Violence has existed as long as humanity, but the nature of crime has evolved dramatically, especially in recent years. Cybercrime transcends national borders, presenting a formidable challenge to law enforcement worldwide. The explosive growth of criminal activities abusing cryptoassets, for instance, causes billions in damages. Abuses range from cyber-trading fraud to ransomware attacks to human trafficking and child sexual abuse. The scale of these global criminal activities often overwhelms traditional investigative methods. 

Effective strategies to fight these new forms of crime demand a network-centric approach to understanding connections between cases, preventing redundant investigations, and optimizing resource allocation across jurisdictions, for example. Therefore, we devise new techniques to investigate illicit crypto asset transactions, possibly involving Dark Web sources. By unraveling respective financial flows and connecting the dots between disparate cases, we empower investigators to visualize and disrupt criminal networks effectively.

Another key focus of our research is understanding the evolution of organized crime. Through mathematical models, new equations, and network analysis, we assess the scale of criminal organizations, identify emerging trends and patterns in collaboration, and benchmark strategies to combat violence. Effective crime prevention strategies also hinge on recognizing social patterns of criminal behavior, such as gang recruitment. We seek to understand these patterns, enabling the authorities to tailor prevention and intervention schemes.