Criminology unit 3
Unit 1.2 – Assess the usefulness of the investigative
techniques in criminal investigations
Techniques
Intelligence Databases
Intelligence databases are collections of information from a variety of different sources. This
information is called intelligence. It has been collected and evaluated to ensure it is
accurate. They can be a valuable way to store and centralise information to keep records. As
they become more detailed, they can be an important investigative tool.
Intelligence databases in the UK:
The Police National Computer (PNC)
The Police National Computer (PNC) contains several different databases within these
databases are information such as: details of arrests, convictions, fingerprints, DNA and
vehicle information. This is helpful because it allows police officers and anyone else working
on a case to share information between each other with high efficiency. In addition to this
the PNC also contains details about missing and wanted people, this is helpful because UK
police can also access and share information internationally and receive updates about a
person of interest, if necessary, in real time. One of the databases included in the PNC is the
Gangs violence matrix (GVM) this holds information about individuals who are suspected to
have gang affiliation, however, it also includes details about protestors. A strength of the
PNC is that it consists of over: 13-million-person records and over 50 million of each driver
and vehicle records, this means that it stores a vast number of information which can be
made available to a police force efficiently if necessary. A limitation to the PNC is that it
does not include photos of people, this means that police have to solely go off the
description in which they have been given when trying to initially identify an individual
which has been reported in an area.
The Police National Database
The Police National Database (PND) contains roughly 3.5 billion records of suspects involved
in crime. The PND is available to UK police to share information between each police force
and its main purpose is to help police forces make communities safer locally specifically, it
helps to detect suspects quickly, this may help when dealing with organised crime in an
area. A strength to the PND is that it also contains information about allegations made
against an individual, this is helpful because it may help to prevent or solve any criminal
activity/investigations more efficiently in the future.
The UK National DNA Database
The UK National DNA Database (NDNAD) was created in 1995 and contains DNA profiles and
samples of individuals within the UK for comparison if necessary. These DNA samples
, Criminology unit 3
include: saliva, hair or sperm which have been collected from a crime scene as evidence.
This helps to link individuals to certain crimes as DNA evidence is conclusive and shows that
an individual was present at the crime scene at the time the crime was committed. The
NDNAD has helped in identifying a suspect in roughly 60% of cases. Samples of suspects on
trial are destroyed if the individual does not end up getting convicted as it would be a
breach of privacy to keep it.
International Databases
An example of an international database is INTERPOL. INTERPOL is an intergovernmental
organisation consisting of 194 different countries which helps to locate criminals globally.
Within this database consists of: DNA, fingerprints, stolen property, weapons, organised
crime and child sex abuse/trafficking. This database is very important because it helps to
protect vulnerable communities and work against major crimes such as terrorism,
cybercrime and organised crime which have a great global presence.
Pros and cons of intelligence databases
Pros
Allows centralisation and the transfer of intelligence across police forces, both
nationally and internationally, it is a very efficient system to efficiently receive such
large amounts of information with such ease. This results in time and resources
being saved, meaning that funding and attention can be redirected to more pressing
matters.
Cons
Could be problematic if the data is inaccurate and may produce false leads or even
miscarriages in justice.
Data could be misused by corrupt officers. E.g., in USA an officer used vehicle
database to locate and stalk women
Forensic techniques
Forensics refer to the scientific techniques which are used to help identify evidence within
investigations. There are a variety of scientific techniques and methods which can be utilised
during the analysis process of an investigation, these techniques will help to identify, bodily
fluids such as blood, saliva and sperm and also evidence such as shoeprints, fibres from
clothes and hairs. All of these forms of forensic evidence are collected by specialists such as
CSIs in methods which minimise the likelihood of contamination and then this evidence is
sent to a police department.
