This introduction to the JCCJ special issue on illicit networks seeks to accomplish three objectives. First, we offer a brief explanation of the network paradigm and its importance to criminology; our purpose is to convince readers of the utility of social network analysis (SNA). Second, we summarize the benefits of working groups with the aim of providing readers with the context from which they can understand why these informal collectives are critical to the advancement of science. And finally, the remainder of the article introduces the research assembled for this special issue.
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BrewerR. (2013). Enhancing crime control partnerships across government examining the role of trust and social capital on American and Australian waterfronts. Police Quarterly, 16, 371-394.
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BrightD. A. (2015). Identifying key actors in drug trafficking networks. In BichlerG.MalmA. (Eds.), Crime Prevention Studies—Disrupting criminal networks: Network analysis in crime prevention (Vol. 28, pp. 66-88). Boulder, CO: First Forum Press.
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EvertonS.CunninghamD. (2015). Dark network resilience in a hostile environment: Optimizing centralization and density. Criminology, Criminal Justice Law, & Society, 16(1), 1-20.
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FaulknerR. R.CheneyE. R. (2015). Defection from a fraud network. In In BichlerG.MalmA. (Eds.), Crime Prevention Studies—Disrupting criminal networks: Network analysis in crime prevention (Vol. 28, pp. 111-128). Boulder, CO: First Forum Press.
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NashR.BouchardM.MalmA. (2013). Investing in people: Social networks in the diffusion of a large-scale fraud. Social Networks, 35, 686-698.
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PapachristosA. V. (2011). The coming of a networked criminology? Using social network analysis in the study of crime and deviance. Advances in Criminological Theory, 13, 101-140.
