Subcommander Bob wrote:

ANAHEIM -- Detectives compiling information on Latino activists used an investigative technique typically reserved for investigating organized crime, drug networks and street gangs, according to a former police captain. Police, under orders from Chief Roger Baker, created organizational charts on five Latino activists who complained about alleged police misconduct. Baker presented the confidential report Nov. 14, 2000, to the City Council in a closed-door briefing. Retired Capt. Marc Hedgpeth said the charts showing the activists and their connections to community groups were part of a process called "link analysis," often used to outline conspiracies.

If you're interested in how this works, here's a link to some interesting free demo software, for those who haven't seen it already: The Analyst's Notebook http://www.i2.co.uk/products/an/index_ns.htm The Analyst's Notebook is the world's leading visual investigative analysis software, used in 1200 organizations world-wide. It assists investigators by uncovering, interpreting, and displaying complex information in easily- understood chart form. The Analyst's Notebook includes two main tools for differently types of analysis, the Link Notebook and the Case Notebook. The Link Notebook supports: Link Analysis chart (also called Association charts) Commodity Flow charts Activity Charts Network or high volume link analysis charts The Case Notebook supports: Timeline or Sequence of Events Charts Case Flow or Transaction charts Combined Charts Showing Events and Flows Use the power of the Analyst's Notebook to: Visualize your Data! The Analyst's Notebook gives you a range of visualization formats, each one shedding a different light on your information. The Analysts Notebook supports the full range of analytical conventions adopted by analysts world-wide. In addition, the extensive features enable you to quickly find the connections between related sets of information, and reveal significant patterns in your data. Analyze Information from Many Sources The Analyst's Notebook can automatically analyze a dataset and portray it in the chart format of your choice. It helps you navigate through large networks in order to unravel complex relationships and quickly discover key information. The analytical techniques you can apply include: Link Analysis Timeline Analysis Network Analysis Create Intelligent Graphics In the Analyst's Notebook, chart items aren't just symbolic representations, they link back to the records in your data. Clicking on a chart item allows instant viewing or editing of the supporting information. .. and Present a Professional Picture. Use Analyst's Notebook's rich graphical environment to create charts for use in briefings and easily create "the picture that speaks a thousand words"! The Analyst's Notebook has proven to significantly increase the productivity of investigative teams, to help both analysts and managers achieve and retain an understanding of multiple cases and extensive data. The charts have proven successful in conveying complex information to judges and juries." "Intelligence-led Policing In 1996, the UK hosted the European Football (Soccer) Championship 'Euro 96'. the British Government was determined that the football action would not be overshadowed by hooliganism. A special unit was set up at New Scotland Yard to police the competition. the unit included an intelligence cell equipped with i2's Analysts Notebook linked to a text database. The majority of countries represented at the Euro 96 competition already used the i2 Analysts Notebooks to analyze crime in their own countries. Each country sent a representative to liaise with the British police and the product provided a common format for exchanging intelligence between them. The analysts used the Analysts Notebook to create charts identifying the trouble makers and showing the links between them. These charts were used in briefings at all levels to show the remarkably complex associations identified by the analysis. Senior officers were then able to identify possible problems and prevent trouble by targeting resources in the right locations. The i2 Analyst's Notebook charts were then included within the intelligence briefing packs and distributed to the operational units. They proved to be a very powerful method of showing problem areas and significantly contributed to the success of the operation. The disruptive elements were often intercepted before they reached the stadium. The country-wide operation successfully identified and prevented many potential incidents in the days, hours and minutes leading up to the Euro 96 matches. The operational teams used the intelligence to good effect, ensuring that the games were enjoyed in the trouble-free atmosphere they deserve." Analyst's Workstation A tailored software solution that has proved effective in law enforcement for tackling Crime and Social Disorder, and has applications within the commercial sector for loss prevention, such as fraudulent claims against insurance companies. The Analyst's Workstation integrates the complete i2 suite of analysis tools, enabling you to switch seamlessly between different analysis techniques without losing the overall thread of your work: Spatial, through links to Geographical Information Systems - highlighting concentrations of activity or "hotspots". Statistical, with iGlass (see below) Associative, with Analyst's Notebook - identifying associations and networks Temporal, with Analyst's Notebook - showing how events and activities relate to time Visual Querying, with iBase (see below) At the heart of the Analyst's Workstation, iBase is a database that provides a central repository for information from a variety of sources, in a structured and co-herent manner. iBase includes user-friendly features, such as Visual Querying, which enables you to easily ask questions of the data and quickly find the information you require. iGlass is a state-of-the-art data-mining tool which enables you to explore and present your data in a variety of statistical formats. You can identify patterns and trends, make comparisons between data-sets and highlight exceptions from the norm, all of which can be presented in a range of graphs and charts for reporting purposes. Seamless integration with the Analyst's Notebook., so you can conduct detailed link and timeline analysis of the data. Represented as a 'chart' you can analyse the detail of your information and visually identify the key entities, common associations, sequence of events and location of scenarios. Integration to leading GIS suppliers enables you to conduct spatial analysis, for example, viewing the location and number of incidences within your chosen geographical area. With the Analyst's Workstation you can more easily identify, consider and communicate complex scenarios, giving you an understanding of your problem which is fundamental to the formulation and implementation of strategies to address it."