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Abstract— Evidences collected in due form are the main source

of information for investigating authority in carrying out criminal

investigations. By revealing meaningful connections needed by

police, data collections guide police if these data are entered into

the databases and systematic collection, regimentation and result-

oriented usage of data will definitely increase the efficiency.

Because of the fact that gaining economic profit is at the forefront

of many corporations, the use information management systems

which strengthen dynamism, creates synergy and helps design

systems are preferred for this purpose. In organizations where

there is a flow of information from different sources such as

security forces or police, management of information is more

important than the collection of data. Addition of important data

into non-utilizable data causes an unnecessary data stack. In our

country, we cannot benefit from lots of data resources such as

fingerprint or palm archives and DNA Bank archives which can be

used widely for fighting against crimes. Additionally, there is a

controversial issue on whether police can gather intelligence from

different sources or not. In this study, concepts of “forensic

intelligence” and “information management” are analyzed by

addressing to the different ways of benefiting from forensic

sciences in intelligence gathering activities.

Index Terms— Intelligence, Forensics Science, Technical

Intelligence, Computer Forensics, Knowledge Management.

I. INTRODUCTION

t is impossible to fight against the crimes without the

intelligence gathering activities which are commonly used

in fighting against all types of crimes, especially in terror

and organized crimes. Intelligence is required in order to fight

against crimes and criminals proactively and in order to keep

track of criminals.

Today, crime syndicates which have a hierarchic structure,

strict rules and specific rewarding and punishment techniques

make use of all kinds of opportunities and innovations

provided by technology and they are using new techniques and

strategies which are much more complicated and more difficult

to decipher compared to past [1]. When intelligence gathering

Cpt. Hayrettin Çatalkaya, War Colleges Command, Army War College,

Student Officer, Yenilevent, 34330 (Tel: +90 212 398-0100/3504, İstanbul-

Turkey, e-mail: hcatalkaya@gmail.com)

Cpt. Muhammer Karaman, War Colleges Command, Army War College,

Student Officer, Yenilevent, 34330 TURKEY (Pbx: +90 212 398-0100/3504,

İstanbul-Turkey, email: muammerkaraman29@gmail.com)

activities which are discussed by police in terms of preventing

crime or picking up, are discussed in strategic aspects, require

the extensive issues and resources to be integrated and used.

Collection of different sources of information and analysis of

them in line with the requirements are related to information

management. Data which can be saved to 1.44 MB discs in

1960s are in huge numbers today. Today, the most important

problem is to access to the necessary information in data stack

and being able to use techniques which can process huge

amounts of data is becoming much more important.

Processing raw data and converting it into meaningful

information can be achieved through data mining engineering

[2]. Management of information can be described as

information obtained from data stack or collection ,storage

and result-oriented usage of unwritten or written institutional

information .Information management is a discipline which

embraces an integrated approach in order to determine, obtain

and evaluate and provide access to the information of an

institution and in order to share it [3]. Information

management which is considered to be collection of

information in one database includes also interpretation,

explanation, evaluation and analysis of information. Collection

of data in a database and construction of meaningful

relationships by usage of appropriate analysis programs are the

first steps of developing information. Revealing the

relationships between something which seem to be

independent from each other will contribute to the analysis of

crime.

Scientific information management may cause providing a

competitive advantage because scientific information is not so

easy to manage and it is also not easy to imitate. In this regard,

the gap between us and European countries can be explained

by being unable to manage scientific information rather than

not having scientific information [4].

II. INTELLIGENCE

Intelligence is a plural form of Arabic word “intel” which

means “news”, “newly acquired information” or “acquiring

information”. Technically, gathering intelligence is an activity

which is related to supply of informatics material, processing

of raw information acquired from this material, evaluation and

interpretation of it and coming to a conclusion by using

different techniques and advancements. It is a result of

“curiosity” which is an innate behavior of people [5].

Usage of Forensics Science in Intelligence

Gathering (Forensics Intelligence)

H. Çatalkaya, M. Karaman

I

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Intelligence is defined as accurate and intellectualized

information which can be used when it is necessary. On the

other hand, it can be defined as information which is a result of

processing raw data. Intelligence gathering activity is a

continuous activity and it includes gathering, evaluation,

production, distribution and usage of information.

Information which is needed in justice criminal system is

necessary for sorting out the crime. For instance, in a serial

murder case, where the criminal lives or where he will commit

another illegal act is an important data. Police reach such data

by taking effective measures such as dispatching patrols to the

neighborhood of the target persons. Finding out the criminal

by interpreting the data is called as process of analysis.

Analysis is the process when information gathered from

different areas of expertise such as criminal, computer

forensics, psychology or entomology is evaluated and this is

the most important process of solving the criminal case.

