Nothing matters but the facts. Without them, the science of criminal investigation is nothing more than a guessing game. Actions undertaken during crime scene investigation play a significant role in ensuring the resolution of a criminal case. A careful and a thorough investigation process are imperative in ensuring that there is no manipulation of the available evidence (Crawford, 1999). Crime scene investigators and other law enforcement agencies such as the police therefore have a chief responsibility of ensuring protection of the crime scene and the preservation of first hand evidence.
Through the four steps of the scientific method an investigator can put the pieces together and solve the investigation in a thorough and complete fashion. A criminal investigation refers to the process of collecting information (or evidence) about a crime: (1) determine if a crime has been committed; (2) identify the perpetrator; (3) apprehend the perpetrator; and (4) provide evidence to support a conviction in court (JRank, 2010). These four steps would be how the scientific method would fall into criminal investigations. This can be taken into consideration as to what investigators used when trying to identify and solve the Green River Killings in the Seattle and Tacoma, Washington area between
Crime Scene Investigation CRJ 320 Crime Scene Investigation One of the most important aspects of being trained in Law Enforcement is the ability to conduct a crime scene investigation. The ability to contain and not contaminate the crime scene while also gathering information is a daunting task for any individual. Taking steps to insure the scene is secure, wounded are cared for and that evidence remains intact are just a few of the necessary tasks. Attorney General Janet Reno once stated that “Actions taken in these first few hours of investigation at a crime scene can play a pivotal role in the resolution of a case. Careful, thorough investigation is key to ensuring+ the potential physical evidence is not tainted or destroyed or potential witnesses overlooked.
These individuals are called criminal investigators. A criminal investigator is a law enforcement professional who attempts to solve crimes, identify and detain suspects, and prevent future instances of criminal activity. These investigators may work alone or in investigative teams to uncover facts about a case. An investigator may specialize in analyzing evidence and information from a crime scene conducting interviews and searches, or performing surveillance. Depending on a person's specialty, the
Both the person accused of the crime and the accuser would give speeches based on their sides of the story. The individual with the best argument and delivery would determine the outcome of the case. This origin is the source of the two modern usages of the word forensic – as a form of legal evidence and as a category of public presentation. In modern use, the term "forensics" in the place of "forensic science" can be considered correct as the term "forensic" is effectively a synonym for "legal" or "related to courts". However the term is now so closely associated with the scientific field that many dictionaries include the meaning that equates the word "forensics" with "forensic science".
I This paper will discuss the process of behavioral analysis from a federal law enforcement perspective, focusing on the psychology behind the formation of the profile, the types of offenders it can assist in apprehending, as well as key examples from history where it helped out federal agents. The process of behavioral analysis has been implemented quite successfully by different departments in law enforcement, and is today viewed as a valid way to greatly narrow down the the suspect pool during an investigation. However, the process is by no means meant to specifically identify the exact person committing the crimes, the profile instead focuses on key behavioral and personality characteristics. In situations where speaking with the perpetrator is possible,
Criminal Profiling August 13, 2012 CJ230 Police operations and Administration Criminal Profiling Criminal profiling defines as the investigation of a crime with the hope of identifying the responsible party, based on crime scene analysis, investigative psychology and behavioral evidence analysis. Many claim that criminal profiling is a science or an art. Criminal profiling’s use helps law enforcement make positive evaluations. Behavioral scientists and criminologists use the criminal profiling technique to examine criminal behavior. In the future criminal profiling will go further to help investigations and help in the predictions for future actions of criminals.
Criminology Offender profiling is a set of techniques used to try and identify perpetrators of a serious crime. Offender profiling will tend to use the expertise of a professional psychologist, although profilers come from different types of backgrounds because there is no specific training for the job. The profiler will draw on his knowledge of personality theory to attribute personality traits to the offender. The profiler will consider many elements when carrying out a profile, such as the crime scene, the offence, the sex of the victim and offender, body deposition site and the interaction style. These are just a few of the issues the profiler will consider.
Definition of Key Concepts 2.1 Criminal Profiling ( Hard evidence profiling) According to Turvey 1999, the process of inferring distinctive personality characteristics of individuals responsible for committing criminal acts has been commonly referred to as ‘criminal profiling.’ These include biographic details of the perpetrator, crime-scene analysis, and so on. 2.2 Criminological Profiling (Soft evidence profiling) According to Joubert, Hesselink & Marais 2003, criminological profiling is the assessment of criminal behaviour which includes assessing the victims’ credibility, motives & causes of the crime, modi operandi, personal & family background, post offence behaviour & appearances. 2.3 Risk Assessment The assessment of risk involves predicting how likely it is that the individual will in the future commit crime, or reoffend. 3. Main Views The main purpose of the profile is to investigate a crime in order to successfully apprehend the perpetrator, provide investigators with relevant leads & strategies & to help gain insight into the offenders state of mind before, during & after the commission of the crime, whereas the main objective of prediction is to identify the risk factors that are involved in reoffending &
Provide a critical response to the statement that “Criminology is the science of law- making, law- breaking, and law- enforcing” (Sherman, 2013:1) Lawrence Sherman defines criminology as the science of law- making, law- breaking, and law enforcing. This statement holds true to a large extent. A similar definition stressing both the theoretical and applied nature of a science of crime is the one formulated by Edwin H. Sutherland, according to which: “Criminology is the body of knowledge regarding crime as social phenomenon. It includes within its scope the process of making laws, of breaking laws, and of reacting toward the breaking of laws….the objectivity of criminology is the development of a body of general and verified principled and of other types of knowledge regarding this process of law, crime, and treatment or prevention” (The Florida State University, n.d.) Criminology should be more than law- making, law- breaking, and law enforcing. Criminological studies tend to be gender biased and focus largely on crimes of the powerless (street crimes).