Intelligence based investigation : obstacles and strategies used in law enforcement agencies

Abstract

Intelligence Based Investigation (IBI) is a methodology which is essential in producing efficiency and effective intelligence for the purposes of open investigations. The IBI approach not only shortens the completion time of an investigation but also enables effective pooling of various expertise needed in dealing with complex investigations to yield positive outcomes in every investigation. Legal scholars, prominent members of the prosecution, politicians and civil society movement has protested against the practice of undercover policing as the prime reason for argument is that there was no adequate legal basis for the systematic use of undercover method, which could easily infringe the private lives of the citizens. Secondly, IBI has been argued to be a breach of natural justice as preventive means of deterring a crime does not substitute the prevention of an actual act of crime as the credibility of information sources are often questioned since the act of an attack has yet to actually taken place. Experienced investigators, however, argues that intelligence based investigations coupled with the implementation of Task Force has proven to be most effective in most major cases. This dissertation examines the challenges and to explore strategies used in conducting effective Intelligence Based Investigation within Malaysian law enforcement agencies with the objective of contributing towards the discipline of intelligence studies and academic reference to the law enforcement agencies.?