Innovations in research on illicit networks

Abstract

Research using social network analysis to study illicit networks has blossomed since publication of a seminal article by Sparrow. Nonetheless, it took about ten years before Sparrow’s call to arms gained traction, with some scepticism from the wider social science academy about the utility of social network analysis as a viable tool. Since those early days, we have witnessed a burgeoning interest in the field of illicit networks, and in particular, the use of social network analysis as an effective tool for criminologists and crime analysts. This interest has spawned a robust body of research that has pushed the field forward, through various technical reports, academic journal articles, books and conferences. The Illicit Networks Workshop (INW), in particular, has become a tentpole event where illicit network researchers and analysts converge to share their latest research in an effort to advance the field. In 2020, the workshop will be in its thirteenth year, and boasts an international membership, having been hosted by institutions in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States. This special issue brings together a sampling of the presentations from the 10th INW hosted in Adelaide, Australia in 2017and represents some of the latest developments in the field. The special issue presents four articles that utilise innovative methods to explore a variety of different illicit networks, including organised criminal groups, gangs, and the trafficking in counterfeit alcohol. The first article by Nakamura, Tita and Krackhardt explores the role of local structural conditions that can facilitate or hinder violence between enemies, by focusing on gun violence among street gangs. They find that balanced structures tend to involve less violence but that a gang will initiate violence in attempts to reinforce a dominant position. The paper demonstrates that a network perspective can reveal important characteristics of the dynamics of inter-gang violence. Next, Hughes, Chalmers and Bright explore interrelationships between drug trafficking and other forms of organised criminal activity. They demonstrate that almost one quarter of drug trafficking cases involved concurrent serious or organised crime charges such as firearms offences and corruption. The paper represents an innovative use of social network analysis to explore interconnections across a range of criminal activities undertaken by organised criminal groups. Diviak, Dijkstra and Snijders then present an analysis of a counterfeit alcohol distribution network using exponential random graph models (ERGMs). They found that the network structure was characterised by triadic closure, a negative tendency to concentrate ties, and the translation of pre-existing ties into operational ties. The results demonstrate the utility of social network analysis to not only describe the structure of organised criminal groups, but to reveal important characteristics of the social dynamics through which such groups form and evolve. GLOBAL CRIME 2020, VOL. 21, NO. 1, 1–2 https://doi.org/10.1080/17440572.2020.1716520