Early identification and intervention with individuals at risk of becoming involved in serious and organised crime (SOC)

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mick Hurley ◽  
Laura Jane Boulton
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Organised Crime ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stage Process ◽  
Organised Crime Groups ◽  
Preventative Interventions

Purpose This paper aims to examine the “engage” pilot project and related processes for identifying individuals vulnerable to becoming involved in serious and organised crime groups (OCGs). Design/methodology/approach In this, a six-stage process developed in the five pilot sites to guide interventions is described. The project identified 18 individuals who have confirmed low level involvement in OCGs based in 5 areas of Greater Manchester by combining risk factors and the connecting of records held by law enforcement agencies. Findings Key risk factors found to be associated with the 18 individuals identified are described in relation to literature and discussed in terms of future intervention possibilities. A brief description of the key findings of the evaluation of the pilot project is also included. Originality/value Together these findings are discussed to explore the challenges of preventative interventions tailored towards young people already involved in criminality and offers recommendations for future programmes in this field.

Terrorism, organised crime and threat mitigation in a globalised world

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 951-961
Author(s):  
Yara El Siwi
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Organised Crime ◽  
Global Networks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Subsequent Section ◽  
Threat Mitigation ◽  
Organised Crime Groups ◽  
The Cold War ◽  
Substantial Interest

Purpose The gruesome attacks of 11 September 2001 signalled a powerful paradigm shift in international politics: governments previously accustomed to military menaces were now being increasingly threatened by independent, non-state actors. Consequently, a plethora of literature emerged, looking to better understand the nature of these actors. An aspect that has attracted substantial interest is the inter-relation between terrorism and organised crime (OC). This paper aims to answer the question as to whether, for the purpose of controlling and mitigating the threat they pose to society, there is meaning in differentiating between terrorist organisations (TOs) and organised crime groups (OCGs). Design/methodology/approach The first section of the paper will provide an account of the various kinds of threats posed by OCGs and TOs. The subsequent section will question whether it is possible, in today’s globalised era, to distinguish between these two actors, while the last sections will ask if such a differentiation is desirable. Findings OCGs and TOs display a clear divergence: the former’s motivation is financial while the latter’s political. With the end of the Cold War, however, each type of organisation has been building up the capabilities of the other, helped by the force of global networks. As such, these two actors now exist within the same body – a continuum – that renders their separation difficult. As to the question of desirability, the separation of the two phenomena has often led to the adoption of highly disproportionate militarised and securitised measures, resulting in a dangerous blending of law enforcement and security service methodology. Originality/value Many have argued for the separation of the “terrorist” from the “criminal”, on the grounds that the former is particularly heinous and deserving of more severe measures. Others have studied the evolution of these two phenomena to understand whether the lines separating them have been blurring and the extent to which this affects law-enforcement. This paper goes beyond notions of feasibility and poses the following question: has the traditional separation of these phenomena led to a desirable regime?

Follow the money to achieve success: achievable or aspirational

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 425-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Alan McTaggart
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Money Laundering ◽  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Organised Crime ◽  
Economic Crime ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Terrorist Financing ◽  
The Subject

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight the extent to which organised crime and the environment have altered in relation to money laundering and terrorist financing and to explore whether strategies to “follow the money” have been successful. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on personal analysis and involvement as a practitioner in law enforcement and includes a broad literature review on the subject of terrorist financing and money laundering. Findings Money laundering, terrorist financing and economic crime activity are being disguised in the “noise” of business by specialists that have become very adept at their craft. Financial institutions and lawmakers have invested heavily in countering money laundering and terrorist financing. However, its real effectiveness is somewhat doubtful. Originality/value This paper serves to stimulate further discussion and research on how all actors can increase collaboration and co-operation to increase the effectiveness of disruption strategies associated with these classes of crime.

Exploring infiltration behaviour by organised crime groups

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariska Fourie ◽  
Philip Steenkamp ◽  
Jacqui-Lyn McIntyre-Louw ◽  
Clinton Oellermann
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Organised Crime ◽  
Business Decision ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Legal Market ◽  
Criminal Opportunities ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Organised Crime Groups ◽  
Organic As

