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Criminology Unit 3 - Crimes scene to courtroom > 1.2 Assess the usefulness of investigative techniques in criminal investigations > Flashcards

1.2 Assess the usefulness of investigative techniques in criminal investigations Flashcards

1
Q

Use of intelligence databases

What is meant by the term ‘intelligence’?

A

Information that has been gathered from multiple different sources that has been recorded and evaluated. This information can be stored in a multiple different databases that police can access

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2
Q

Can you give a few examples of Databases that is used by the police?

A
  • The Police National Computer
  • The Police National Database
  • Crimint and the Gangs Matrix
  • The international databases
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3
Q

Briefly explain what information is kept on The Police National Database?

A
  • Has information about suspected criminal activity
  • Holds over 3.5 billion records
  • Made up of 220 linked databases
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4
Q

Briefly explain what type of information is kept on The Police National Computer?

A
  • Holds details of over 12 million people’s arrests, convictions and police cautions
  • Holds fingerprint information and DNA information from the National DNA Database
  • Vehicle registration information and data on those 48 million people who have a driving license and those who are disqualified
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5
Q

What does the Crimint and the Gangs Matrix databases hold information about?

A
  • Crimint holds information on criminals, suspects and protestors
  • The Gangs Matrix holds data on those who the police suspect are involved in gangs
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6
Q

What do international databases hold information on?

A
  • Information accessible by UK police that has been shared by police forces in different countries
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7
Q

Can you give some examples of international databases?

A
  • INTERPOL databases which contain data on child sexual exploitation
  • Biometric records (DNA and fingerprints)
  • Stolen property (Artwork and guns)
  • Firearms and organised crime networks
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8
Q

What are some limitations of the Gangs Matrix database?

A
  • Has been criticised for being racially discriminatory -> In 2021, Metropolitan Police had to remove over 1000 young Black men from the database
  • Has been subject to leaks -> In 2017, the names and addresses of 203 alleged gang members were leaked and fell into the hands of rival gang members, causing some of those named in the leaks serious harm
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9
Q

Forensic techniques

What is forensics?

A

links to the scientific methods and tests that are used when investigating crimes

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10
Q

How is forensic evidence collected?

A

By investigators collecting the evidence through forensic techniques from the crime scene and submitting it for in-depth analysis in the laboratory

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11
Q

list some of the types of forensic evidence

A
  • Biological materials like blood, semen, skin flakes and hair
  • Fingerprints
  • Shoeprints
  • Weapons
  • Fibres and threads from clothing
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12
Q

Why is it essential to protect a crime scene?

A

To prevent forensic evidence being contaminated

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13
Q

What can investigators do to prevent contamination?

A
  • Wear protective clothing
  • Ensure the crime scene is controlled
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14
Q

DNA evidence

Where is DNA found?

A

In almost every cell in the human body and is unique for each person (except identical twins)

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15
Q

Why is DNA evidence useful ?

A

Because it is unique for each person it can help link people to crime scenes through DNA evidence found at the crime scene

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16
Q

What has been developed in recent years?

A

Highly sensitive techniques have been developed for the extraction and quick analysis of tiny amounts of DNA samples found at the crime scenes

17
Q

What has this made for DNA profiling?

A

Made it the most important development in solving crimes since fingerprinting was created

18
Q

Who was DNA profiling developed by and when?

A

Scientist Alec Jeffreys in 1985

19
Q

What was the first case it was used for?

A

The rape and murder of two girls in Leicestershire in 1983 and 1986. Using the new DNA profiling technique Jeffreys found that the semen in both cases came from the same man. Police then took blood samples from all 4,583 men in the local area and found a direct match with Colin Pitchfork, who was then convicted of both murders

20
Q

Using relatives’ DNA profiles

How might the DNA of relatives be useful in investigating crime?

A

Blood relatives tend to have similar DNA profiles to each other and samples from family have been used to aid identification of offenders

21
Q

Give an example of DNA of relatives being used to solve crime

A

Colette Aram was murdered and raped in 1983 by Paul Hutchinson - before DNA profiling was invented. However, in 2008 the police were able to develop an advanced profile of her killer due to the advances in DNA technology. A DNA sample was taken from Hutchinson’s son who had been arrested for a motoring offence and routine DNA sample was taken, this DNA matched DNA taken from the crime scene of the murder of Aram. His father was arrested and ultimately convicted of the murder of Colette Aram

22
Q

What can family DNA also be used for?

A

Identifying deceased victims of homicides, suicides and accidents

23
Q

What are the key problems that are associated with DNA evidence?

A
  • Contamination of DNA evidence
  • Civil liberties
24
Q

What can contamination of DNA evidence lead to?

A

Miscarriages of justice

25
Q

Can you put forward a case to portray the miscarriages of justice contamination of DNA evidence can cause?

A

Adam Scott was wrongly charged with rape in 2011 and spent 5 months in prison subsequently on remand on the basis of a contaminated DNA sample.

26
Q

Why is the risk of contamination greater now with the advances in technology surrounding DNA profilling?

A

Because the smallest samples of DNA can now be analysed

27
Q

Why might there be problems when matching DNA samples to suspects?

A

To get a match with the DNA from a crime scene, the offender must already be on the National DNA Database. However, advances in forensic technology mean it may be possible to identify the appearance of an offender simply from a DNA profile

28
Q

What have there been concerns about regarding the police retaining DNA taken from people who have not been convicted of a crime?

A

Some people believe it is a civil liberty infringement about the police keeping information on people who haven’t actually been arrested -> led to change in law in 2012 that requires profiles taken from people not convicted to be destroyed

29
Q

What are the problems associated with the cost of DNA testing?

A

Until recent years, DNA tests were very expensive -> However, price has now decreased to about £20 per analysis of each DNA sample

30
Q

Surveillance techniques - CCTV

what does ‘surveillance’ mean?

A

Looking over something or someone

Criminology Unit 3 - Crimes scene to courtroom (1 decks)

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