Abstract: This book explores how strategic intelligence can support decision-makers in complex national policing organizations to prevent, detect, disrupt and investigate transnational organized crime (TOC). This chapter contextualizes the research problem, exploring the need for further research into the use of strategic intelligence in a law enforcement context. The chapter presents an overview of the research objectives and provides an insight into the social context of TOC and the current approaches to strategic intelligence in law enforcement. Identifying gaps in the current literature this chapter provides a case for the present study, which encompasses four exploratory case studies across three jurisdictions (Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia), and argues for the need for a strategic intelligence framework for use by Western law enforcement agencies in the same or similar jurisdictions