ABSTRACT
A small but growing number of analysts of criminal activity have used social network analysis (SNA) to characterise criminal organisations and produce valuable insights into the operation of illicit drug markets. This chapter presents findings from a study which aimed to determine the feasibility and utility of conducting SNA using a novel source of data: judges' sentencing comments. It outlines what is known about criminal groups that operate in the illicit market for methamphetamine in Australia, identifying the gaps in knowledge which potentially inhibit law enforcement's ability to effectively disrupt these groups. The chapter describes criminal analysts approach to the SNA using judges' sentencing data and presents their findings from the SNA. It also discusses the feasibility and utility of the use of judges' sentencing comments for SNA: feasibility in terms of comparability of findings with the extant literature and utility in terms of criminal analysts’ ability to provide insight into the operation of Australia's methamphetamine market.
