Social Network Analysis as a tool for Law Enforcement and Security
This line of research originated from our work in support of digital investigations, in particular when dealing with high volume of OSINT data on criminal organisations.
Methodologies originating from network theory have been applied to law enforcement for quite a long time and have proven their value. We did the same in elaborating available datasets and building. a clearer picture of the social connections between individuals of interest.
However, current approaches (including ours in the past) still fall short in two important regards:
- firstly, in most cases the analysis of the criminal network is built largely by hand or using software tools that are not been designed for the use of Law Enforcement or forensic analysts;
- moreover, in most cases the social network graph (SNG) is based on one single data source.
This line of research and development focuses on improve Social Network Analysis (SNA) and tailor it to intelligence purposes. It is based on building, and maintaining over time, a blended, multiplexed social network graph, based on the fusion of a diverse set of data sources, both in the open-source domain (OSINT) and in the confidential domain available to Law Enforcement and other security agencies, making full use of the diverse set of information available to investigators.
The workflow for multiplexed SNA:
- OSINT data collection;
- Evaluation of source reliability;
- AI-based correlation between sources, with human supervision and validation;
- Automated ways to generate blended links between individuals that retain information from the different sources;
- SNA techniques applied to intelligence and investigations.;
The overall goal of this work is to provide an easy-to-use and tailored tool for law enforcement agencies able to shed light on the network structure, characteristics, and possible future evolution in order to develop resource-efficient contrast strategies, including prioritising high-value targets.
This line of research was at the core of the concept of the EU Horizon project “RITHMS” as well as of new, improved, and refined project proposal currently under evaluation, where we seek to improve the work done and actually deliver the innovations we are seeking.
Beside seeking funding, our work continues both in supporting LEAs and prosecutors and in developing in-house innovative tools for SNA tailored to security and intelligence-led policing.
