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Unit 3 AC 1.1 model answer
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This contains a model write-up for AC 1.1 in Unit 3 of Level 3 Criminology, this gave me an A* in the controlled assessment so I highly recommend using it to help!
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WJEC Level 3 Diploma in CriminologyUnit 3, AC: 1.1
Model Write-up
Mark: 9/10
AC 1.1: Evaluate the effectiveness of the roles of personnel involved in criminal
investigations
What you have to do:
- 10 marks = 45 mins approx
- Required range of personnel will be at bottom of brief
- Heading for each personnel
- brief description of role (3-4 sentences)
-evaluate how effective they are → refer to ACE (not needed for all personnel)
-link back to effectiveness (therefore, this is effective….)
-use at least one case for each personnel
1) Police
Police officers are often first to arrive at the crime scene and will secure it for investigation as
well as ensure the evidence is conserved, to avoid contamination. Their main roles when at
a crime scene is protecting the public and helping anyone who is injured, for example calling
the emergency services. The ‘golden hour’ is the hour after a crime has been committed,
when police officers must quickly make sure the scene is preserved, as this is when the
evidence is at its most fresh and not contaminated. It is also necessary to take victim and
witness statements during the golden hour as the events will still be able to be easily
recalled in their minds. Police detectives manage a plethora of criminal investigations,
specifically those that are involved in complex crimes. They work within specialist
departments such as the CID, child protection department, and drugs and firearms squad.
The police have often been criticised for their failure to secure crime scenes and preserve
the evidence, which would lead to contamination, and thus reduce the accuracy of the
evidence collected. They have also been criticised for their failure to investigate particular
crimes, for example hate crimes such as Stephen Lawrence, and domestic abuse attacks.
Often, these failures happen due to the way in which some officers mishandled evidence or
have discriminatory attitudes. Other times, it can be due to larger issues within the system,
like the institutional racism that was exposed in the Macpherson Report regarding the
Metropolitan Police's investigation into Stephen Lawrence’s murder. This institutional racism
can affect how the police deal with a crime scene, as they may not prioritise this case,
regardless of its seriousness, and show little importance for it. They may also choose not to
deal with it at all, which is a clear display of bias. Furthermore, the Hillsborough disasters
, highlights the ineffectiveness of the police as the Inquest in 2016 showed that they can act
inappropriately in criminal investigations, which David Duckenfield did by lying about the
Liverpool fans opening the gates which caused the crushing, when it was actually
Duckenfield himself who ordered the gates to be open. In regards to availability, police
officers are only able to deal with a certain number of cases at any one time, thus a limitation
of the police is they have limited availability. However, they have high expertise as they have
acquired the skills to deal with both victims and witnesses appropriately, as well as this the
police consist of trained personnel working in specialised departments, such as the CID.
2) Crime Scene Investigators (CSI)
CSIs, also known as SOCOs in some police forces, are civilians who undergo specialised
training and often hold a science degree. Unlike police officers, they are responsible for
collecting and processing evidence from crime scenes, post mortems, and accidents. In
larger forces, there are numerous CSIs available around the clock. Their main role is to
ensure that evidence is preserved in an uncontaminated state, as any contamination would
render it inadmissible in court. The Amanda Knox case is a prime example of what can go
wrong when the CSI fails to preserve the crime scene and contamination occurs. Knox
ended up spending almost four years in an Italian prison for a crime she didn't commit - the
murder of her flatmate, Meredith Kercher. Both Knox and her boyfriend were initially
sentenced to 26 and 25 years respectively. However, in October 2011, they were acquitted
and released. Unfortunately, less than two years later, their acquittals were overturned, and
they were once again found guilty. It wasn't until 2015 when the Supreme Court of Italy
finally overturned their convictions. The court determined that the evidence presented was
not strong enough to secure a conviction. This case highlights the shortcomings of the CSI,
including a lack of evidence, unreliable DNA testing, misleading DNA evidence, and
indications of contamination at the crime scene. Some of their key activities include taking
charge of crime scenes, coordinating with the police to determine necessary evidence and
the best way to obtain it, photographing various aspects of the scene, recovering physical
and biological evidence, packaging and documenting the material, attending post mortem
examinations, providing advice to investigators, and giving evidence in court.
CSIs have the capacity to gather evidence that definitively links suspects to crime scenes
and victims, as well as provide conclusive evidence of a suspect's innocence, such as when
their fingerprints do not match those found at the crime scene. They are easily accessible
through their 24/7 on-call service, but there is a shortage of staff due to the emotional
demands of the job. CSIs possess extensive expertise acquired through rigorous training in
collecting and processing evidence from crime scenes. However, there are limitations as
they may come into contact with hazardous substances, such as contaminants on their skin
or airborne particles that could enter their mouth. The job is also highly challenging and
stressful, leading to burnout and high staff turnover. Additionally, CSIs earn an average
salary of £32,000 per year, which poses an expense for the police force.
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