Profiling in prevention of economic criminal offences

Abstract

The article examines the theoretical and practical foundations of profiling in countering economic criminal offences. This article examines the theoretical and practical foundations for the use of profiling in the fight against economic criminal offences. The aim of the article is to provide a theoretical justification for the potential use of profiling in the practical fight against economic crime, to define its role within the system of criminal analysis and the information and analytical support provided to economic security agencies, distinguishing between behavioural profiling and risk profiles, and establishing the conceptual foundations for applying profiling to identify high-risk patterns of economic behaviour, assess crime-related risks and predict future unlawful activity. Using methods of systematic analysis of human behavioural, psychological and communicative characteristics, the author explores the essence of profiling as an interdisciplinary tool for behavioural analysis and defines its role within the system of information and analytical support for law enforcement agencies, primarily the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine. The study explores the application of profiling to identify high-risk patterns of economic behaviour, assess criminogenic risks, analyse offenders’ modus operandi, develop behavioural profiles of individuals involved in economic crime, and predict their further unlawful activities. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between profiling, criminal intelligence analysis, the risk-based approach, and modern technologies for processing large datasets. Based on the findings, the article proposes an original conceptual approach to understanding profiling as a component of the information and analytical support system of economic security authorities and outlines promising directions for its integration into the practice of countering economic criminal offences.