Purpose This paper aims to provide a holistic view of infiltration behaviour by organised crime groups (OCGs), with a specific focus on the methods used to access the legal market, including factors that drive an organised crime group to pursue infiltration. The act of infiltration is examined as a business decision; therefore, factors such as the surrounding community, the availability of criminal opportunities and broader implications, are considered. Design/methodology/approach Initially, the concept of an organised crime group is explored by, where possible, identifying trends in behaviour and structure. The act of infiltration is dissected, including the infiltration behaviour of OCGs and their related decision-making processes. Findings Infiltration actions are complex; therefore, any countervailing combatting and preventative actions will need to follow suit. OCGs pursue infiltration only when deemed feasible and to their benefit in furthering their illicit actions. Criminal opportunities are pursued across the entire economic sector. When these groups participate in a legal market, their criminality infects the healthy market and leaves it ill and contagious to the rest of the licit economy. Originality/value Infiltration is organic, as it indicates growth or adjustment to changing market conditions. Criminal opportunities are widespread, and their creation is often unintentional–the legal economy casts a shadow. Combatting organised crime, entrenched in the lawful community, requires that the focus should be on the susceptibility of potential infiltration targets through the possible infiltration methods. Furthermore, a broader perspective is needed when considering the underlying motivation for infiltration–it may not only be to generate profit.

Identification and analysis of major risk factors causing national terrorism

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-239
Author(s):  
Andrey Vadimovich Novikov ◽  
Andrey Petrovich Koshkin
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Law Enforcement Officers ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Security Sector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Impact

Purpose National terrorism is a comprehensive problem caused by various factors and conditions that give rise to or are capable of giving rise to it. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach The purpose of this study is to identify the main risk factors contributing to the emergence of terrorism, based on an expert survey of the academic community and law enforcement officers who are directly involved in the security sector in the Russian regions. Findings The study identified 72 causes of national terrorism, which were then transformed into a questionnaire. The findings helped identify 18 major risk factors associated with the emergence of terrorism. Originality/value It was concluded that the elimination of these risk factors would generally reduce the impact of more insignificant factors. The results of the study may be useful for countries and national regions exposed to a high level of terrorist activity.

A preliminary study of autism and cybercrime in the context of international law enforcement

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Ledingham ◽  
Richard Mills
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
International Law ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the association of cybercrime, autistic spectrum conditions and international law enforcement, the past decade having seen a significant growth in reported cybercrimes involving autistic individuals. Design/methodology/approach – Interest in the profile of autism and cybercrime and the pathways whereby such offences are committed is shared by key law-enforcement agencies worldwide. This was explored by literature review and survey. Findings – The authors identified a presence of persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders but no empirical evidence to suggest a prevalence or an over representation of autistic individuals committing cybercrime offences. At present profiling, pathways, and recording is under developed. Research limitations/implications – Paucity of literature on cybercrime and autism. Awareness of autism within law-enforcement agencies and the absence of key diagnostic and other data from the cross-section of agencies surveyed. Practical implications – Improve detection, diversion, profiling, risk and pathways into cybercrime. Social implications – Better prediction of risk of cybercrime and improved responses. Originality/value – Original paper believed to be the first to look at cybercrime and ASD in the context of international law enforcement.

Perspectives of directors of civilian oversight of law enforcement agencies

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 435-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Rosenthal
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Access To Information ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Past Experiences

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to involve interviews with civilian oversight of law enforcement (COLE) directors from throughout the USA with the purpose of obtaining their perspectives on what it takes to create and sustain successful COLE programs. Design/methodology/approach The project involved 24 semi-structured interviews with experienced COLE directors. The interviews were transcribed and coded and this paper presents these perspectives according to patterns identified during analysis. Findings The research identified themes and patterns in the attitudes of the oversight directors which included numerous conditions necessary for success of an oversight agency. Amongst the most important conditions included agency independence, director job security, the need for professional qualified staff, unfettered access to information, the ability to publicly report on the agency’s work and a willingness on the part of government officials to tolerate criticism of the police. Originality/value This is the first study to identify the challenges and impediments to sustainable COLE mechanisms from the point-of-view of experienced agency directors. The findings can be used by future practitioners to learn from past experiences.

Corruption, impunity and mistrust: moving beyond police gatekeepers for researching gangs

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Van Damme
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Central America ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Police Corruption ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Detention Centers ◽  
Entry Points ◽  
The Right

Purpose This paper aims to discuss the importance of having several entry points into the field, via gatekeepers who do not belong to law enforcement agencies, in contexts where the police cannot be defined as trustworthy. Design/methodology/approach The argumentation of this paper is based on qualitative research on women and gangs in Honduras. An ethnographical methodology was implemented, which included over a year of observations, 65 interviews and two focus groups in gang-controlled communities and detention centers in Central America (with a focus on Honduras), between 2017 and 2020. The paper implements a feminist reflexive approach, focusing on patriarchy, positionality and silence. Findings Collaborating with the police as gatekeepers in gang research needs to be reevaluated. In countries such as Honduras, the police are riddled with corruption and impunity, which eventually leads to mistrust among gang members and other citizens. Hence, it is recommended to approach other, non-law enforcement, gatekeepers, who often stand much closer to the gangs and have a less conflicted or biased position toward them and toward other people living in gang areas. Research limitations/implications A feminist reflexive approach is recommended for researching women and gangs, and thus also for choosing the right gatekeepers in the field, taking into account researchers’ and gatekeepers’ positionality. Originality/value Police corruption in relation to gangs and gang-related crimes often goes unreported and silences people living in gang-controlled areas. This paper exposes these conflicted roles, not only regarding police abuse vis-à-vis gangs and people living in gang areas but also in relation to gang researchers in the field.

