From Right to Left it Had No End: Better Prioritization
A criminal intelligence system is a vital resource for crime control. Such a system not only enhances the effectiveness of an agency’s component law enforcement arms but also, as a central repository of criminal intelligence information, contributes to a more productive exchange of information among law enforcement organizations. Operational intelligence collection and analysis support both routine case investigations and complex investi- gative research projects. Strategic intelligence analysis serves a broad spectrum of crime control needs both within and without the agency; internally in the areas of planning, the allocation of resources, and the development of sound law-enforcement strategies; and externally in responding to requests for crime trend analysis. A vital criminal intelligence system involves more than compiling data that is used primarily to react to immediate investigative needs. Lack of a fully developed strategic and tactical intelligence capability seriously h...