Abstract:

Criminal intelligence has become a central tool in modern crime control that is used by law enforcement to understand rapid changes in crime and criminality. The development of intelligence relies on the sharing of information between agencies—including law enforcement, other government agencies and private sector entities. However, there are a number of legislative, technical and cultural barriers that limit the free flow of information. This report examines those barriers and develops an information sharing matrix that explains the barriers associated with different types of information sharing. The matrix develops a typology of information sharing based on two dimensions: the level of interaction and the level of connectivity.