Gang Investigations
Gangs are increasingly making their presence felt across the United States and Canada, in large and small towns alike. Their criminal activities run the gamut from graffiti to homicide and can include property theft, vehicle theft, selling stolen goods, drug trafficking, illegal weapons trading and assault. These activities undermine the safety and security of communities and require a coordinated, insight-driven response from law enforcement.
i2 software can help gang units organize and make sense of the masses of data collected by investigators. It enables them to better understand a gang's hierarchy and modus operandi in order to develop effective counter strategies. Because gangs often operate across jurisdictional boundaries, i2 software facilitates information sharing internally and with external organizations.
When cases go to court, i2 software can help you to effectively communicate complex information to prosecutors, judges and juries.
To combat criminal gang activity effectively, investigators must gain a thorough understanding of how a gang operates. This requires gathering vast amounts of information from numerous sources.
iBase allows gang units to consolidate, organize and access multi-source data without advanced technical expertise. A database solution designed specifically for investigators and analysts, iBase enables users to quickly build and populate a database readily adapted for a variety of data.
 |
Instantly populate your database using built-in forms and comprehensive import facilities. |  |
Analyst's Notebook charts convey complex information in an intuitive visual format. They depict relationships between people, places, events, assets, telephone numbers and more to facilitate analysis and communication. |
In addition to gang members' personal information, aliases and arrest records, gang units can store photographs and video surveillance. They can even import volumes of data gathered from seized telephones, PDAs and pen registers. Comprehensive security and auditing functions protect the integrity of the data.
Because iBase integrates seamlessly with Analyst's Notebook, analysts can automatically generate link and timeline analysis from data stored in iBase. A GIS plug-in allows them to easily incorporate known gang territories into their analysis.
Existing databases can be connected to Analyst's Notebook via iBridge, which enables live connections to multiple databases throughout an organization.
It is the analyst's job to transform raw data captured by investigators into actionable information. With Analyst's Notebook, they can find the hidden connections and meaning within volumes of disparate data. As the larger picture of a gang emerges, the keys to dismantling or severely weakening it may become apparent.
Analyst's Notebook can help gang units to:
- Understand the depth and breadth of a gang's criminal network in order to develop effective strategies
- Perform telephone toll, financial and other analyses to reveal communication networks, identify gang members
and link them to crimes - Connect gang members to crimes in which they are indirectly involved
- Uncover patterns of activity to develop proactive strategies
- Effectively communicate case information to team members, command staff, prosecutors and juries
All underlying source information is captured behind each entity, meaning it is well organized and substantiates the chart during briefings or legal proceedings.
Information sharing is often critical to combating criminal gang activity. With ChartExplorer, gang units can quickly locate specific information in Analyst's Notebook files and other important documents residing on your organization's computers and file servers. This allows them to build upon the insights developed in previous investigations instead of starting from scratch.
 |
Quickly locate specific information to uncover possible relationships across cases and charts. |
Since criminal gang activity frequently crosses jurisdictional boundaries, external information sharing is equally important. Law enforcement agencies can quickly combine their findings simply by dragging and dropping information from related Analyst's Notebook charts into one. Matching entities are automatically merged, cards updated and new links established. The source of each piece of information can be noted in the cards.
The end result is an information sharing environment where each participant has access to a more comprehensive picture.
Gang hierarchy is intentionally complex and gang leaders go to great lengths to insulate themselves from criminal activity. As a result, it can be difficult and time consuming to explain a case to individuals not directly involved in an investigation.
In addition to being a powerful analytical tool, Analyst's Notebook supports the creation of visually intuitive charts that can incorporate photographs, audio and video. These charts have proven effective in quickly communicating complex information. They can be invaluable when trying to make your case to prosecutors, judges and juries.
Analyst's Notebook charts can be printed or shared electronically with those who do not have access to Analyst's Notebook by using free ChartReader software.
News@i2