Criminal Intelligence Analysis: Fact Sheet
Criminal Intelligence Analysis: Fact Sheet
FACT SHEET
Criminal intelligence
analysis
f MAIN OBJECTIVES
The central tasks of criminal intelligence analysis are to:
Criminal intelligence analysis ■ Help officials – senior law enforcers, policy makers and decision makers – deal more
is an essential component effectively with uncertainty and new challenges;
of effective policing, at
both the operational and ■ Provide timely warning of threats;
strategic levels. Analysts ■ Support operational activities and complex investigations.
study criminal data to identify
possible trends, relationships
or connections between f TYPES OF ANALYSIS
different crimes in different Criminal intelligence analysis is divided into operational (or tactical) and strategic analysis.
places, and use the analysis Though the basic skills required are similar, the two categories differ with regard to the
to support law enforcement level of detail and the type of client for whom the products are designed.
activities. The added value of Operational analysis aims to achieve a specific law enforcement outcome. This might be
criminal analysis is increasing an arrest, seizure, forfeiture of assets or money gained from criminal activities, or the
the understanding of crime disruption of a criminal group. Operational analytical support includes:
at the local, national, and
■ Identifying links between suspects, and their involvement in crimes and criminal
international levels. It can
activity;
also assist governments in
maximizing the deployment ■ Identifying key investigative or information gaps;
of human and financial
■ Providing or preparing profiles of known or suspected criminals.
resources.
Strategic analysis is intended to inform higher level decision makers, and the benefits are
realized over the long term. The intention is to provide early warning of threats and to
support senior decision-makers in setting priorities to prepare their organizations to deal
with emerging criminal issues. This might include allocating resources to different types of
crime, or increasing training in a particular crime-fighting technique.
Strategic analysis includes the identification of:
■ Modus operandi;
■ Emerging threats;
f ANALYTICAL PRODUCTS
In support of INTERPOL units and law enforcement authorities in member countries,
INTERPOL can generate a diverse range of analytical products:
■ Analytical reports;
f CONTACT INFORMATION:
Contact us via our web site. For matters
relating to specific crime cases, please
contact your local police or the INTERPOL
National Central Bureau in your country.
f Twitter: @INTERPOL_HQ
f YouTube: INTERPOLHQ
f WWW.INTERPOL.INT