Criminal Investigation study guide exam 1

all citizens must detect, control, and punish wrong-doers (middle ages)

Government and merchant-financed patrols (through `17th century)

paid those who helped convict a felon (abolished in 1818)

paid Criminals to catch criminals origins of criminal investigations (early 1700s)

1st early investigators

English Legislation that led to the development of he London Metropolitan police the First ever paid uniform police..

tracks crime statistics nationwide

Father of modern policing

• Chief of detectives, NYPD; Developed
• Modus Operandi, (M.O.)

built up a book of photographs of criminals, which he called the "Rogues Gallery" (photo identification)

Father of criminal investigations

1st Detective Chicago pd. opened private detective agency

• contributions were 
• Surveillance
• undercover work
• strict code of ethics/honest, efficient policing
• Handwriting examination
• 1st female detective
• advocated international police cooperation

The Application of many fields of natural science to the detection of Crime.

• Founder of criminal identification, 
• created a new system called "Anthropometry"
• the mug shot
• portrait parle
• 1st in Europe to solve a murder case on fingerprints

• a Founder of fingerprint classification
• credited to be the first fingerprint classification system

known as the first individual to publish a definitive study of fingerprint identification

proved that fingerprints are both unchagning and unique.

demonstrated that mathematically that there are approximently 64 trillion chances to one of matching prints

writer, known for creating the fictional detective Sherlock holmes and Dr Watson

Developed the now standard system of tracing bullets and associated evidence to weapons from which they were fired

Criminalist that studied witnesses reliability, and found that witnesses remembered people being older and taller

pioneer of forensic science

He formulated the basic principle of forensic science: "Every contact leaves a trace". This became known as Locard's exchange principle.

discovered the concept of DNA profiling "genetic Fingerprinting"

LAPD has the oldest lab (1923)

Jurors demand more forensic evidence at trial

Raising the standard of proof for prosecutors

In 1853 Charles Dickens coined the term in his novel Bleak House...

larger department assign cases on priority, giving higher priority to crimes against people than crimes against property

each detective gets an equal amount of cases, and all detectives are generalist

the logical objective legal inquiry into possible criminal activity

about 10%

The survey focuses on the frequency of crime victimization, as well as characteristics and consequences of victimization

unreported and undiscovered crime for any reason

about 50 % of crime is unreported 

49 million a year

superior reasoning ability

critical thinking

imagination and curiosity

intuition

differentiate between fact and oppionion

determining cause and effect relationships

determining the accuracy and completeness of information

Being able to recognize logical fallacies and faulty reasoning

developing inferential skills through inductive and deductive reasoning

the normative study of rightness or wrongness of human conduct

caused by pressure to make arrests, greed, peer pressure, or "an ends justifies the means attitude"

a sworn in law enforcement officer

employed by public agencies

such as public defenders, coroners office, etc.

not associated with government agencies

profit-oriented

state the problem

form the hypothesis

observe and experiment

interpret the data

draw conclustions

proves a fact without support

any object or item associated with the investigation (real tangible evidence)

does not directly prove a fact at issue, but establishes a strong inference.

same as indirect evidence

responsible evidence, suffiecient to prove a fact has a bearing on the case.

competent evidence can pertain to physical items, documents, and people

has a logical connection with the issue under investigation, and has a bearing on the determination of truth

is pertinent and relates directly to the matter under consideration

represents or portrays an item

incriminating evidence (needed to establish guilt)

clears a person of blame or legal guilt

relating statements of another person generally inadmissible

• exceptions:
• investigators can testify
• suspects make admissions or confessions
• reference to official records
• res gestae declaration
• dying declarations

allows defense to examine information held by prosecution/police

motions filed early prepare a defense and have experts examine evidence

amount of facts that would lead a reasonable officer to believe a persons is/has/going to commit is in the act of committing or has committed a crime

requires probable cause

authorized by a judge

needs specificity of items and location to be searched


and an affidavit is attached that establishes probable cause

• 1) preliminary investigation - first responders
• 2) in-depth investigation - detectives
• 3) concluding investigation - either results in case suspended for lack of leads, case cleared (exceptional circumstance such as suspect deceased) or case successfully concluded (arrest made and preparing for prosecution)

to determine the truth about how a crime occured

Homicide (60%)

larceny

20%

after emergencies are handled

protect the scene

Coordinated series photos _ general pictures of the scene, than specific ones

measurement markers are used to scale items, two pictures are taken, original and then with the marker

Id data is placed on the photo

Grid search (name explains itself)

spiral search (name explains itself)

sector search (each person gets a section like 4 squares)

strip search (the search is serpent shaped)

measured sketches include

rectangular coordinate (2 right angles)

Triangulation (open field, 2 fixed points reference)

Cross projection (exploded set) - 3 dimensional view obtained by drawing an folded box

measurement markers used to scale items

measured drawings showing location of items

measured sketches

occurs when evidence is altered, removed, or destroyed in any manner

accounting for the location and possession of an item from collection to the courtroom

anytime anyone enters a scene, the bring something to it

when someone leaves; they take something away

Attempts to redirect investigation from the truth

suspect leaves by action or evidence, unique personality traits

repeat/recurring/ritualistic at more than one crime scene becomes a signature