Ethical Considerations for the Investigator and Prosecutor in Homicide and Rape The investigator and prosecutor play very critical roles, roles that are only fairly fulfilled if all parties are as ethical as possible. Failing to act ethically can lose a case, set a criminal free or could even mean someone innocent going to prison. While ethics in every single type of case are important we are going to examine homicide and rape. Both homicide and rape leave the public hungry for answers. We must be sure that finding those answers are done ethically from the crime scene to trial.
Courtroom Discretion Q&A Response Misty Moore, Victoria Hardin and Elizabeth Ortiz CJA/224 September 19, 2011 Rick Rice Courtroom Discretion Q&A Response What is prosecutorial discretion? When a crime happens evidence is gathered, witnesses are found and a case file is established all the information. Due to an overabundance of case files, prosecutors review each file and which will be brought to trial. When there is enough evidence to convince the prosecutor the person suspected of committing the crime is guilty without a reasonable doubt, he or she will pursue the case to trial. Many decisions pertaining to a case going to trial and how actively they pursue the case are left up to prosecutors and how they view the evidence and what the evidence means to them.
Both prosecutors and law enforcement, sometimes knowingly ignore this behavior, in hopes that their testimony will secure a conviction in their favor. Law enforcement who work closely with the crime lab in their department will often try to influence Pathologists to tailor their analysis and testing of evidence to suit their needs in assurance of a solid conviction. Consequently, Pathologists are criminally mishandling and presenting false testimony of the evidence and tests. Regardless of their underpinning of excuses, we must find some means of addressing these issues on a broader scope within the criminal justice system. Dr. Ralph Erdmann is a prime example of one who would
The investigated violent crimes that came came under the jurisdiction of the FBI. As they both progressed in their career they began to study why some offenders committed violent crime and some who became serial killers. In the Ressler book “Whoever Fights Monsters” the violent offender was wrote about. Ressler wanted to show the offenders make-up of why they committed violent crimes, how their family dynamics at their early ages might have caused their violent behavior. Ressler focused a majority of his writing around some of the well known serial killers and violent offenders with such names as Manson, Bundy, and Kemper.
Serious offenses include all of the same offenses defined as violent offenses, and also include other crimes such as burglary of a residence and assault with intent to commit a robbery or rape (Prosecutors’ perspective on California’s three strikes law, 2004). In this paper, I will analyze and discuss the issues involved with “three-strikes” or habitual offender legislation. I will also discuss if the legislation should strengthened, cancelled, or modified in my state. For instance, since the placement of the Three Strikes Law in 1993, there has been a trickle effect on the criminal justice system due to the ineffectiveness of the Three Strikes Law. There has been a negative impact on public safety, county jails and state prisons, judge & juror as well as the cost that will be seen by tax payers now and in the future.
Brittney McCleery November 16, 2014 Adv Crime Scene 1. What were the main challenges facing investigators who were collecting evidence in the case? Give specific examples of these challenges. 2. Explain how investigators used reference samples to determine that the victims had been held at the residence located at 881 Lope De Vega.
General Strain Theory “Strain theories state that certain strains or stressors increase the likelihood of crime. These strains lead to negative emotions, such as frustration and anger.” (Agnew& Scheverman, 2010) This theory really focuses on who someone deals with certain stressors happening in their life. If someone is angry will they handle the situation in a calm/ prosocial way or a violent/criminal way? I find this theory interesting because stress plays a role in everyone’s daily life, and I am a strong believer in there being a reason for everyone’s actions. I think that a lot of criminals engage in criminal behavior because they are dealing with some pretty intense stuff and they use crime as a way to handle the situation they are in.
This is a dangerous trend that can inhibit effective law enforcement and ultimately endanger the lives of all persons who depend on law enforcement for protection. Racial profiling is a human rights violation that can affect Americans in virtually every sphere of their daily lives and often has an impact that goes far beyond the initial incident. As the testimonies summarized in this report reveal, this seemingly abundant human rights violation leaves its victims feeling humiliated, depressed, helpless, and angry. Furthermore, racial profiling reinforces residential segregation, creates fear and mistrust, and engenders reluctance in reporting crimes and cooperating with police officers. In these times of domestic insecurity,
get better grades Law enforcement is the first part of what makes up our criminal justice system. The criminal justice system has three main components including police, courts, and corrections. Police have an unending battle against crime, drugs, and other forms of social dysfunction. The police main duty is to protect the public; however the relationship between law enforcement and the public community is sometimes troubled. Some of the duties of law enforcement are to investigate law violations, gather evidence, make arrests, solve crimes, and then assist with the successful prosecution of suspects.
Anti-social behaviour, gangs and knife violence are the main reasons for the social nightmare we live in. so who carry these instruments of death? Teenagers aged from 13 – 18 are statistically the more frequent wielders of weapons and are the current problem the police forces are trying to target and conclude to the predicament we face, knife crime. So how can we stop the dilemma we face in our modern day of age? Are the police doing the job they should be?