Conclusions – Technology, society and law enforcement agencies

Abstract

The goal of this book has been to try and explore, through a range of examples, how the work of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) can be enhanced, developed or is being changed by contemporary information and communication technologies (ICTs). To this we have added the need for European or broadly cross-national cooperation in the fight against crime and terrorism. This is vital as crime and terrorism, as problematic and harmful social activities, are themselves supported in their transnational activity by the very same set of technologies. We have also sought to provide examples of how the strategic use of data, information, knowledge and intelligence – supported by contemporary information system solutions – provides a major opportunity for LEAs. As was noted in chapter 10 new forms of ICT for the support of investigations (see chapter 6), communication (see chapter 13), data capture (see chapter 7), training (see chapters 8 and 9) and also knowledge elicitation (see chapter 2) add to the complexity (see chapter 5) of the domains in which LEAs function. A systematic strategic approach to the management of knowledge by LEAs is therefore needed and, as chapter 11 clearly indicates, any lack of systematic strategic intelligence management has real and profound human consequences.