Sub-National Strategic Intelligence: A Review of Production & Practices from Producer & Consumer Perspectives

The sub-national level for intelligence serves as a sweet spot between national and local intelligence interests and provides key outputs to help decision-makers. This study uses a comparative document analysis of three distinct strategic intelligence documents produced by three geographically dispersed sub-national intelligence entities to review current intelligence production from the consumer perspective. Surveys and interviews with fusion center analysts and leaders provide complementary insight into strategic intelligence production from practitioners’ perspectives at the sub-national level. The comparative analysis shows that strategic intelligence production and practices at the sub-national level produce quality intelligence, though improvements can be made through increasing the consistency of external and internal feedback, strengthening individual agency standards, and developing and maintaining the capability to produce strategic intelligence.