Criminal intelligence: Theoretical and practical approach in modern police activity

Abstract

Criminal-intelligence is a modern approach to gathering information about the trends and developments of crime, whose actors are criminal groups and individuals. Modern approach in police activity includes all levels of policing. In the Balkan region, criminal intelligence is still little known, and usually it is wrongly practically oriented and associated with traditional intelligence. In addition to this erroneous practical interpretation, the scientific community is faced with insufficient theoretical orientation of criminal intelligence activity. The aim of this paper is to clarify differences of criminal intelligence in relation to intelligence, through the presentation of its theoretical approach and practical features. Consequently, the aim is to explain the conceptual determination of criminal intelligence and its role in police activity. Approach of the police as regards the application of criminal intelligence, as a modern instrument in relation to the prevention and suppression of crime, is correlated with the acceptance of new forms of crime and its organization as an important segment in endangering the security. In its practical structure, crime intelligence is correlated with criminal analysis, which is its integral and inseparable part, and in the professional literature it is also referred to as criminal intelligence analysis. Security is becoming so important that it prevails over all ideals of democracy, even an individual's freedom and rights, all with the purpose of preserving the community. A lot of efforts need to be made to forestall that the society confines the man, and the state and police repressive apparatus exceeds the limits of their daily ever greater power, on the grounds of the community security maintenance.