Crime Scene Investigation

Assignment 1: Crime Scene Investigation

Salimah Barkley

Strayer University

CRJ 320

Professor James Rhyne

Assemble a set of guidelines on conducting preliminary investigation for a criminal case.

Crime Investigations should follow a certain set of guide lines when conducting preliminary investigation. A criminal investigator should be knowledgeable, creative, patient and persistent. Regardless of their title, pay or rank. It is important for a criminal investigator to follow a set of guidelines to obtain as much information during the investigation. Criminal Investigators have many responsibilities including evaluating the scene collecting evidence, preparing detailed reports of the crime scene and what is found at the scene and the scientific evaluation and comparison of the evidence. Most police investigations begin at the scene of a crime. The scene is simply defined as the actual site or location in which the incident took place. It is important that the first officer on the crime scene properly protect the evidence.The first thing the investigator should do after confirming death is to take charge of the crime scene. In the absence of the detective supervisor, the homicide detective is responsible for the professional investigation, of which the preliminary investigation at the crime scene is the most important and sensitive aspect.

Propose one (1) strategy that criminal investigators should take in order to conduct an efficient follow-up investigation. Provide a rationale to support your response.

There are set of guidelines that criminal investigators should use in order to conduct an efficient up investigation is to conduct a complete, effective interview of the witness encourage post interview communication. It is important for criminal investigators to use one major strategy in order to conduct an efficient follow-up investigation when investigating a case. There are differences when it comes to reporting sudden deaths and sex-related crimes. Three important characteristics should be within an effective criminal investigator. The criminal investigation process should maintain the balance regarding freedom of information through media outlets and privacy rights of alleged perpetrators of crime. I believe that this strategy will help any witnesses with things they want to do as far as doing volunteer work and more information without prompting. The criminal investigators should thank the people for their cooperation since it reinforce the rapport that has been developed between them.

Select two major crimes (e.g. sudden deaths, sex related crimes) and compare and contrast the key differences in reporting the two major crimes that you selected.

Two major crimes are sudden deaths, and sex-related crimes are reported differently. Sudden deaths are considered to be sudden, unexpected, unnatural or unexplained deaths. The reporting of sudden death has to be to a coroner. The Coroner Service An Tseirbhis Chroineara (2000) states, “Doctors, funeral undertakers, the Register of Deaths, any householder and every person in charge of an institution or premises where the person who died was residing at the time of death have to inform the Coroner. Deaths are reported to the Coroner under the Coroners Act, 1962 (rules of law); in addition, there are local laws that require that other deaths must be reported (rules of practice) (Coroner Service and Tseirbhis Chroineara, 2000). The Coroner Service a Tseirbhis Chroineara (2000) adds, “When a death has been reported to the Coroner, they or their staff will contact the doctor of the deceased and establish if: the doctor has seen the dead within the last month, the cause of death is known, and the death was due to natural causes.” Once these conditions are met, and there are no other matters needing an investigation. The Coroner will allow the doctor to complete a Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death and will be registered with the Registrar of Deaths. No unnatural causes of death can be certified by a doctor” (Coroner Service a Tseirbhis Chroineara, 2000).

Determine the three (3) most important characteristics of an effective criminal investigator and discuss the importance of each characteristic you determined.

An important characteristic of an excellent investigator is his or her ability to obtain and retaining important information that is relevant to a particular case. An investigator must be an effective communicator with excellent people skills. The social skills of being able to relate and making people feel comfortable talking to an investigator is paramount in any investigation. Secondly, a good investigator must be open-minded about any case they are investigating. Any type of prejudice tend to clouds better judgement on an individual, situation or thoughts. Good investigator have the wait and see approach instead of jumping the gun on ideas. Effective investigators let the evidence they gather tell the story for them. Finally, an investigator must be emotionally balanced. People can’t be overly consumed with their profession. An investigator must have other positive outlets in his or her life to keep them well rounded and fresh with idea. A lot of people come up with better problem solving brain storming ideas when their focus is on something totally different. So being able to have a life outside of the jobs helps an investigator.

Support or critique the argument that the criminal investigation process should maintain the balance regarding freedom of information through media outlets and privacy rights of alleged perpetrators of crime. Provide a rationale to support your response.

I think the media is allowed too much information at times regarding potential suspects, surveillance, police investigations. There have been numerous incident where innocent suspects whom have been led to be guilty in the public eyes who have committed suicide in the process. When a lot of innocent people be charged for things that they didn’t do that is what they do because they are now sitting in prison for thigs that they do. People sit in a jail sail with no type of freedom they can deathly go crazy and when they go crazy committing suicide is something that they might think about. Most crime victims have never before dealt with the news media. They are thrust, often unwillingly, into a limelight they do not seek and do not enjoy solely because of the crimes committed against them.

References

Ludwig, A., Fraser, J., & Williams, R. (2012). Crime Scene Examiners and Volume Crime Investigations: An Empirical Study of Perception and Practice. Forensic Science Policy & Management, 3(2), 53-61. doi:10.1080/19409044.2012.728680

Miranda, D. (2015). Criminal Investigation through the Eye of the Detective: Technological Innovation and Tradition. Surveillance & Society, 13(3/4), 422-436.

Wyatt, D. (2014). Practicing crime scene investigation: trace and contamination in routine work. Policing & Society, 24(4), 443-458. doi:10.1080/10439463.2013.868460