Admittedly, only the few, the proud, and the discerning might dare to look beyond a title and trappings ostensibly geared for hardcore law-enforcement types and techies who live and die by visual analytics and pattern recognition for crime detection and fraud prevention. Yet “Data Mining” is not only eminently readable, it contains a game-changing message practically akin to the Rosetta Stone, on how to extract sense and sensibility from all the petabytes of information and data piling up in “cylinders of excellence” (one insider’s waggish term for stovepiped data) around us.

Seriously, if the content in Data Mining’s pages (think of it as a 2-1/2 pound stimulus package) could be funneled to, say, Obama, Oprah, and a certain researcher at the Library of Congress, we could look forward to pole-vaulting our way through progress to peaceful prosperity – raising our quality of life while saving (as opposed to spending) billions in the process. Let’s put it this way: if you like anything at all about Numb3rs, or even NCIS (the most-viewed series in America – hey, at least we’ve made a few steps up from Baywatch), CSI, or shows of that ilk – you owe yourself a crack at Westphal’s Data Mining book. Plus, it’ll give your biceps a workout, and impress the heck out of onlookers. Not to mention which, all proceeds go to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, which speaks well for the author’s motives on more than one front, not to mention his credibility.

Rating: 5 / 5

Based on terrorist doctrine and the post-event examination of terrorist operations, we know that two of the primary stages in the terrorist operational process are “Intelligence and Surveillance” and “Pre-attack Surveillance and Planning”. Target surveillance activity is arguably the most important portion of the terrorist attack cycle. This also represents the periods during which terrorist operatives are exposed and at their greatest risk of detection. Regardless of the internet research resources and technical stand-off surveillance capabilities, actual “eyes-on” surveillance remains a critical aspect of pre-operational planning, and places terrorist operatives in their most vulnerable positions. Therefore, the identification of terrorist surveillance efforts prior to final mission execution is the most effective means of threat detection and neutralization. Terrorist operatives and other such bad actors who conduct physical surveillance to facilitate their activities, however, operate under the hope and assumption that they are operating against unwitting, unaware, and non-surveillance conscious targets. Therefore, an awareness of the threat and the ability to perform surveillance detection and anti-surveillance are critical to countering these adversarial efforts.

This book demonstrates the techniques to effectively counter the most sophisticated physical surveillance methods employed by traditional adversaries. Interestingly, the most notorious terrorist training manual that is widely available over the internet has a chapter that deals largely with the methods of physical surveillance that are a regurgitation of the time-proven techniques that are common to the world’s most sophisticated practitioners of surveillance. Coincidentally, “Surveillance Countermeasures” details exacting and effective methods to counter each of the specific methods endorsed in this and other known terrorist training resources.

I do not want to be misleading by implying that this book is written specifically to address the terrorist threat. However, it is widely applicable to the terrorist threat and the myriad criminal enterprises that endeavor to develop the information necessary to effectively execute violent attacks and assassinations as a means to achieve their operational objectives. And of course, it remains an unparalleled resource for investigators and counter-espionage professionals, as well as those responsible for VIP or critical asset protection.

Rating: 5 / 5

This book promises a lot. But does not really deliver on the promises. When I finished reading the book, I was not convinced that I knew more about either conducting “interviews” or surving “interrogations.”

Each chapter ends with “Tips for potential witnesses.” This by far is the most useful section of the book. If you read these “tips,” you will know the book. This is the first “tip” of the book: “1. What should you do if you don’t wish to talk to an investigator? An obvious but incorrect answer is to refuse to do so.” page 19. Yes, Mr. Benson does go into more detail about this question.

The book is organized thus: Introduction; 1 What Makes a Successful Investigator?; 2 The Fine Arts of Listening and Observing; 3 What are Pretexts and How Are They Used?; 4 Civil vs. Criminal Proceedings and Rules of Evidence; 5 Criminal Investigations; 6 Once Witnesses are in the Legal Pipeline; 7 Surviving a Cross-Examination; 8 Military Interrogations; Conclusion. There is no bibliography.

If this topic interests a reader, then see if you can find the book, “Ask Me No Questions, I’ll Tell You No Lies.” The reader will learn more than Bensons’ tome.
Rating: 1 / 5