In 1990, at a conference organized by the University of Chicago Office of International Criminal Justice, it was determined that there is a limited understanding of intelligence among UK police and that this has a debilitating effect on the whole intelligence process. Britain is planning to introduce a National Criminal Intelligence Unit that will act as a central data base and analytical unit for the nine Regional Crime Squads. When European Community countries remove frontier controls between member states by 1992, the effect will be to enhance the role of intelligence and the greater centralization of police functions. Both of these trends will come together in the planned creation of a National Crime Intelligence Unit which will be the central agency for the storage, analysis, and dissemination of police information on serious crimes; information on terrorism will be excluded from its remit. This may mean that the full potential of intelligence is not realized; however, there are grounds for optimism that Britain will be better able to deal with the major criminal in 1993. 6 notes (Author abstract modified)