III. FORENSIC SCIENCES

Forensic science is the whole of different areas of expertise

which are needed in the process of gathering and analysis of

evidences. Today, position and scope of forensic science have

changed. Nearly all kinds of sciences can be used in judicial

(forensics) cases. Forensic sciences establish a connection

between judicial system and different specialties. Intelligence

units benefit from those specialties when it comes to fighting

with terror and security of the state. Path analysis is based on

“EXCHANGE PRINCIPLE” of French scientist Dr. Edmond

Locard and he describes his theory in this way: “If a substance

contacts with another substance, there will be a change in both

of substances.” (Locard, 1920) [6]. Main principle of forensic

sciences, “Every contact leaves a trace” comes from his

exchange theory. Forensic sciences have been used in judicial

systems for such a long time.

Main purpose of criminal procedure is to investigate the

realities of criminal attributions and as a result of it, illegal

evidences can be left out of assessment only when they are

unreliable (Unreliability Theory). Unreliability principle is a

result of defendant’s right to a fair trial. This right requires

defendant not to be imprisoned if there is a risk that evidence

is unreliable. Undoubtedly, unreliable evidence will cause to

the sentence of defendant [7]. In criminal judicial system,

usage of scientific techniques which bring to a successful

conclusion in the process of solving criminal case and finding

out the criminal will increase the effectiveness of evidence and

will prevent the conviction of accused.

In the U.S.A., the number of prisoners who were convicted

unfairly and the number of those who were acquitted as a

result of DNA tests shake the confidence of people towards

judicial system and caused most of the people to think over

their support for capital punishment. In the U.S.A, in a

research which was carried out as a part of “Innocence

Project”, within the last 15 years, 325 convictions (more than

25 of them was murder case) was cancelled as a result of DNA

tests. 72 percent of verdicts of conviction cancelled as a result

of DNA tests were because of misidentification of eye-

witnesses, other rates can be seen in the Fig. 1.

Fig.1. Contributing Causes of Wrongful Convictions [8]

There are also similar cases in our country. For instance, in

the murder case of Nagehan Erdal, Trakya University

Research Assistant, who was raped and murdered brutally,

Orhan Dinç was caught and he was sentenced to lifelong

imprisonment. Mr. Dinç always asked DNA tests to be done

and he was released after 6 year long prison term when it was

revealed that DNAs found on the dead body of Mrs. Polat was

not the same with DNAs of Mr. Dinç’s sperm [9].

In order to decrease the number of unidentified murders,

prevent unfair convictions and provide more effective and

concrete evidence to judicial system in time to fight against

crime and criminals, we should benefit from all areas of

forensic sciences.

IV. FORENSIC INTELLIGENCE

Forensic intelligence is a kind of intelligence which is

produced in the process of analysis of evidences [10]. Forensic

intelligence is reaching to basic data such as suspect, crime

scene or offensive weapon which is necessary for criminal

judicial system by analyzing and comparing available data

which may be collected before or after crime with available

database such as criminal record, social media, and fingerprint

archive by using scientific techniques.

Evidences found in scene of crime are important resource of

information to solve out the criminal case if a successful

criminalist study is carried out. Forensic intelligence takes

criminal study a step further and it is the usage of information

gathered from crime scene in analysis studies [11].

Forensic sciences reveal the relationship between crime and

criminal and evidence and record these information as

location, case or crime to databases thanks to advanced

technology. Police who are benefiting from intelligence

compare these databases with the results coming from different

databases and they reach specific information such as location

or shoe size of the criminal.

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Intelligence which is related to a crime can be gathered

before the occurrence of crime, during the crime or after the

crime. (Fig.2)

Fig.2: Intelligence Gathering Process.

Before the crime, if police service is designed to take

measures after something happened, this can be considered as

a reactive police service. Catching the criminals after someone

is murdered is such a kind of service. Therefore, police

services are tried to be carried out more proactively in order to

prevent the occurrence of crime [12].

Gathering information before the occurrence of crime

represents the preventive police service. Police determine

different policies to prevent crime by taking measures and

making analyses. This can also be described as risk analysis.

Risk analysis is a process in which potential problems are

determined beforehand and occurrences are analyzed and

assessed proactively.

Before the occurrence of crime, critical regions are

determined by the usage of available database and crime

distribution statistics in the areas of responsibility. By

investigating the possibility of occurrence of cases in the

future, potential threat signals are used in order to take

necessary measures. By using criminal identification

techniques with the help of demographic and social structure

analyses, criminal mind people are kept under control with

MOBESE camera and preventive listening.

With the effect of crime, lots of data which can be found in

crime scene can be used in producing intelligence. Lots of data

such as blood, empty cases, bones, fingerprints, shoe prints can

be used to contribute to criminal judicial system after they are

examined in criminal laboratories. If these data are entered

into local or international databases, it is possible to see

whether this data was used in another criminal case or not.