Techniques
One of the most impactful techniques which have been used to solve criminal cases is the
extraction of DNA. This is because DNA can be found in almost every cell of the body and
unless you are a monozygotic twin, each individual will have a unique genetic code. This
Unit 1.2 – Assess the usefulness of the investigative
techniques in criminal investigations
Techniques
Intelligence Databases
Intelligence databases are collections of information from a variety of different sources. This
information is called intelligence. It has been collected and evaluated to ensure it is
accurate. They can be a valuable way to store and centralise information to keep records. As
they become more detailed, they can be an important investigative tool.
Intelligence databases in the UK:
The Police National Computer (PNC)
The Police National Computer (PNC) contains several different databases within these
databases are information such as: details of arrests, convictions, fingerprints, DNA and
vehicle information. This is helpful because it allows police officers and anyone else working
on a case to share information between each other with high efficiency. In addition to this
the PNC also contains details about missing and wanted people, this is helpful because UK
police can also access and share information internationally and receive updates about a
person of interest, if necessary, in real time. One of the databases included in the PNC is the
Gangs violence matrix (GVM) this holds information about individuals who are suspected to
have gang affiliation, however, it also includes details about protestors. A strength of the
PNC is that it consists of over: 13-million-person records and over 50 million of each driver
and vehicle records, this means that it stores a vast number of information which can be
made available to a police force efficiently if necessary. A limitation to the PNC is that it
does not include photos of people, this means that police have to solely go off the
description in which they have been given when trying to initially identify an individual
which has been reported in an area.
The Police National Database
The Police National Database (PND) contains roughly 3.5 billion records of suspects involved
in crime. The PND is available to UK police to share information between each police force
and its main purpose is to help police forces make communities safer locally specifically, it
helps to detect suspects quickly, this may help when dealing with organised crime in an
area. A strength to the PND is that it also contains information about allegations made
against an individual, this is helpful because it may help to prevent or solve any criminal
activity/investigations more efficiently in the future.
The UK National DNA Database
The UK National DNA Database (NDNAD) was created in 1995 and contains DNA profiles and
samples of individuals within the UK for comparison if necessary. These DNA samples
, Criminology unit 3
include: saliva, hair or sperm which have been collected from a crime scene as evidence.
This helps to link individuals to certain crimes as DNA evidence is conclusive and shows that
an individual was present at the crime scene at the time the crime was committed. The
NDNAD has helped in identifying a suspect in roughly 60% of cases. Samples of suspects on
trial are destroyed if the individual does not end up getting convicted as it would be a
breach of privacy to keep it.
International Databases
An example of an international database is INTERPOL. INTERPOL is an intergovernmental
organisation consisting of 194 different countries which helps to locate criminals globally.
Within this database consists of: DNA, fingerprints, stolen property, weapons, organised
crime and child sex abuse/trafficking. This database is very important because it helps to
protect vulnerable communities and work against major crimes such as terrorism,
cybercrime and organised crime which have a great global presence.
Pros and cons of intelligence databases
Pros
Allows centralisation and the transfer of intelligence across police forces, both
nationally and internationally, it is a very efficient system to efficiently receive such
large amounts of information with such ease. This results in time and resources
being saved, meaning that funding and attention can be redirected to more pressing
matters.
Cons
Could be problematic if the data is inaccurate and may produce false leads or even
miscarriages in justice.
Data could be misused by corrupt officers. E.g., in USA an officer used vehicle
database to locate and stalk women
Forensic techniques
Forensics refer to the scientific techniques which are used to help identify evidence within
investigations. There are a variety of scientific techniques and methods which can be utilised
during the analysis process of an investigation, these techniques will help to identify, bodily
fluids such as blood, saliva and sperm and also evidence such as shoeprints, fibres from
clothes and hairs. All of these forms of forensic evidence are collected by specialists such as
CSIs in methods which minimise the likelihood of contamination and then this evidence is
sent to a police department.
Techniques
One of the most impactful techniques which have been used to solve criminal cases is the
extraction of DNA. This is because DNA can be found in almost every cell of the body and
unless you are a monozygotic twin, each individual will have a unique genetic code. This
