Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Illuminating dark networks: a social network analysis of an Australian drug trafficking syndicate

  • Published:
Crime, Law and Social Change Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A small but growing number of analysts of criminal activity have used social network analysis (SNA) to characterise criminal organisations and produce valuable insights into the operation of illicit markets. The successful conduct of SNA requires data that informs about links or relationships between pairs of individuals within the group. To date analyses have been undertaken with data extracted from offender databases, transcripts of physical or electronic surveillance, written summaries of police interrogations, and transcripts of court proceedings. These data can be expensive, time-consuming and complicated to access and analyse. This paper presents findings from a study which aimed to determine the feasibility and utility of conducting SNA using a novel source of data: judges’ sentencing comments. Free of charge, publically accessible without the need for ethics clearance, available at the completion of sentencing and summary in nature, this data offers a more accessible and less expensive alternative to the usual forms of data used. The judges’ sentencing comments were drawn from a series of Australian court cases involving members of a criminal group involved in the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine during the 1990s. Feasibility is evaluated in terms of the ability to produce a network map and generate the types of quantitative measures produced in studies using alternate data sources. The utility of the findings is judged in relation to the insights they provide into the structure and operation of criminal groups in Australia’s methamphetamine market.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Note that the judge could mention people who had not done anything criminal, such as victims, bystanders or family members. We did not include such people.

References

  1. Bouchard, M. (2007). On the resilience of illegal drug markets. Global Crime, 8(4), 325–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. McSweeney, T., Turnbull, P. J., & Hough, M. (2008). Tackling drug markets and distribution networks in the UK: A review of the recent literature. London: Institute for Criminal Policy Research.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Krebs, V. E. (2002). Mapping networks of terrorist cells. Connections, 24(3), 43–52.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Sparrow, M. K. (1991). The application of network analysis to criminal intelligence: an assessment of the prospects. Social Networks, 13(3), 251–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Xu, J., Marshall, B., Kaza, S., & Chen, H. (2004). Analyzing and visualizing criminal network dynamics: a case study. In H. Chen, R. Moore, D. D. Zeng, & J. Leavitt (Eds.), Lecture notes in computer science: Intelligence and security informatics (Vol. 3073, pp. 359–377). Berlin: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  6. Natarajan, M. (2006). Understanding the structure of a large heroin distribution network: A quantitative analysis of qualitative data. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 22(2), 171–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Jackson, J. L., Herbrink, J. C. M., & Jansen, R. W. J. (1996). Examining criminal organizations: possible methodologies. Transnational Organized Crime, 2, 83–10.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Morselli, C. (2009). Inside criminal networks. New York: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. v an der Hulst, R. C. (2009). Introduction to Social Network Analysis (SNA) as an investigative tool. Trends in Organized Crime, 12(2), 101–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. McAndrew, D. (2000). The structural analysis of criminal networks. In D. Canter & L. J. Alison (Eds.), The social psychology of crime: Groups, teams and networks (pp. 53–94). Aldershot: Ashgate.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Guryan, J., et al. (2008). Using technology to explore social networks and mechanisms underlying peer effects in classrooms. Developmental Psychology, 44(2), 55–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Luke, D. A., & Harris, J. K. (2007). Network analysis in public health: history, methods, and applications. Annual Review of Public Health, 28, 69–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Hatala, J. (2006). Social network analysis in human resource development: a new methodology. Human Resource Development Review, 5, 45–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Baker, W. E., & Faulkner, R. R. (1993). The social organization of conspiracy: Illegal networks in the heavy electrical equipment industry. American Sociological Review, 58(6), 837–860.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Heber, A. (2009). The networks of drug offenders. Trends in Organized Crime, 12(1), 1–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Morselli, C., & Petit, K. (2007). Law-enforcement disruption of a drug importation network. Global Crime, 8(2), 109–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Reid, E., Chen, H., & Xu, J. (2007). Social network analysis for terrorism research. In H. Chen et al. (Eds.), Handbook in information systems: National security (pp. 243–270). Oxford: Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Xu, J., & Chen, H. (2009). Untangling criminal networks: A Case Study. In Intelligence and Security Informatics. First NSF/NIJ Symposium, 2665, 232–248.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Morselli, C. (2009). Hells Angels in springtime. Trends in Organized Crime, 12, 145–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Willis, K., Homel, P., & Gray, K. (2006). Developing and implementing a performance measurement framework for drug law enforcement in Australia. In Monograph Series No.18. Payneham, South Australia: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund

