AC 1.1. Evaluate the effectiveness of the roles of personnel involved in criminal investigations
AC 1.1. Evaluate the effectiveness of the roles of personnel involved in criminal investigations
AC 1.1. Evaluate the effectiveness of the roles of personnel involved in criminal investigations
AC 1....
AC 1.1. Evaluate the effectiveness of the roles of personnel
involved in criminal investigations.
Personnel involved.
♦ Police officers/ detectives who investigate the crime.
♦ Forensic specialists with expertise in different areas.
♦ Crime scene investigators - in the UK scenes of crime officers (SOCO's) who collect
evidence.
♦ The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) which decides if a suspect is charged.
♦ There are also other agencies e.g., the National Crime Agency which is responsible for
leading the UK's fight to cut serious and organized crime, and HM revenue and customs.
♦ Forensic scientists who interpret the evidence.
♦ A pathologist who determines the cause and means of death, which can provide vital
investigative evidence.
Scenes of crime officers (SOCOs)
→ These roles are often depicted on television as CSIs all crime scene
investigators and are employed by the police service to preserve and
protect a crime scene and recover evidence.
→ Clearly, such evidence can be vital in criminal investigations. - Ian
Huntley.
→ It is essential the evidence at a crime scene remains uncontaminated and
is collected as soon as possible to provide reliable evidence in a criminal
investigation.
→ SOCOs Typically search for trace evidence such as gunshot residue,
fingerprints and hairs and fibers, should contamination occur, the
evidence will be inadmissible (unable to be used) in court, However, such
risk is minimized as SOCOs are trained and qualified in this area.
→ They usually operate an on-call system and are therefore always available
to assist in criminal investigations.
Limitations of SOCOs
❑ There are many times when the role produces limitations to solving a crime:
SOCOs may be exposed to hazardous substances in the course of their role, such as
contaminants contacting the skin or airborne substances that could enter the mouth.
Why is this a limitation?
This is a limitation as the SOCO is putting themselves at risk and can be physically
harmed by this.
, ❑ Such risks are minimized by the wearing of protective clothing, including masks and
glasses.
❑ Not anyone can be a SOCOs, it requires years of training, skill and patience as well as
care and attention to detail. Failure to collect evidence correctly can lead to a guilty
person going free.
❑ They can injure themselves on the crime scene.
❑ Things can be left at the crime scene.
Amanda Knox
→ Amanda Knox is an American woman who spent almost 4 years in an Italian prison
following her conviction for the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher, a fellow exchange
student who shared her apartment. In 2015, Knox was definitively acquitted by the
Italian Supreme Court of Cassation.
→ One of the SOCOs went to the crime scene and did not wear protective clothing.
→ They also broke down the door but there was blood on the door so it could be
contaminated.
→ The SOCOs left the bra covered in Meredith's blood at the crime scene.
Forensic scientist
Forensic scientists review evidence from a crime scene and produce information for
court.
Evidence such as blood and other body Fluids are analyzed in a laboratory and
interpreted.
This information can assist a court in deciding on producing a just result.
They can narrow down suspects, find more evidence, produce a timeline of events -
they have expertise knowledge.
One of the advantages of forensics is that it includes many specialist areas with
expertise such as:
❖ Computers. - white collar/technological crime - computer use/history.
❖ Toxicology (drugs) - were victims under the influence? / could drugs have caused
the death?
❖ Dentistry.
❖ Fire. - how it started/burn time.
❖ Psychology.
Limitations of forensic scientists
→ Some People believe that DNA analysis of a person can be against human ethics as it
reveals private information. WHY?
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