The use of databanks is becoming increasingly important in the fight against transnational organised crime. Computer tools supplied to investigators by “intelligent databanks” that manage to process and cross-check data allow investigations results extremely quickly, times that were previously unthinkable. ... (read more)

The use of databanks is becoming increasingly important in the fight against transnational organised crime. Computer tools supplied to investigators by “intelligent databanks” that manage to process and cross-check data allow investigations results extremely quickly, times that were previously unthinkable. The use and improvement of these tools is now a common asset in many EU member countries. However, it is necessary that the information available in each country can be compared with the information held by the other European partners. Therefore a single European transnational organised crime databank is needed.
A databank which will be a support to Eurojust and Europol will be structured and all data referred to the crossborder criminality collected by the European Prosecution Office.
In Italy, the national Anti-Mafia Investigation department, with decisive collaboration from the Ministry of Justice’s automated information systems department (which has become the Headquarter for Information Systems) has implemented the SIDDA/SIDNA (Sistema Informativo Direzione Distrettuale Antimafia e Sistema Informativo Direzione Nazionale Antimafia) project.
This system comprises an archive of information coming from various penal procedures and prevention procedures against organised crime.
The essential objective of these new European databanks will be the diffusion and the use on the investigative information. Precisely the rapid collection and the source of investigative information is especially critical for ensuring its reliability and actual utility for ongoing investigations. The particular nature of the information collected requires special organisational and technical forms to be used that guarantee their safe use by authorised staff, according to legal dispositions. The rapid circulation of information and the setting up of local databanks in offices and departments at Headquarters, allows the information to be shared by investigators.
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