Information analysis is posing a real challenge in the era we live, which is characterized by an abundance of information generated by the unprecedented development of social networks and the translation of the media into the online environment. The analysis of information must be able to single out the essence of this information and to foresee possible scenarios of a certain phenomenon.
Information analysis is no longer the exclusive domain of law enforcement agencies, being also used in the private sector (business intelligence). The analysis of information provides decision-makers with a better understanding of the environment in which they operate and with the information required to base their decisions. In other words, the analysis of information allows the manager to allocate, judiciously, the resources available to him, on a scientific and rigorous basis and not on the basis of unsubstantiated assumptions. At the same time, the analysis of information not only allows decision-makers to take informed decisions regarding the organization’s priorities and policies, but also to reach the objectives in a proactive way.
In order to achieve the organization’s objectives, it is utmost important to carry out an efficient planning and to prioritize the activities based on the outcomes of the information analysis, especially when organization’s resources are limited. For taking sound decisions, efficient measures and to maximize the results, the manager needs the information analysis and analytical products to contain the appropriate information, to be presented in a coherent, clear and explicit manner and, perhaps, most importantly, to be delivered in a timely manner. Thus, by adapting and integrating existing analytical techniques it will be possible to anticipate the evolutions in political, economic, social, technological and security domains.
In this respect, the CRiTERIA project enhances the existing capabilities, the overall level of border security and also the institutional preparedness to face present and future threats by developing and implementing a set of indicators for risk analysis and vulnerability assessment (including a sentiment indicator), by improving the analytical outcomes by using qualitative assessments out of unstructured information, by developing risk analysis methodologies and by sharing the best practices in the field of risk analysis. In order to do so, CRiTERIA is using novel methods for the collection of data originating from various online sources and formats (audio/video/text), data which is further used for identifying narratives, predicting trends, and ultimately supporting the detection of threat indicators from online and social media content.
General Inspectorate of Romanian Border Police
The Romanian Border Police is part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and is the specialized state institution, which carries out the tasks related to the surveillance and control of the crossing of the state border. Responsible for approximately 3,150 km of borders, the Romanian Border Police permanently deals with the extremely varied problems and illegal means of transiting the Romanian border, starting with the illegal migration, drugs, guns and stolen vehicles trafficking and finishing with smuggling – in all its forms of manifestation. The General Inspectorate of Romanian Border Police contributes to the CRiTERIA methodology and cooperates with the rest of the partners in developing the CRiTERIA Risk and Vulnerability analysis methodology bringing in their unique know-how and experience.
This article was written by Florina Badea and Ştefan Stamate.
Banner image by Gerd Altmann on Pixabay.
