Summary

Summary Ac 1.2 Assess the usefulness of investigative techniques in criminal investigations

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Module
Crime Scene to Courtroom

Institution
WJEC

These are my answers that I used to achieve a near perfect 98/100 marks on the year 13 Unit 3 Criminology controlled assessment. I changed it as needed during the exam but this is the backbone of my work.

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unit 3
criminology
ac 12 year 13
investigative techniques
criminology controlled assessment
ac 12 assess the usefulness of investigative tech

AC 1.2 Assess the usefulness of investigative techniques in criminal investigations.

Use of intelligence databases to investigate crime

There are many databases within the UK that the police use to store and access information to get a
hold on crime. These large databases allow the police to easily access a person’s DNA or criminal/family
history. For example, include the UK national DNA database and Police National Computer (PNC), which
holds extensive information on people, vehicles, crimes and property. The database, Criminal, run by the
Metropolitan Police Service of Greater London, stores information on criminals, suspected criminals and
protestors. Some databases contain information from witnesses, informants and agents.

Forensics (DNA) - Deoxyribonucleic

Forensic science is very different now compared to 100 years ago. When police had to attend to a crime
scene, they would be alone until a doctor arrived to confirm death and carry out a very quick review of
the body. Science has developed much further in modern society for example,

- The police are accompanied by a range of forensic experts to help in the investigations.
- Actions and usefulness of various forms of evidence are discussed with other experts by police.
- Every person on the crime scene is required to wear protective clothing to avoid contamination
and there is limited access to a crime scene.
- The police recover evidence scientifically, which is then discussed and considered by a range of
experts in many fields.

Case study

Colin Pitchfork – DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) is one of the most useful forensic techniques in modern
science. It is a self-replicating material that is present in nearly all living organisms as the main
constituent of chromosomes; it is the carrier of genetic information. It is found in the nucleus of most
cells. Also, it is sometimes called our genetic code as it determines all our characteristics. DNA evidence
was first used in the famous case of Colin Pitchfork in 1986. Pitchfork was found guilty of the murder of
Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth in 1986. At the time of the second murder, Alec Jeffery’s, a British
geneticist, was pioneering profiling techniques by using DNA and was able to use his work to confirm
that the two girls had been killed by the same man. Also, he was able to prove that Robert Buckland, the
man who had confessed to Dawn Ashwood's murder, was not the Mann killer. Police were obtaining
blood samples from all the men in the area; however, Pitchfork persuaded a friend to impersonate him
and provide the sample. Eventually, this was discovered who then arrested Pitchfork. They were then
able to use Jeffrey’s DNA profiling technique to confirm him as the double killer.

The following points are strengths of DNA as a technique used in criminal investigations:

- It gives the chance to solve all murders
- It is found in virtually every cell of the human body.
- Everybody’s DNA is unique, which means it allows for very high reliability (95% accuracy) as it is
hard to make mistakes.
- It can help prove innocence as well as guilt which is helpful in preventing miscarriages of justice
- It can help identify victims when other methods do not work.

, - DNA from closely related relatives, such as siblings, have many similarities in common.
- The chance of two individual’s having the same DNA is low, therefore, this evidence is
admissible and reliable in court.

However, there are limitations to DNA as an investigative technique. For example,

- The financial cost of DNA testing.
- Cross-contamination of evidence is possible
- The perpetrator must be on the National DNA Database to be able to secure a match with a
sample from a crime scene.
- It is possible that trace amounts of DNA can falsely implicate a person.
- Such a technique may infringe civil liberties, epecially when DNA profiles are stored from people
who are innocent.

Case study

Colette Aram -

In 1983, 16-year-old Colette Aram was raped and strangled by a man named Paul Hutchinson. This
murder took place before DNA was established as an investigative technique. However, as science
developed, scientists were able to build up a DNA sample taken from the murder scene and compared it
with a DNA sample from a local pub that the murderer had visited after the murder. Familial DNA
profiling enabled the conviction of Paul Hutchinson when a close relative had a sample taken due to a
driving offence. A family link was made despite Hutchinson’s sample not being on the National
Database. He was convicted 26 years after Collete’s murder.

Case study

David Butler – Anne Marie Foy, a prostitute, was murdered by a man named David Butler. He was
charged with her murder as a result as a partial DNA match. His DNA was found under Foy’s fingernails.
However, despite spending 8 months in custody, Butler was able to prove that the procedures used to
obtain the DNA were unreliable and the evidence was of poor quality. Butler shed lots of flakes of dry
skin due to having a skin condition, this meant his DNA was easily transferred. The victim worked at the
red-light district, so it is possible that Butler took one of his passengers (he was a taxi drive) to the red-
light district and DNA was passed on in the change given to a passenger and then to the victim. This
meant Butler was acquitted of the murder.

DNA evidence is partially useful in sexual and violent offences. For example, in such cases evidence is
usually left at the scene in the form of blood, hairs or semen. This allows police to construct a DNA
profile of the defendant.

Situations where DNA is useful in a criminal investigation are crime scenes because DNA can be collected
from it (Amanda Knoxx). Also, in a laboratory because forensic scientists can analyse the physical
evidence for DNA cross-referencing to the DNA database (blood on knife-knoxx).

Overall, DNA is a useful tool in a criminal investigation as it has a high chance of accuracy and reliability,
which is important to be able to provide admissible evidence to convict a defendant in court. However,
it does rely heavily on CSI’s and professionals on the scene to do their jobs properly, so they do not
cross-contaminate the evidence.

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