Illicit drug profiling practices in Finland: An exploratory study about end users’ perceptions

•Integration of illicit drug profiling and crime analysis: a Finnish example.•Survey and interview analyze end users’ opinion regarding illicit drug profiling.•Findings show practical relevance of illicit drug profiling as tactical and strategic intelligence.•Clear communication and proper interpret...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Forensic science international 2021-07, Vol.324, p.110848-110848, Article 110848
Main Authors: Meola, Susanna, Huhtala, Sami, Broséus, Julian, Jendly, Manon, Jalava, Kaisa, Aalberg, Laura, Esseiva, Pierre
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Crime
Criminal investigations
Drugs
End users
Evidence
Forensic intelligence
Forensic science
Forensic sciences
Illicit drug profiling
Integration
Intelligence
Investigation
Laboratories
Law enforcement
Usefulness
Utilization
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Summary:•Integration of illicit drug profiling and crime analysis: a Finnish example.•Survey and interview analyze end users’ opinion regarding illicit drug profiling.•Findings show practical relevance of illicit drug profiling as tactical and strategic intelligence.•Clear communication and proper interpretation of results in a timely fashion by forensic laboratories is required.•Factors influencing the use of illicit drug profiling are discussed. Illicit drug profiling (i.e. chemical and/or physical profiling) to compare and relate illicit drugs samples has been actively used in routine case work at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Finland. This preliminary and exploratory work reviews NBI’s illicit drug profiling practices. Particular emphasis is put on communication of forensic results and how the NBI has promoted the use of forensic data in an intelligence perspective by establishing a case coordination service. Moreover, our study evaluates the comprehension, integration and usefulness of illicit drug profiling from end users’ point of view by means of an online survey and face-to-face interviews. Findings are compared with theoretical aspects as described in literature. Results show that in the Finnish context illicit drug profiling is used and useful in the investigation and in court. From end users’ perspective, real practical relevance relies in its use as intelligence during the investigation. However, to be truly useful, illicit drug profiling results must be communicated promptly during the investigation, with sufficient clarity and interpreted correctly by end users. Factors influencing the integration of illicit drug profiling in the forensic process are addressed.
ISSN:0379-0738
1872-6283
DOI:10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110848