you have uncovered a problem, or relationship, or pattern. You are early in the process, the discoverer, and you have no proof that you are right. Yet you need to communicate your findings with a level of confidence. This confidence should be in the process, the process of looking, exploring, leaving few or no stones unturned. Place your confidence in the process. Report your findings with confidence with no claim of certainty. You are not certain you are right. Use the language of:
~it appears that
~there may be
~analysis of data shows a possible relationship
~compared to this I see that
Your value at this point is similar to a navigator.
Oxford Language dictionary definition:
Navigator: a person who directs the route or course of a ship, aircraft, or other form of transportation, especially by using instruments and maps.
The technology and data used are the maps your expertise allows you to read. You have a special role in policing, investigations, and law enforcement. Continuous improvement of your skills will give you legitimate reasons to be confident yet uncertain.
The abstract in this article differentiates between uncertainty and confidence: Confidence, uncertainty, and the use of information.
Food for thought:
I highly recommend this resource.
"With over 200,000 downloads and plays, this monthly podcast features conversations with influential thinkers in the police service and leading crime and policing researchers working to advance public safety. Often amusing, often enlightening, always informative. Host Professor Jerry Ratcliffe chats to a range of international guests covering policing, crime prevention, practical criminology, and public safety policy.
The podcast is available directly from SoundCloud or Apple podcasts, where you can also subscribe to get access to new podcasts when they become available. You can also find the podcast in most dedicated podcast outlets, such as Stitcher, Spotify, and Google podcasts. Follow @_reducingcrime on twitter for updates on the latest episodes and news.
Also, if you are an instructor or lecturer then send a DM on twitter to @Jerry_Ratcliffe with your work/university email address for a free spreadsheet with multiple choice questions for every podcast episode. Each episode also has transcripts (see below)."
Reducing Crime podcast website: https://www.reducingcrime.com/podcast
Perhaps you are like me and you simply renew your association memberships when they come due and don't look that closely at what changes might be on the websites. If so, you may be missing opportunities to grow professionally.
If you are a member of the International Association of Law Enforcement Analysts (IALEIA):
"IALEIA partners with the Justice Clearinghouse (JCH) to create and offer intelligence-specific webinars and training. IALEIA members have unlimited access to the entire library of JCH webinars including recordings, workbooks, and presentation materials. Webinar and course participants can download certificates of attendance as proof of attendance. Please contact training@IALEIA.org if you would like access or if you would like to present on a topic."
Justice Clearinghouse: https://www.justiceclearinghouse.com
If you are a member of the International Association of Crime Analysts (IACA):
Did you know there are fifteen 12-week online training classes you could take? See more at: https://www.iaca.net/online-classes
I recommend membership in both of these organizations.
