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Trends Organ Crim (2009) 12:188207
DOI 10.1007/s12117-008-9046-9
Published online: 24 October 2008# Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2008
Abstract Using social network analysis (SNA), we propose a model for targeting criminal networks. The model we present here is a revised version of our existing model (Schwartz and Rouselle in IALEIA Journal, 18(1):1814, 2008), which itself builds on Steve Borgattis SNA-based key player approach. Whereas Borgattis approach focuses solely on actors network positions, our model also incorporates the relative strength or potency of actors, as well as the strength of the relationships binding network actors.
Keywords Criminal networks . Social network analysis . Enforcement priorities . Intelligence priorities . Network targeting
Introduction
Social network analysts contend that law enforcement can better mitigate threats posed by criminal networks whether these networks are composed of individual criminals, criminal organizations, or some other criminal entities by identifying and targeting central network actors (McAndrew 2000; Moreselli 2005; Xu and Chen 2005). Identifying central actors in simple networks, with relatively few criminal actors and few connections, can often be done by eye. But when criminal networks become more complex, involving larger numbers of actors and connections, social network analysis (SNA) may be required to determine centrality.
Steve Borgatti develops a particularly useful SNA-based approach to identifying central actors, or what he calls key players (Borgatti 2003, 2006). Borgattis key player approach recognizes the equivalent of what is a critical distinction for law enforcement, between enforcement and intelligence. Borgatti draws on this distinction to derive novel measures of centrality to help identify enforcement and intelligence priorities within social networks.
D. M. Schwartz (*) : T. (D.A.) Rouselle
Integrated Analytical Services, Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario, 25 Grosvenor Street, 12th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M7A 2H3, Canadae-mail: [email protected]
Using social network analysis to target criminal networks
Daniel M. Schwartz & Tony (D.A.) Rouselle
Trends Organ Crim (2009) 12:188207 189
Although Borgattis key player measures of fragmentation (for enforcement) and reach (for intelligence) improve upon existing measures of centrality more common to SNA (e.g., degree centrality, closeness centrality, and betweenness centrality), his approach does not incorporate weighting of network actors and connections. That is, in Borgattis approach there is no distinction between the strength of network actors; and, likewise, the strength of associations between...