International Journal on Criminology Volume 2, Number 1, Spring 2014 | Page 71

States of Change
gic objectives. Identity intelligence is one
approach to assign their tactical and operational
disposition and the position of cartel/
gang actors within the illicit networks. This
can be reinforced through red team analysis
(Sullivan and Elkus 2009).
Narcocultura enables the cartels by
transmitting their strategic (and tactical/
operational) status; identity intelligence
(I2) and social network analysis can help
translate this into an understanding of the
group’s current status, order of battle, operational
tempo (optempo), and intended
targets (for operational purposes and campaigns
to control territory). Not only can
new media enable the cartels/gangs and
their civil society rivals, it can empower
intelligence and enforcement operations.
As new media (horizontal mass communications)—as
seen in micro-blogs (Twitter),
YouTube, Facebook, and blogs such
as NarcoRed, El Blog del Narco, and CiudaDanaMtySur
(an excellent site for monitoring
real-time attacks)—helps mitigate
the impact of narco-censorship, it can also
fuel real-time situational awareness and intelligence
analysis. Understanding and exploiting
new media is an essential tool for
addressing criminal insurgency, co-opted
state reconfiguration, and shifts in sovereignty.
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