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Behaviour Detection and Analysis

JRC contributes to the security of the EU Schengen borders through research on topics relevant to border management and border policing including behaviour detection.

What is behaviour detection and analysis?

Why study behaviour detection?

During the past fifteen years, the European Union invested efforts and resources in improving the security of the EU’s external borders. We explore the scientific value of behaviour detection approaches and to what extent behaviour detection can be systematised, reproduced, and studied. The assessment of behavioural detection approaches in the context of law enforcement remains challenging. There is no strong evidence that behaviour detection is effective in the prevention of terrorist attacks and for border security in more general. It is also a sensitive issue, in particular the development of technology based on the science of behaviour detection.

The use of behaviour detection in the context of border management should not be considered independently of other tools. The wider context, in which behaviour detection approaches develop, includes the increased use of biometrics, surveillance, and facial recognition for identification purposes (including outside of the framework of law enforcement), the use of machine learning and big data.

Where is behaviour detection and analysis used?

Behaviour detection by human officers is used by border police forces in Europe. Airports, maritime ports and land border crossings are important environments where it is applied. The aim is to identify ‘abnormal’ behaviour displayed by individuals with criminal intent and route them toward additional screening.

There are very few studies on the use of behaviour detection methods in the context of border security. Outside of the field of law enforcement, behaviour and emotion detection is used in different areas including in business, education, health, etc.

To find out more about the JRC's work on similar topics, explore the related JRC portfolios: