ABSTRACT
This chapter examines why a data-driven, offender orientation is a necessary part of any strategy to combat the threat of crime, and why a reactive response to crime events through unfocused investigative action is a recipe for failure. It deals with the crime and offender data and considers whether the figures provide evidence to advocate an intelligence-led model of policing. The chapter explains the challenges of problem places, prolific offenders, and whether we are able to identify and target the serious, recidivist offending community. It analyzes how much crime affects the community and how much of this is reported to the police. Strategic assessments may be focused on either organised crime groups or criminal markets, but need to address dimensions of the problem. Coordination among the different levels of policing and mutual recognition of their different strategic objectives is necessary if we are to be effective in reducing the individual, social, economic and environmental harms caused by organised crime.
