AC1.2 Assess the usefulness of investigative techniques in criminal investigations
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INTELLIGENCE DATABASES TO INVESTIGATE CRIME
Intelligence Databases are information gathered from a variety of sources. This
information is referred to as 'intelligence,' and it has been gathered and evaluated
for accuracy and usefulness. The police in England and Wales have access to various
databases, so they can be a useful way to store and centralize information and keep
records. As they become more detailed, they can also be useful investigative tools.
One example of an Intelligence Database is the Police National Computer (PNC)
which contains a wide variety of information that can be used by police if they need
to access it in relation to the investigation of a particular crime. The PNC stores data
on arrests, convictions, cautions, fingerprints, DNA, vehicle info, who has driving
licenses, disqualified drivers, missing people and wanted people.
Similarly, the police national database holds 3.5 billion searchable records of
suspects involved in crime. For example, the Criminal and the Gangs Matrix
Database. The gang’s matrix is a police database containing personal information
about people who the Metropolitan Police Service believes are gang members and
are likely to commit violence. The gang’s matrix was developed by the Met in
response to the 2011 riots that began in Tottenham and spread throughout London
and other major cities in England. Individuals can be added to the gang’s matrix for a
variety of reasons, including social media activity, known criminal activity, and
, referrals from third-party institutions like housing associations, Pupil Referral Units
(PRUs), and other children and community services. To be listed on the gang’s
matrix, an individual must not have been involved in any criminal activities. A third
of the people on the gang matrix have never committed a crime.
Furthermore, there are also international databases such as INTERPOL which collect
records of DNA, Fingerprints, Stolen weaponry, weapons, and organized crime.
Intelligence databases allow for the centralization and sharing of intelligence across
police forces, both nationally and internationally, which saves both time and
resources which is an advantage. Additionally, they have evolved into a valuable
tool for establishing critical links and solving crimes. There are numerous examples
of this (for example, tracing offenders using DNA). However, there are negatives to
the use of intelligence databases such as them possibly being problematic if the data
is inaccurate; This may result in false leads or even miscarriages of justice. The
information could also be used by corrupt officers (for example, in the United States,
an officer used a vehicle database to locate and stalk women). There are also some
civil liberty concerns as sometimes people who are only suspected of committing a
crime are included in the database.
FORENSICS
There are numerous scientific techniques and methods for locating, collecting, and
preserving evidence such as fingerprints, shoeprints, clothing fibers, chemicals such
as paint, and so on. It can also include bodily fluids such as blood and sperm, as well
as skin, hair, dust, and pollen particles. These are carefully collected by expert
