Strategic Aspect of the Evaluation of Tangible Costs of Crime – Outline of the Problem

The article touches upon the problem of the estimation of tangible crime costs. The considerations are based on the authors’ professional experience as well as on Polish and foreign literary resources. The focal point of the analysis is the assumption that lack of knowledge on the tangible crime costs impedes identification of adequate priorities in fighting threats, securing suitable funds and finally examining how effectively the resources are used to ensure public safety. The study focuses on the strategic dimension of crime costs examination. The authors indicate the elements which support the idea to recognize crime cost analysis as a particular form of strategic crime analysis. They also characterize the subject matter and purpose of the research, their relation to the strategic counter-crime actions, character of conclusions and specifics of the applied methodology. The indication under consideration is of an innovative nature and may result in the necessity to verify theoretical assumptions of strategic crime analysis. It could especially serve as an incentive to a different approach towards the Polish analytical contribution to the Europol OCTA (Organized Crime Threat Assessment) annual report. To some extent, the described indication gives a chance to stimulate the work on the OCTA report. In general, the article points out how the research on crime costs functions in decision-making processes connected with crime prevention and in what way they influence public safety. As a result, the paper proves the necessity to estimate the total amount and structure of public and individual costs connected with preventing and fighting crime in Poland. The presented suppositions make it possible to develop strategic analysis as a tool to diagnose the existing strategic situation and to determine guidelines for future counter-crime actions, including those in cooperation with Europol and European Union member states.