  21. Hawley, M. (2002). Heroin shortage: the cause. Platypus Magazine, 76, 43–48.

    Google Scholar 

  22. McKenzie, N. (2010). Crime incorporated. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

  23. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2008). 2007 national drug strategy household survey: Detailed findings. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Australian Crime Commission. (2008). Illicit drug data report 2006–07. Canberra: Australian Crime Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Schloenhardt, A. (2007). The marker for amphetamine-type stimulants and their precursors in Oceania. Australian Government: Australian Institute of Criminology.

    Google Scholar 

  26. McKetin, R., McLaren, J., & Kelly, E. (2005). The Sydney methamphetamine market: Patterns of supply, use, personal harms and social consequences. In Monograph Series No. 13. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales.

  27. Nicholas, R. (2010). An environmental scan on alcohol and other drug issues facing law enforcement in Australia 2010. Payneham: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Pearson, G., & Hobbs, D. (2001). Middle market drug distribution. London: Home Office.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Reuter, P. (2004). The political economy of drug smuggling. In M. Vellinga (Ed.), The political economy of the drug industry (pp. 129–147). Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Curtis, W., & Wendel, T. (2000). Toward the development of a typology of illegal drug markets. Crime Prevention Studies, 11, 121–152.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Johnson, B. D., Hamid, A., & Sanabria, H. (1992). Emerging models of crack distribution. In T. Meiczkowski (Ed.), Drugs, crime, and social policy. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Natarajan, M. (1998). Varieties of drug trafficking organizations: a typology of cases prosecuted in New York City. Journal of Drug Issues, 28(4), 1005–1026.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Barnes, J. A. (1972). Social networks. Reading: Addison-Wesley.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Ianni, A. F., & Ianni, R. (1990). Network analysis. In P. P. Andrews & M. B. Peterson (Eds.), Criminal intelligence analysis (pp. 67–84). Loomis: Palmer.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Carley, K. M., Lee, J., & Krackhardt, D. (2002). Destabilizing networks. Connections, 24, 79–92.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Borgatti, S. P., Everett, M. G., & Freeman, L. C. (2002). UCINET 6 for windows. Columbia: Analytic Technologies.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Borgatti, S. P. (2002). NetDraw: Graph visualization software. Harvard: Analytic Technologies.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Bakker, R. M., Raab, J., & Milward, H. B. (2010). A preliminary theory of dark network resilience. Unpublished manuscript.

  39. Morselli, C., Giguère, C., & Petit, K. (2007). The efficiency/security trade-off in criminal networks. Social Networks, 29(1), 143–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Gibbs, S. (1999). Judge makes ‘painful’ decision to jail sergeant. Sydney Morning Herald.

  41. Small, C., & Gilling, T. (2009). Smack express: How organised crime got hooked on drugs. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Albert, R., Jeong, H., & Barabasi, A.-L. (2000). Letters to nature: error and attack tolerance of complex networks. Nature, 406, 378–382.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Watts, D. (1999). Networks, dynamics, and the small-world phenomenon. American Journal of Sociology, 105

  44. Granovetter, M. S. (1973). The strength of weak ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78, 1360–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work forms part of the Drug Policy Modelling Program funded by the Colonial Foundation Trust. This paper is based on a paper presented at the Illicit Networks Workshop which was held by the Centre for Transnational Crime Prevention, Wollongong University, Australia (December, 2009). We would like to thank Professor Carlo Morselli for his advice and encouragement.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Drug Policy Modelling Program, University of NSW, Sydney, Australia

    David A. Bright

  2. Drug Policy Modelling Program, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia

    David A. Bright

  3. Drug Policy Modelling Program, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW, Sydney, Australia

    Caitlin E. Hughes & Jenny Chalmers

Authors
  1. David A. Bright
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Caitlin E. Hughes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jenny Chalmers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to David A. Bright.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bright, D.A., Hughes, C.E. & Chalmers, J. Illuminating dark networks: a social network analysis of an Australian drug trafficking syndicate. Crime Law Soc Change 57, 151–176 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-011-9336-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-011-9336-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation