Could targeting key players in criminal activities, rather than those committing the most crimes, actually yield better results?
A world-leading scholar who used network economics to bust European crime syndicates has shared his breakthrough research - and potential implications here in Australia - during a special Economic Network Symposium at Monash Business School.
A worldwide expert on network economics, Professor Yves Zenou from Monash Business School, established the 'Key Player' theory - networks developed from direct interactions between two people and the interconnected links between their friends - which he demonstrated could reduce crime in Sweden by up to 30%.
"It would seem obvious - in order to cut crime, go after the kingpins. But identifying who these people were was not easy. Police generally have lots of information, but no way of sorting fact from fiction," Professor Zenou said.
"My research shows that people two or three links away from an individual can still have an impact. By creating a network of information, charting the links and different connections between criminals, we were able to arrive at the 'key players' police should be targeting."
Professor Zenou is now applying the 'Key Player' theory to crime in Australia.
"This algorithm is based around crime that involves collective behaviour. So, in essence, this could be of use in tackling any robberies, petty thefts, shootings and other gang-related behaviour that occurs in Australia," he said.
"We can use real-world data, rather than just targeting the most obvious criminal identity, to identify the key players behind collective crime habits and prevent future activity of this nature.
"This is a very community-based approach to tackling crime and one that can go some way to improving the overall safety for families and their neighbourhoods." ---
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