BROKERAGE QUALIFICATIONS IN RINGING OPERATIONS*

Abstract

Brokers are fundamental for maintaining flexibility in the networks that embed criminal activities. Our study aims at offering more precision on this key issue by examining the impact that brokers may have on crime‐commission processes. To do so, we analyze two stolen‐vehicle exportation (or ringing) operations within a framework that merges crime‐script analysis and social‐network analysis. We assess how diverse degrees of brokerage are distributed across the ringing operations and how the removal of key brokers would have had a disruptive impact by reducing the scope of alternatives for crime‐script permutation and flexibility.