Node Removal in Criminal Networks

A criminal network is a special kind of social network with emphasis on both secrecy and efficiency. Node removal is a well known technique for destabilization of criminal networks. Deciding which node or group of nodes to remove is dependent on available information and the topology of the criminal network (hierarchical, cellular, etc.), complicating the prediction of network changes following a node removal. The Crime Fighter Investigator tool supports a node removal approach with two perspectives: an inference-based prediction of new probable links and changes in standard social network degree centrality. We test the node removal algorithm on a criminal network aggregated from open source reports, creating hypotheses based on path distance and degree centrality changes.