The application of network analysis to criminal intelligence: An assessment of the prospects

Abstract

This paper explores the opportunities for the application of network analytic techniques to the problems of criminal intelligence analysis, paying particular attention to the identification of vulnerabilities in different types of criminal organization — from terrorist groups to narcotics supply networks.

A variety of concepts from the network analysis literature are considered in terms of the promise they hold for helping law enforcement agencies extract useful information from existing collections of link data. For example, six different notions of “centrality” and the three major notions of “equivalence” are examined for their relevance in revealing the mechanics and vulnerabilities of criminal enterprises.