Success of comparison is directly associated with the capacity

of database. The huge numbers of data entered into database

causes some disadvantages such as long lasting comparison

process in addition to its advantages. In this case, information

about the location or region where evidence belongs to may

accelerate the process.

According to article 311 in Penal Procedure Law, if an

evidence which was used in the proceedings and which can

affect the verdict is found to be fake, or if eyewitness is found

to be unreal or if there are new incidents or evidences, trial is

repeated in favor of suspect and this clearly shows that

evidences found even after proceeding process can have an

influence on conviction. After proceedings, statements of

prisoners or evidences collected during the visits of suspects

can be used as intelligence to solve out the criminal case.

Before the occurrence, during or after a crime, analyzing the

data which are collected after investigation through corporate

data and databases increases the effectiveness in fighting

against criminals. (Fig.3)

Fig.3: Forensic Intelligence

Forensic intelligence can be considered to be composed of 2

units. First unit is gathering information directly through

criminal investigation while the second one deals with the

corporate data collected as a result of judicial investigations

[13]. Analysis of intelligence collected as a result of criminal

examination of collected evidences related to crime and

analysis made by the usage of corporate databases are carried

out in 2 different ways. Criminal databases, Identity databases,

law-enforcement databases, call number data, automatic

fingerprint identification system are among old corporate data.

Success rate of forensic intelligence is directly associated with

the number of digitalized data (shoe print, fingerprint, blood,

regional land evaluations) entered into databases.

In our country, Identity data of everything used in any crime

is archived in laboratories (Gendarmerie Criminal Department,

Istanbul University Forensic Medicine Institution, Police

Criminal Laboratories Department, and Forensic Medicine

Institution) which are members of ENFSI (European Network

of Forensic Science Institutions) however; there are some

concerns about the violation of human rights and ethics. In

2007, a draft of law on “DNA Database and National DNA

Databank” was prepared by Ministry of Justice but it was

rejected by Prime Ministry in 2008, there are still some studies

carried out on this issue. According to the data of General

Directorate of Security, offenders of 92.965 criminal cases

were found until today thanks to the usage of fingerprint

evidences. Evidences collected in crime scenes (fingerprint,

gland, saliva, blood, hair, insects etc.) are converted into

necessary data by the usage of different specialties. The fact

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that collected evidences are in different formats, it becomes

more difficult to gather them in one database. One of the

biggest problems is faced by public institutions while kinds of

data are gathered in one database. As durability of a wall

which is made of a mixture of concrete, brick, mud brick and

steel is disputable; expecting a database which is made of

integration of different data to be excellent and reliable is also

difficult. Management of information has the same importance

with the need of establishing justice.

Today, there are still some studies on the digitalization and

archival storage of printed evidences in our country and the

biggest fund is allocated to a Project called “Establishing

Electronic Document and Archive Management System” in

information Technologies system in 2012 [14]. The most

important reasons of hanging on archiving digital versions of

printed evidences are conservative attitude, shyness and high

ranking bureaucratic reflexes [15].

In addition to corporate databases, internet also provides

advantages to the police in determination of criminals. Our

country population of which is 75.627.384 according to TUIK

data is on the 7th rate in terms of using Facebook social

network. The number of Twitter and LinkedIn users is

increasing day by day. Benefits of such platforms in

determination of crime and criminals are undeniable. Notes

taken in crime scenes, photos, reference publications are

among the data which can be used during analyses.

Digitalization of numerous implicit knowledge such as

experiences, argumentation and meetings in addition to

recorded documents of institutions will increase the

effectiveness of these information systems. There are different

aims in corporate levels to be achieved by management of

information.

One of the most important of those aims is converting

implicit knowledge to explicit knowledge and converting

explicit knowledge to more explicit knowledge. In some way,

this requires explicit knowledge to be recorded and explicit

knowledge to be made accessible [16].

After carrying out studies by using pictographic analysis

programs (I2 analyst Notebook, Maltego Case File) and

converting the collected data into appropriate format, some

relationships between evidences are investigated. Analysts

benefit from search engines (DtSearch, Full Text Engine,

Endeca) which can search lots of compiles of data in every

stage of study. Results are reported by using appropriate

reportage programs. Since 1990, security and police strategies

have become more proactive and they have begun to rely on

much more intelligence. Proper use of these strategies has

begun to constitute the basis for making strategic decisions,

fighting against terror and efficient distribution of resources.

Especially technologies such as databases, pictographic

information systems, data mining techniques, biometric safety

devices are among the most commonly used criminal

intelligence systems by security forces [17].

The fact that crimes have begun to be much more

complicated and criminals have begun to be more professional

required police forces to found units which can make analyses

beyond classical methods to fight against criminals.

