NCJ Number
60575
Date Published
1979
Length
31 pages
Annotation
AN OPERATIONAL GUIDE INTENDED FOR USE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL ENGAGED IN THE PREVENTION, DETECTION, INVESTIGATION, AND PROSECUTION OF WHITE-COLLAR CRIME IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
IN RECENT YEARS, THE INTELLIGENCE PROCESS HAS PLAYED AN INCREASING ROLE IN THE CONTROL OF ORGANIZED CRIME; THE USE OF SUCH A PROCESS IN WHITE-COLLAR CRIME INVESTIGATION IS SIMILARLY IMPORTANT DUE TO THE INCREASING INCIDENCES, COMPLEXITIES, AND DIVERSIFICATION OF WHITE-COLLAR CRIME SCHEMES. NORMALLY, WHITE-COLLAR INVESTIGATIVE ACTIVITIES ARE REACTIVE IN NATURE. IF, HOWEVER, THE INTELLIGENCE PROCESS IS IMPLEMENTED AS A COMPONENT OF OVERALL ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES, THE RESULT SHOULD BE A REDUCTION OF EXPENSIVE INVESTIGATIVE AND PROSECUTORIAL TIME, WITHOUT A DECREASE IN EFFECTIVENESS. THE INTELLIGENCE PROCESS INVOLVES FOUR BASIC COMPONENTS, INCLUDING INFORMATION INPUT, INFORMATION INTEGRATION, INFERENCE DEVELOPMENT, AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION. THE PROCESS CAN BE DESIGNED TO SATISFY TACTICAL AND STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES. REGARDING THE FIRST COMPONENT, INFORMATION INPUT, IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TOTAL INTELLIGENCE PROCESS IS DEPENDENT UPON BOTH THE AMOUNT AND QUALITY OF INFORMATION ENTERED; INFORMATION LACKING SOURCE RELIABILITY OR CONTENT VALIDITY SHOULD NOT BE ENTERED. THE SECOND COMPONENT, INFORMATION INTEGRATION, IS MOST EFFECTIVELY ACHIEVED THROUGH USE OF THE TECHNIQUES OF LINK ANALYSIS, EVENT FLOW CHART DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMODITY FLOW CHART DEVELOPMENT. INFERENCE MAY TAKE THE FORMS AND RESULTANT ACTIONS OF LOW-CERTAINTY HYPOTHESIS, HIGH-CERTAINTY HYPOTHESIS, AND CONCLUSION. THE PRODUCT OR OUTPUT OF THE INTELLIGENCE PROCESS, THE INFORMATION DISSEMINATION COMPONENT, CAN BE DELIVERED TO INVESTIGATION OR PROSECUTION GROUPS, DEPENDING UPON THE LEVEL OF INFORMATION DEVELOPMENT. REFERENCES AND DIAGRAMS ARE INCLUDED IN THE OPERATIONAL GUIDE. (LWM)