The intelligence cycle is a structured procedure for the creation of mission-focused intelligence support. It is a systematic and ethical procedure of collecting, classifying, analyzing, and disseminating relevant knowledge, with the objective of aiding decision-makers in taking preventive and restorative measures with the greatest degree of tenability (Vilasi, 2017). Almost always, the procedure is not an end itself- it should not be viewed as a rigidly structured procedure that ought to be conducted in an identical manner in all instances. The five elements of the intelligence cycle, including planning and direction, collection, processing, analysis and production, and dissemination, are applicable in the law enforcement field (Peterson, 2005). Nonetheless, the elements are the intelligence cycle, when being adopted in the law enforcement field, must consider the intelligence requirement individually to facilitate its application in a manner that develops the required intelligence in the most effective manner possible.
Elements of the Intelligence Cycle and its Applicability in Law Enforcement
Planning and Direction
The planning process entails the selection of goals and developing methods and strategies to achieve them. It is the management of the entire effort to gather knowledge, from identifying the need for information to delivering the intelligence product to consumers (Phythian, 2013). Whenever a law enforcement officer is tasked with a given job, he or she ought to begin by planning what will be done. In addition, this stage involves drawing a specific direction that will guide someone on what is known about the situation and what needs to be explored; law enforcement officers are expected to discuss ways of gathering the relevant intelligence at this stage (Carter, 2004). Law enforcement personnel device implementation plans to satisfying the requirement levied by a specific law enforcement department, such as the Central Intelligence Authority (CIA) or the FBI and so on. The specific collection requirement of a given law enforcement department is identified at this stage. The planning and development process is impacted by the end of the cycle since the existing and new intelligence, which is applicable to decision making, generate new requirement (Carter, 2004). The planning and collection require the joint effort between various analysts, who are experts in the management, compilation, and analysis of information, and intelligence officers who are experts in extracting information. The planning and direction process is the first step to achieve quality intelligence in the law enforcement field as it facilitates the development of goals and implementation plans for achieving these goals.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Collection
This stage involves the gathering of raw information as per the requirements set in the previous stage. This is the most demanding activity in the intelligence process. At this stage, activities such as interviews, technical and physical surveillance, searches, liaison relationship, and human source operations are vital for the effective collection of intelligence (Carter, 2004). In the law enforcement field, the collection can be achieved openly or secretly. The collection stage has traditionally been given great emphasis, with law enforcement agencies and prosecutors dedicating an enormous amount of reasons to gathering intelligence. With the advancement in technology, along with the enactment of new or revised laws, the collection of intelligence has been made more efficient. The conventional forms of data sourcing techniques employed by law enforcement agencies include physical surveillance, electronic surveillance, confidential informants, undercover operators, newspaper reports, and public records, among others (Peterson, 2005). The advancement in technology has facilitated the development of other forms of data collections.
Processing and Exploitation
Processing entails sorting the collected data to sieve out useless, non-applicable, or false details and put the information in a chronological and logical arrangement. The information collected is converted into an intelligence report (Peterson, 2005; Carter, 2004). It involves converting the huge amount of information into a form that can be useful to analysts. The organization of information in a logical order facilitates simpler identification of relationships among entities and uncover relevant information. The common methods used in the collation of intelligence include decryption, language translation, and data reduction, among others (Carter, 2004). Advanced databases with text-mining capabilities is another tool that has proven useful in the collation process. The processing part of this step primarily involves the entering of raw data into databases where it can be used in the analysis process. Technological advancements have resulted in the development of databases that facilitate effective retrieval and comparison of data (Peterson, 2005). The processing step also involves the analysis of data being entered into the system. Law enforcement agencies must evaluate the validity of collected intelligence along with the reliability of its source. In other words, information that is successfully entered into an intelligence database must have met the requirements of relevance as set by the law enforcement agency, and per the specific situation. For instance, the intelligence must be relevantly linked to the criminal activity associated with a given informant. Processing, collation, and exploitation of intelligence, which is primarily achieved by inhouse analysts, is central to achieving relevant information in the law enforcement field.
Analysis and Production
At this stage, the information is converted into intelligence. The analysis stage involves the derivation of meaning from data. Through analysis, law enforcement personnel can identify information that is present or missing from facts (Carter, 2004). The process incorporates the integration, evaluation, and analysis of available data to prepare intelligence products. The reliability, validity, and relevance of information is gauged at this stage. The available data is systematically integrated and put into a relevant context to produce intelligence. During law enforcement intelligence operations, data are analyzed in anticipation of new leads in the investigation, to develop a theory of who committed a crime or how the crime was committed, and to predict future crime patterns (Peterson, 2013). The analysis process, therefore, involves the synthesis of data, development of inferences and conclusion, and proposal of recommendations for action as per the data and inferences. Various analytic techniques and methods that support law enforcement include crime analysis, investigative/evidential analysis, and strategic analysis (Peterson, 2005). The analysis stage of the intelligence cycle forms the bridge between information and intelligence that can be used to solve a given crime.
Dissemination
Dissemination is the final step of the intelligence cycle, which is primarily the distribution of raw or finished intelligence to individuals whose needs triggered the intelligence requirement. It involves providing relevant information to persons who have the need and right to utilize it in whichever way they deem appropriate (Vilasi, 2017). In most instances, parties that require intelligence are never part of the intelligence units. Therefore, law enforcement agencies have a dissemination protocol that dictates sharing according to the set rules or withholding information by exceptions (Peterson, 2005). Therefore, once the detectives or federal agents have collected information and developed intelligence, they are expected to share them with relevant prosecutors or any relevant decision-making body.
In sum, the intelligence cycle is a systematic and ethical procedure of gathering, classifying, analyzing, and disseminating relevant information with the target of aiding decision-makers. The intelligence cycles are part and parcel of the law enforcement intelligence operations, with the guidelines of planning, collection, processing and collation, analysis, and dissemination, as per the intelligence cycle being evident in the law enforcement field. The structural procedure of the intelligence cycle facilitates the effective and efficient collection and application of intelligence in various law enforcement activities.
References
Carter, D. L. (2004). Law enforcement intelligence: A guide for state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies (pp. 136-37). Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
Peterson, M. (2005). Intelligence-led policing: The new intelligence architecture . Washington, DC: US Department of Justice.
Phythian, M. (Ed.). (2013). Understanding the intelligence cycle . Routledge.
Vilasi, A. C. (2017). The Intelligence Cycle. Open Journal of Political Science , 8 (1), 35-46.
