Using an Intelligence-led Problem-solving Approach
The partnership strategic assessment process is supported by the quarterly (or more frequent) exchange of certain depersonalised information as required by the new information sharing regulations. This information is not only of use to the strategic assessment production process. It can also be used to ensure that problem solving throughout the year is intelligence-led. This means using the shared information, along with other information such as open source (publicly accessible) information and/or personal information specific to certain problems, to produce a tactical assessment.
Tactical assessments could consider the specific problems that relate to the agreed priorities including any significant changes and predictions for the next period. It could also consider the progress made on current problem solving activity. Additionally it could consider any new problems that require a response from the partnership.
The tactical assessment could be structured around the following components:
- Priority Locations: hotspots and locations representing long term concentrated need.
- Crime or Incident Series: identifiable and linked crimes and incidents.
- Subjects: such as lifestyle criminals, Prolific and other Priority Offenders, victims and witnesses.
- High Risk Issues: such as repeat victimisation or signal crimes.
The T&CG (as set out in Deliver: Implementation: Appropriate Processes and Structures to Support Delivery) can use the tactical assessment to decide the priority of problems being dealt with, allocate resources and check that activity being carried out is relevant to current issues and to the priorities agreed by the strategy group.
The response to individual problems can also be intelligence-led by ensuring that detailed analysis of shared information occurs before a response to the problem is planned and executed. This could be in the form of a problem profile, like those used by the police as part of the National Intelligence Model. Problem solving that takes place within the partnership will have to be carefully co-ordinated with problem solving work that takes place under the lead of individual partnership organisations, such as the police. Co-ordination will ensure there is less duplication of effort, more efficient use of resources, and should lead to better information sharing. The co-ordination of problem solving can be achieved through the tasking and co-ordination meeting.
Intelligence-led analysis can also be part of a problem-solving model. There are a number of problem solving models a partnership may use. We outline two of these in Deliver: Solving Problems: SARA and PROCTOR. An essential part of problem solving is the review or assessment of results and lessons learned. For assessment to be successful, each problem being dealt with should have a clear owner who is held to account for actions in relation to the problem. Clear and accessible records of problem-solving activity and its results should also be kept.
