NCJ Number
94466
Journal
International Criminal Police Review, W 368 Dated: (May 1983) Pages: 133-137
Date Published
1983
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article discusses four steps of a programmatic analysis of organized crime.
Abstract
The first step towards strategic analysis is to have the organized crime unit complete a threat analysis of organized crime groups and operations in its jurisdiction. A threat analysis determines what organized crime costs the community both directly and indirectly, as well as wich specific groups and operations pose the most threat to the community. This entails an examination of all aspects of the crime operation. Threat analysis should also examine the decisionmaking processes of organized crime. Following threat analysis, the organized crime unit should analyze the aggressiveness, adventurousness and expansionist tendencies of the groups and their operations. The next essential and necessary step is network analysis. Network analysis consists of developing and laying out all the linkages and associations, roles, positions, and interactions of every known member of all organized crime groups in the jurisdiction and the patterns of association of that group with other organized crime groups and operations in the jurisdiction and elsewhere. The final step, vulnerability analysis, takes a micro perspective and looks within the organized crime group or crime matrix to the individual points of weakness and vulnerability to interdiction. By taking these steps toward a strategic analysis of organized crime groups and operations, law enforcement will begin to establish programmatic perspectives which will improve agency performance. Three footnotes are included.