Criminal Investigation Flashcards
Which questions will a successful inquire answer?
- Did a criminal violation as described by a code or statute occur?
- Where and at what time and date did the crime occur?
- Who were the individuals involved in the planning, execution, and after effects of the violation?
- Is a witness to the criminal activity present?
- Is there evidence of the criminal offense?
- In what manner or by what method was the crime perpetrated?
- Is there an indication of guilt or innocence to aid judicial officials in determining a just solution to the case?
What is criminal investigation and what involves?
Criminal investigation is a logical, objective, legal inquiry involving a possible criminal activity.
What is an indispensable personality to the investigator?
Superior reasoning ability.
What is superior reasoning ability?
Is the ability to analyze logically a multitude of facts and determine how they interrelate is basic to the investigative purpose.
What is critical thinking, by who was it developed, and what it challenges?
Was developed by psychologists and educators, and this method of reasoning challenges one to adopt an attitude of fair mindedness, intellectual caution, and an openness to question common or assumed beliefs.
What will critical thinkers accept, reject, and avoid?
Critical thinkers will find supportable reasons to accept or reject an assumption and are never hesitant to seek explanation of the “why” of an event.
They will avoid the emotional approach so easily evoked during criminal inquires.
They must think as rationally as possible, basing their reasoning in facts.
List the elements that form the foundation of the critical thinking process.
- Differentiating between fact and opinion.
- Determining cause and effect relationships.
- Determining the accuracy and completeness of information presented.
- Recognizing logical fallacies and faulty reasoning.
- Developing inferential skills through deductive or inductive reasoning.
Cause and effect thinking serves a:
Directional purpose during the investigation process, as one or more facts generates further related factual insights. Also focuses on a determination on how accurate and complete one’s gathered facts are.
Critical thinkers must be able to recognize what?
Faulty logic, as inaccurate logic only serves to divert investigation.
Faulty reasoning often centers on generalization, stereotyping, oversimplifying, or incorrect assumptions.
Critical thinking reminds the officer to avoid such problems by focusing on facts.
What are the two methods that assist reasoning thinking and that are peculiar to the investigative process?
Deductive.- reasoning forms a general conclusion prior to having a complete explanation based on facts. With the deductive conclusion in mind the investigator considers the emerging evidence, contrasting it with the conclusion to determine its validity.
Inductive.- reasoning may prevent a narrowing of perception and speculation, it’s exclusive use may also postpone or eliminate the direction and momentum necessary to gather evidence or to make an arrest.
What is intuition often cited and its definition?
Intuition is often cited as a necessary quality of the investigator and this trait is defined as as immediate apprehension or cognition- quick and ready insight without the use of conscious use of reasoning.
Intuition is often the result of a combination of experience and training.
Observation skills are:
A normal condition for most people, yet observation skills must be highly developed in the investigator.
The act of observing is a noting and recording of facts.
Organizational ability demands:
The ability to organize written information, verbal information, current case assignments, and follow ups of past investigations.
This demands an orderly method of information retention that will result in the availability of records and facts when needed.
The most significant quality that characterize the skillful investigator is:
Legal knowledge of criminal law and to a lesser degree, in civil law.
The ability to interact with all types of individuals is achieved by Cultural understanding and wide range of interests.
Being familiar with different culture behaviors, cultural diversity can provide the investigator with new insights.