According to the results of a Project, held in UK in 2005,

called” Forensic Sciences Selection of Route Project: 2

English Is Evaluating The Increasing Criminal Activities In

Police Forces.”, it was found out that 75 percent of data

collected from criminal investigation contributes to the

preparation of case files. Out of 612.000 cases in which

criminal investigation support was taken, only 11.62 of

offenders were identified [18]. These studies have shown that

in addition to evidences which were found in crime scene and

sent to criminal investigation laboratories, extra information is

required in case files to fight against crime and criminals. In

many countries, police forces are considered to have a

privileged role. Although intelligence services do not concern

about domestic safety issues, with the change of way and

extend of threats, there are new threats to domestic safety such

as terror, organized crimes, narcotics, and because of threats to

domestic safety, intelligence techniques are considered to be

used in fighting against these threats. Additionally, concept of

“security intelligence” was developed and “security

intelligence agencies” were founded in many countries [19].

For instance, with the idea that it would be difficult to fight

against crimes in today’s world with the techniques and tactics

used in the past, and a new work was started in 9th February of

2004 in UK. Different departments of anti-smuggling and

organized crime were gathered under a single roof and then, in

FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) model, financial

intelligence and intervention unit was founded under the name

of “SOCA”. This new institution. Embodied other institutions

such as National Crime Squad and National Criminal

Intelligence Service. Additionally, this institution embodied

HMRC’s the authority and duty of fighting against financial

crimes and UK- Immigration Service’s authority and duty of

fighting against organized human smuggling crime [20].

In our country, forensic intelligence activities are generally

carried out by police forces. Police find out the criminals by

analyzing the data collected before or after crime with the help

of databases which are open to criminal judicial system.

Forensic sciences are used in producing “national intelligence”

besides producing criminal intelligence. Countries which have

become aware of the importance of forensic sciences in

intelligence gathering have begun to reorganize their technical

intelligence units. For example, the U.S.A has been using

medical intelligence since 1940 in order to foresee illnesses

and weaknesses of the citizens and in order to foresee possible

regime changes and in order to change their principles

accordingly.

In Russia, “Brain Investigation Institute” in Petrograd where

1922 psychologist, medical hypnosis expert and physicians

work started to work on parapsychology problems. Between

the 1967 and 1982, with the instructions of Yuri Andropov

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who was the head of KGB and prime minister studies on the

usage of parapsychology as a strategic weapon [21]. Around

and after these years, it was seen that parapsychology was used

intensively by intelligence agencies of some leading countries.

In our country, as a part of career education of surgeons

working in “Turkish Armed Forces”, education of “Medical

Intelligence and Evaluation of Medical Threats” is given [22].

As in many modern armies, with the aim of gathering medical

intelligence, medical condition of region, information about

environmental threats and information about the support of

host country should be known by Turkish Armed Forces and in

the light of this information, measurements should be taken if

necessary and military units should be deployed. Within this

context, a national medical intelligence center where aforesaid

data will be evaluated is needed to be founded. Studies in this

center are required to be carried out by a medical team

consisting of experts of different specialties who can work in

coordination [23].

Within the basic framework, different information centers

towards different specialties should be founded and legally,

necessary information should be acquired from these centers

[24]. Forensic intelligence agencies which can gather

information from these information centers are expected to

increase effectiveness in fighting against criminals.

V. CONCLUSION

Success rate of criminal investigation which is restricted by

technical and scientific disciplines is directly associated with

the number of reference examples, performance of information

systems and experience of an expert. Studies have shown that

data gathered as a result of criminal investigation is not enough

to solve out the criminal cases. Countries who are aware of the

need of new techniques and strategies in fighting against crime

have reorganized their organizations. In our country, some

kind of measurements should be taken with the aim of

decreasing the number of unfair convictions, increasing the

possibilities and obtaining good results in catching the

criminals. For example; studies on draft law of “DNA Data

and National DNA Databank” should be actualized and

possible unfair convictions should be prevented. Legal

arrangements should be done in order to archive fingerprint

data.

Forensic Intelligence is a new concept which was just started

to be discussed in our country and it provides some advantages

such as showing a way and guiding in fighting against

criminals and finding out the criminals. In the future, with aim

of providing accurate and punctual information required by

criminal judicial system, organizing a forensic intelligence

unit consisting of scientific experts who can have an access to

every kinds of database and who can benefit from the

opportunities of information technologies is an issue which

needs to be discussed.

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Hayrettin Çatalkaya received his BS degree in Turkish Army Academy in

2005. He currently continues his study at the Turkish Army War College. His

research interests are information security and privacy, computer forensics

and digital investigation.

Muhammer Karaman received his BS degree in Turkish Army Academy in

2005. He finished the Information System Management Course in 2012 at

Army School of Information Technologies in Georgia, USA. He currently

continues his study at the Turkish Army War College. His research interests

are cyber operations, cyber law and international relations.