Date post: | 20-Jun-2015 |
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Chapter 1
Criminal Investigation: An Overview
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Introduction• An observant police officer can initiate an important
criminal investigation• Criminal investigation combines art and science • Requires extraordinary preparation and training• High-tech society• Citizens expect results more quickly• Investigators need to step up their technology and
teamwork skills
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HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
• Bow Street Runners• Vidocq Society• Scotland Yard• Pinkerton National
Detective Agency• Major advances in criminal investigation
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A Brief History of Criminal Investigation
KEY DEFINITIONS
• Investigate Derived from Latin, vestigare, meaning to track or trace
• Criminal investigation Discovering, collecting, preparing, identifying and
presenting evidence
• Deductive reasoning Logical process; conclusion follows from specific facts
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Criminal Investigation Definitions
SPECIFIC TERMS
• Criminalist
• Forensic science
• Crime
• Felony
• Misdemeanor
Continued
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Other Terms Defined
SPECIFIC TERMS
• Criminal statute
• Ordinance
• Elements of the crime
• Criminal intent
• Modus operandi, or MO
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Other Terms Defined (Continued)
SUCCESSFUL INVESTIGATIONS
• Determine whether a crime has been committed
• Legally obtain information and evidence to identify the responsible person
• Arrest the suspect
• Recover stolen property
• Present the best possible case to the prosecutor
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Goals of Criminal Investigations
INVESTIGATOR FUNCTIONS
• Provide emergency assistance
• Secure the crime scene
• Photograph, videotape and sketch
• Take notes and write reports
• Search for, obtain and process physical evidence
Continued
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Basic Functions of Investigators
INVESTIGATOR FUNCTIONS
• Obtain information from witnesses and suspects
• Identify suspects
• Conduct raids, surveillances, stakeouts and undercover assignments
• Testify in court
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Basic Functions of Investigators (Continued)
SPECIFIC CHARACTER TRAITS
• Intellectual
• Psychological
• Physical
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Characteristics of an Effective Investigator
INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS
• Usually initiated by personal observation or information from a citizen
• Starts with a direction to proceed to a scene
• Department policy defines who responds
• Department policy defines duties of individuals
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An Overview of the Investigative Process
THE INITIAL RESPONSE• Suspect may still be at or near the scene
• Injured persons may need emergency care
• Witnesses may still be at the scene
• Dying person may have confession/information
• Weather may change/destroy evidence
• Crime scene may be altered
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The Preliminary Investigation: Basic Considerations
POINT OF ARRIVAL• Scene may be either
utter confusion or deserted
SETTING PRIORITIES• Handle emergencies first• Secure the scene• Investigate
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The Preliminary Investigation: Basic Considerations
HANDLING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS• Sometimes emergencies dictate procedure
• Emergency situations causes the adrenaline to flow
SUSPECT AT OR NEAR THE SCENE• Policy determines interrogations
• Miranda warning
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The Preliminary Investigation: Basic Considerations
PERSON IS SERIOUSLY INJURED• Emergency first aid
• Call for medical assistance
• Accompany suspects to hospital
DEAD BODY AT SCENE• Leave the body as found
• Preserve the scene
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The Preliminary Investigation: Basic Considerations
PROTECTING THE CRIME SCENE• Major responsibility of the
first officers to arrive
• Locard’s principle of exchange
• Scene is critical
• Maintain security• Protect from destruction or
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The Preliminary Investigation: Basic Considerations
CONDUCTING THE PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION• Questioning • Neighborhood canvass• Measuring, photographing,
videotaping and sketching• Searching for evidence• Processing physical evidence• Recording all statements
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The Preliminary Investigation: Basic Considerations
SCIENTIFIC SPECIALIST• Specialist in organized scientific collection and
processing of evidence
• Processes and packages all physical evidence
• Attends and documents autopsies
• Writes reports and testifies in court
• Crime scene technology degree
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Crime Scene Investigators
FACTORS FOR FOLLOW-UP• Many cases require a follow-up investigation
• Factors exist that are beyond the officers’ control
• Weather can destroy evidence
• Witnesses can be uncooperative
• Follow-up phase builds on what was learned
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The Follow-Up Investigation
CRIME ANALYSIS, MAPPING AND GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS• Crime mapping and hot spots
DATA MINING• Sifting through information
• Helps narrow the field of possible suspects
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Computer-Aided Investigation
DEPARTMENT-WIDE STRATEGY• Aimed at solving persistent community problems
• Identify, analyze and respond
• Used in criminal investigations in many ways
• Combining problem-oriented strategies with traditional investigative techniques
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Problem-Oriented Policing
PRODUCTIVITY• Interest in the police field for some time
• All jobs have some standard of productivity
• Traditional evaluation Number of cases assigned Type of case assigned
• Continuous evaluation
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Investigative Productivity
SPECIALIZATION NEED• Criminals and their MOs
• Investigative techniques
• Leaving assigned shifts
• Heavy patrol workloads
• Increasing efficiency
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The Investigative Function: The Responsibility of All Police Personnel
COMMUNITY POLICING RELATIONSHIPS• Uniformed patrol, dispatchers, prosecutors
• Physicians, coroners and medical examiners
• Forensic crime laboratories
• Citizens, victims, witnesses, media
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Interrelationships with Others—Community Policing
COMBINED TASK FORCES• Necessary for many crimes involving drugs, gangs and
terrorism
• Multidisciplinary approach
• Multijurisdictional investigation
• Metro crime teams
• Special investigation units
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Major-Case Task Forces
FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT• Numerous resources• Aid local and state agencies
INTERPOL• International Criminal Police Organization
• Computerized database is available to law enforcement agencies worldwide
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Law Enforcement Resources
CIVIL LIABILITY• Effective policies and procedures clearly
communicated to all
• Thorough and continuous training
• Proper supervision and discipline
• Accurate, thorough police reports
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Avoiding Civil Liability
Summary• Determine whether a crime has been committed• Legally obtain sufficient information and evidence• Locate and arrest the suspect• Recover stolen property• Present the best possible case to the prosecutor• Cooperation and coordination of efforts are also
required outside the police department• Criminal investigation is, indeed, a mutual effort
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