Students will develop a strong awareness of, and will receive, hands-on experience in using pertinent tools and methodologies to conduct criminal intelligence analysis assignments, and to fashion their subsequent insights and ideas in a way that communicates effectively to their clients and other law enforcement consumers. A variety of learning activities, practical assignments, and quizzes are used to consolidate learning.

Level 1

The first level initially frames the work of criminal intelligence analysis against the wider contexts of the intelligence process and intelligence-led policing. It subsequently provides a sound introduction to the basics of criminal intelligence analysis – explaining core concepts and underlying processes, and providing practical instruction on improved ways of thinking, implementing basic analytic techniques, and effective communication of analytic findings.

• Criminal intelligence analysis and intelligence-led policing
• Effective thinking and crime solving
• Direction and tasking of law enforcement intelligence activities
• Intelligence collection and planning
• Data evaluation, collation, and processing
• Introduction to criminal intelligence analysis methods
• Crime pattern analysis
• Visual analytic methods
• Communicating criminal intelligence findings

Level 2

Level 2 lessons represent an expansive and more in-depth exploration of the concepts introduced in Level 1. Students are provided opportunities to think about the various tools and resources available to criminal intelligence analysts to facilitate their analytic efforts, develop hands-on familiarity with a wide variety of advanced analytic techniques, and enhance their analytic report writing skills.

• The Analyst as Information Networker
• The role of computerized tools in criminal intelligence analysis
• Introduction to structured analytic techniques
• Analysis of competing hypotheses
• Imaginative thinking tools
• Diagnostic analytic tools
• Analytic challenge techniques
• Threat analysis and assessment techniques
• Building analytic writing skills
• Putting it all together – becoming an effective analyst