Walking the walk: practical measures to undermine the business of organised crime

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Roderick Murray
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Business Intelligence ◽  
Analytical Methods ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Field Experience ◽  
Organised Crime ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Structures ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this article was to argue that developing an understanding of organised crime business structures is a necessary component of a modern effective law enforcement response and this must found on initiatives to improved capture of relevant business intelligence and developments of suitable methods to analyse it. Design/methodology/approach – Consideration of the dynamics of the challenge set by the business of organised crime, review of relevant academic studies; adaption of a template model to assess organised crime business structures; description of how this informs a new initiative being currently undertaken within Police Scotland under the name of “Project Jackal”. Findings – Project Jackal rolled out in the summer of 2014. Report on experience will follow in subsequent papers. Research limitations/implications – Further research and reporting on field experience is implied. Practical implications – Development of more effective business intelligence capture by law enforcement and of analytical methods to exploit this intelligence against organised crime. Social implications – Protection of communities and commerce from the corruptive influence of organised crime. Originality/value – To stimulate discussion on methods and responses to tackle the challenges outlined.

Sexual assault investigations and the factors that contribute to a suspect's arrest

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
James Markey ◽  
Thomas Scott ◽  
Crystal Daye ◽  
Kevin J. Strom
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Data Abstraction ◽  
Sexual Assaults ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Physical Evidence

PurposeSexual assault investigations present uniquely challenging circumstances to detectives, and a small proportion result in arrest. Improving sexual assault investigations requires expanding the evidence base to improve our understanding of how these investigations unfold and the factors associated with positive case outcomes, including the likelihood that an offender is arrested.Design/methodology/approachThe authors abstracted data on 491 adult sexual assaults investigated by five large and midsized law enforcement agencies to describe the characteristics of sexual assault investigations and to explain the relationships between these characteristics and the likelihood that a suspect is arrested.FindingsOverall, detectives move swiftly to investigate sexual assaults but tend to miss investigative opportunities that increase the likelihood of an arrest, like locating and processing the crime scene or pursuing interviews with key witnesses and leads. Sexual assaults typically lack physical evidence that can be used to identify and lead to an arrest of a suspected offender; when this evidence is present, the case is more likely to result in an arrest. Delayed reporting of the crime to law enforcement decreases the likelihood of a suspect being arrested, but the mechanisms are unclear.Originality/valueFew studies have used a detailed data abstraction process for a large sample of cases from multiple law enforcement agencies to understand sexual assault investigations and their case outcomes. The results can improve practitioners' and researchers' understanding of sexual assault investigations, including those factors that increase the likelihood of a suspect's arrest.

scholarly journals Communication Interception Technology (CIT) and Its Use in the Fight against Transnational Organised Crime (TOC) in Australia: A Review of the Literature

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Bell ◽  
Mitchell Congram
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Current Literature ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Organised Crime ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
The World ◽  
Organised Crime Groups ◽  
Two Bodies

In recent times, technology has advanced in such a manner that the world can now communicate in means previously never thought possible. Transnational organised crime groups, who have exploited these new technologies as basis for their criminal success, however, have not overlooked this development, growth and globalisation. Law enforcement agencies have been confronted with an unremitting challenge as they endeavour to intercept, monitor and analyse these communications as a means of disrupting the activities of criminal enterprises. The challenge lies in the ability to recognise and change tactics to match an increasingly sophisticated adversary. The use of communication interception technology, such as phone taps or email interception, is a tactic that when used appropriately has the potential to cause serious disruption to criminal enterprises. Despite the research that exists on CIT and TOC, these two bodies of knowledge rarely intersect. This paper builds on current literature, drawing them together to provide a clearer picture of the use of CIT in an enforcement and intelligence capacity. It provides a review of the literature pertaining to TOC, the structure of criminal enterprises and the vulnerability of communication used by these crime groups. Identifying the current contemporary models of policing it reviews intelligence-led policing as the emerging framework for modern policing. Finally, it assesses the literature concerning CIT, its uses within Australia and the limitations and arguments that exist. In doing so, this paper provides practitioners with a clearer picture of the use, barriers and benefits of using CIT in the fight against TOC. It helps to bridge the current gaps in modern policing theory and offers a perspective that can help drive future research.

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