Analyze the crime that you selected and apply procedures for intelligence gathering (see Lyman, 2019, p. 194).
Choose a fictional person for the target of your intelligence gathering. This person may be unidentified or unknown by name to the police.
Phase 1: Target Selection. Select your target using the factors listed in the text. Document the process by listing each criterion.
Utility
Probability of success
Required resources
Objective
Phase 2: Data Collection. Identify the sources of all possible data.
Phase 3: Data Collation and Analysis. Explain how you would organize your data.
Phase 4: Dissemination. Identify the agencies or persons who would receive your intelligence.
As you move through each of the phases, think about what you believe would be necessary to build a strong case to prove or disprove the actions of your target. For example, if I were to target a potential child pornography suspect I might ask be asking myself (just to name a few):
Who are the victims?
What are the national or local success rates for these investigations?
What resources will be required to complete gathering intelligence (IT, outside assistance, will there be out-of-state travel or in-state)?
PROCEDURES FOR INTELLIGENCE GATHERING
The intelligence collection process should be thought of as a
process of connecting a series of interrelated components of
information. Failure on the part of the investigator to adequately
connect any of these components could jeopardize the success
of the investigation. Therefore, everyone associated with the
collection process must have a keen understanding of the entire
intelligence function and its various components. The intelli-
gence function includes target selection, data collection, data
collation and analysis, and dissemination (Figure 7.2).
Phase 1: Target Selection
Target selection is the first phase of the process. To obtain
the greatest success, intelligence targets must be selected in a
systematic manner. They may be based entirely on the utility,
or size, of the target or available resources of the department.
Factors for investigators to consider in selection of a suitable
target include the following:
Does this target conform to the unit’s goals and
objectives?
Does the department (unit) have sufficient resources for
the operation?
What is the expected value of the target?Additional factors to consider in selection of suitable intel-
ligence targets include the following:
1. Utility. This is the worth of the successful result. If the
desired information is collected, how valuable is the
result? In determining target utility, consider the following:
Type of criminal activity
Amount and frequency of criminal activity
? Impact of criminal activity
2. Probability of success. What are the chances of
success with this target? In determining probability of
success, consider the following:
Amount of effort to be expended
Experience and expertise of the intelligence unit
personnel
Past success rate in similar operations
Availability of sources of information
3. Required resources. What resources are required
to collect the desired information? When determining
resources, consider the following:
Personnel hoursthe primary required resource
Equipment
Confidential funds
Travel expenses
Amount of time required
4. Objective. The primary objective of selecting a target is
to guarantee that intelligence efforts are focused toward
targets that are an acceptable balance to merit or value,
probability of a successful result, and resources used.Phase 2: Data Collection
Collection of criminal information is the hallmark of the
intelligence function and may be done overtly, covertly, or as
a combination of both. Written policy should dictate exactly
what types of information may or may not be gathered. Because
the collection of both personal and sensitive information on
individuals could be a high-liability issue for some communities,
great care is warranted by the police agency. Generally, intelli-
gence information regarding any suspected criminal activity can
be gathered, such as the following:
Drug trafficking
Extortion
Pornography
Fraud
Bribery
Robbery
Murder
Gambling
Prostitution
Labor racketeering Fencing
Burglary
Forgery
In addition:
Organizations that advocate the use of violence or other
unlawful means to affect any unit of government
Organizations that possess or attempt to control
shipments of arms, explosives, or controlled chemicals or
biological weapons for unlawful purposes
Organizations that finance violent or unlawful activity
Organizations whose actions constitute unlawful activity
targeted toward other organizations or individuals
Leaders of organizations such as those aforementioned
Information should not be gathered merely because of a per-
son’s membership in organizations unless such organizations meet
the criteria set forth previously and are found to present a clear
and present danger to society. Under no circumstances should
information be gathered solely on the basis of race, creed, color,
national origin, sexual preference, or political or religious beliefs.
After the information is obtained, intelligence units are faced with
the problem of maintaining a storage and retrieval system so that
the information can become available when needed. Generally,
this is done with a computer, but many departments prefer to rely
on index cards as a simplified and more secure system. Information
to be cataloged may originate from many different sources:1. Information from investigators assigned to the
intelligence unit
2. Information from nonintelligence departments of the
agency, for example:
? Offense reports
Arrest records
Field interrogation reports
Identification photographs
Fingerprint files
Warrant files
Traffic records
3. Information from other federal, state, and local
jurisdictions
4. Information from sources other than law enforcement
organizations, for example:
Newspapers
Trial records
Telephone companies
Public utilities
Credit agencies
Banks
Professional associations
Insurance companies
