Criminology unit 3 notes latest with summary (100% well enlightened)
1. AC 1.1 - Evaluate the effectiveness of the roles of personnel involved in criminal investigations. (10 marks)
2. AC 1.2 assess the usefulness of the investigative techniques in criminal investigations (20 marks)
3. AC1.3 exp...
criminology unit 3 notes latest with summary 100 well enlightened
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Criminology unit 3
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Criminology unit 3 notes latest with summary (100% well
enlightened
1. AC 1.1 - Evaluate the effectiveness of the roles of personnel involved in criminal investigations.
(10 marks)
2. AC 1.2 assess the usefulness of the investigative techniques in criminal investigations (20 marks)
3. AC1.3 explain how evidence is processed (6 marks)
4. AC 1.4 examine the rights of individuals in criminal investigations (6 marks)
5. AC 2.1 explain the requirements of the crown prosecution service (CPS) for prosecuting
suspects (4 marks)
6. AC 2.2 describe trial processes (4 marks)
7. AC 2.3 understand rules in relation to the use of evidence in criminal cases (4 marks)
8. AC 2.4 assess key influences affecting the outcomes of criminal cases (10 marks)
9. AC2.5 discuss the use of lay people in criminal cases (6 marks)
10. AC 3.1 examine information for validity (15 marks)
11. AC 3.2 Draw conclusions from information (15 marks)
AC 1.1 - Evaluate the effectiveness of the roles of personnel involved in criminal investigations. (10
marks)
Crime scene investigators
Role:
A crime scene investigators role is to collect and preserve evidence from the crime scene. They main
responsibility is to ensure that the evidence at the scene is not contaminated as tis would therefore
mean it will not be admissible in court. work together with the pol ice to decide what evidence is vital
and decide the best way in order to gat her it. They photograph the crime scene as well as any
surrounding areas that contain evidence, using the common approach path. Once they have obtained all
the evidence, they have to pack and document everything so it is ready to be sent off for analysis by
forensic specialists. In addition to this, the may also attend post mortems and give evidence in court.
Effectiveness:
Expertise- CSIs are experts in their field as they undergo through training and many also have a degree in
a science related field. This would imply that they have a great deal of expertise as they have had the
necessary training in order to carry out their role effectively.
Availability- CISs are available 24/7 as they work on an on-call basis. This means that they could be called
to a crime scene at any time of the day. This is essential as of course crimes can be committed at any
time, and so its important that crime scene investigators can arrive at the scene quickly in order to
obtain evidence before it may be possibly contaminated by factors such as the weather.
Cost- Each CSI gets paid a salary, and so this will therefore incur additional costs to the investigation.
Other evaluative points:
• The samples that CSI’s collect may be a hazard to their health and safety, so these rusks need to
be calculated and the appropriate measures taken in order to minimize the risk of harm
• The role can be taking a toll on CSI’s mental wellbeing due to the nature of the scenes that they
may attend to
, • The weather could contaminate the crime scene
• They may be able to provide a suspect’s innocence through DNA or fingerprints testing.
Case example- Amanda Knox:
• Exchange student found dead in her flat In Italy, friend Knox suspected of murder.
• Contamination of evidence, failures to document evidence, planted evidence to falsely
incriminate
Strength
• CISs may gather evidence that conclusively links suspects to crime scenes and victims
• The evidence may also prove conclusively that a suspect is in fact innocent, e.g., when their
fingerprints do not match those found by the CSI at the crime scene
,Limitations
• The work requires specialist skills (such as forensic photography), as well as patience, meticulous
care and attention to detail. failure to collect and record evidence correctly, or allowing it to
become contaminated, can lead to a guilty person going free or an innocent one being
convicted.
• the forensic samples that CSIs handle may out their health or safety at risk. These include blood
and other body fluids, hazardous chemicals, explosives and incendiary devices, firearms and
ammunition, knives and hypodermic syringes.
• The work may be stressful and emotionally demanding. This can lead to burn-out and people
leaving the profession, resulting in staff shortages.
Forensics specialists and scientists:
Role
Once evidence has been collected from the crime scene by CSI’s, it is passed over to the Forensic
Specialists and Scientists. Their role is to interpret and analyse the evidence in relation to the crime
scene. They analyze a range of evidence, such as blood and other bodily fluids, in order to try and find
DNA. This is the aim of most evidence analysis, as finding DNA means the person responsible for the
crime is often identified and found.
Effectiveness
Expertise- Forensic scientists possess a great deal of specialist knowledge that is vital in investigations.
They are able to interpret evidence which could lead to proving if a suspect is innocent or guilty, so they
have a big role to play within an investigation. This expertise is especially valuable in complicated and
advanced criminal cases, as the criminal may also possess knowledge which prevents evidence being
linked to them.
Availability- Forensic scientists typically work during the normal working week, which is Monday to
Friday. This could be an issue as some cases may require evidence to be analyzed urgently in order to
catch the suspect as soon as possible and so waiting for a forensic scientist to be available would cause
delays in the investigation. However, some forensic scientists work on an on-call basis, which means that
they can work on high priority cases as they unfold which would greatly help the investigate process.
Cost- As forensic scientists are highly qualified individuals, this also means that their salaries and work
they provide is expensive. This would mean that the use of forensic scientists in investigations would
increase the cost of the investigation overall, and perhaps means that not all evidence woul d be
analyzed as its might not be financially feasible.
Other evaluative points-
• The work that Forensics scientists do is subjective, and thus that means that different forensic
scientists may interpret evidence differently. This could cause issues in the courtroom, as the
defense and prosecution’s experts may give conflicting evidence which would confuse the jury
and make it more difficult for them to come to a verdict
, • An expert, such as a forensic scientist, could mislead the court, whether it be on purpose or as a
result of a mistake is wrongly found guilty or not guilty. An example of this is the case of Sally
Clarke who was found guilty for murders she did not commit as a result of an expert’s mistake.
• Issue of contamination – if evidence us contaminated in the analysis process this can cause
issues such as evidence being mixed up or incorrectly interpreted. This of course would lead to
problems with the investigation, perhaps in accusing the wrong suspect or letting someone go
due to evidence surrounding being lost.
Case example- sally Clarke
• Wrongly convicted of murder of her two sons as a result of the expert witness, professor sir Roy
meadows, giving evidence that was based on wrong information
Case example- Adam Scott
• Falsely accused of rape after his DNA was contaminated, leading him to spend 5 months in
custody charged with rape. This shows how contamination of evidence can affect a criminal
investigation.
Case example- Sarah Payne
• Sarah Payne was a young girl that was abducted and murdered by a previously convicted
pedophile Roy Whiting
• Used fibers from sweatshirts found in the van to link he presence of Sarah there, found threads
of school uniform on Velcro shoes
• A number of clothing fibers and a single strand of Sarah’s hair were linked to items in the van
used by Mr. Whiting to take the eight-year-old before driving more than 20 miles to dump her
naked body.
Strength
• The special expertise of forensic scientists may be able to identify an interpret evidence that
proves a suspect’s guilt or innocence
• Their expertise may be essential in complex cases where the criminal also has specialist
knowledge or skills
Limitations
• forensic scientists are highly qualified and their services are expensive
• contamination of evidence can occur when it is being examined by scientist
• forensic may disagree
• if an expert deliberately or accidentally misleads the court, this can result in a miscarriage pf
justice
Police officers and detectives
Role
Police officers are most commonly the first people to arrive at a crime scene. Their first duty is to ensure
the wellbeing of anyone involved, for example by calling an ambulance or keeping the public away from
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