Exam #3

Question 1

Staging

Answer 1

The introduction of false clues by an offender to mislead an investigation

Question 2

Anchor Point

Answer 2

A comfort zone that a person spends the most time

Question 3

Rigor Mortis

Answer 3

The stiffening of the muscles after death

Question 4

Amber alert

Answer 4

Stands for “America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response”. It is used to notify citizens of a child abduction and typically includes a description and photo of the child, suspect, vehicle, and tip line phone number

Question 5

Trophy

Answer 5

An item that is taken by the offender from the scene that proves them with a sense of satisfaction like they “earned” it.

Question 6

Digital Evidence

Answer 6

Crime-related information from an electronic device

Question 7

NCIC

Answer 7

The largest crime information system in the US that is maintained by the FBI and contains several different files about information that can be easily accessible by other agencies

Question 8

IP address

Answer 8

An identification number associated with a computer or other device that can access the internet

Question 9

Souvenirs

Answer 9

Items taken from the crime scene that remind the offender of the crime and the victim

Question 10

Defensive wounds

Answer 10

An injury sustained by the victim from defending themselves from the offender

Question 11

Tip line

Answer 11

A way for citizens to provide information to the police about the crime.

Question 12

Usefulness of GPS data from smartphone

Answer 12

Helps law enforcement track suspects and their movements to establish timelines, alibis, and potential connections to the crime.

Question 13

What DNA and physical evidence is used for

Answer 13

Helps to prove or disprove an offenders involvement in the crime such as saliva, blood, or fingerprints

Question 14

How polygraph works

Answer 14

Used to measure certain body measurements like heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration rate to see if they are nervous. They are not admissible in court because of their concerns of reliability due to false positives or just natural anxious people. They can be used as an investigative tool.

Question 15

Concerns over using Facebook in investigations.

Answer 15

There are privacy laws in place to protect individuals’ personal information. Also, everything posted on social media might not be 100% true. People tend to exaggerate information and make it harder for investigators to know what is accurate or not. Social media content can also be harder to interpret since it is not in person and words can be perceived in a different manner than they were intended.

Question 16

Problems with tip lines

Answer 16

A large amount of tips can be received at a time which makes it harder for investigators to comb through every one of them. Police could also receive false tips to try and lead them in a different direction of the actual crime that has occurred, so it is hard to trust everybody. Tip lines can also remain anonymous, meaning that the offender could be leaving a tip to push the investigation away from them or an anonymous person could leave a tip without anyway to have a follow up question or get back in touch with them for more information.

Question 17

Assumptions when using georeferencing data from phone.

Answer 17

Some assumptions include that the location of the device is 100% accurate when that is not always the case – sometimes the strength of location signal and location settings can be altered. Some georeferencing data might not always be relevant to the case. It is assumed that the chain of custody will always be followed but it is important to keep in mind the importance of this method and to maintain that it is following to keep the evidence admissible in court.

Question 18

Most persuasive form of evidence

Answer 18

The most persuasive form of evidence is dependent on the strength and reliability of the evidence at hand. Direct evidence such as an eyewitness is a strong form of evidence as is it firsthand, but also physical evidence such as surveillance footage of an individual proving they are at a place at a specific time could be relevant to the case. A confession is also extremely important evidence because it proves that an individual is guilty, but there are cases of false confessions due to the stress of an interrogation. Overall, it depends on the context of the situation and what is more relevant to pursue the case.

Question 19

Usefulness of CCTV

Answer 19

CCTV is security surveillance video footage that is displayed on a TV and is often recorded. It can be useful in capturing imagines of the crime, the offender’s identity, the location of the offender and crime, any suspected vehicles, and the location/activities of the victims

Question 20

Indicators of suicide

Answer 20

The weapon or other means of death are left at the scene, such as a gun in hand or rope. Presence of self-inflicted wounds and also a lack of defensive wounds. Other factors include the presence of a suicide note or history of mental illness and a suicidal motive

Question 21

Verbal versus nonverbal behaviors

Answer 21

Verbal behaviors include a testimony given by victims or offenders and the interrogation process. Nonverbal behaviors include body language like facial expressions, posture, avoiding eye contact, or fidgeting. The more easily controlled behavior is verbal because it is easier to come up with a story before giving a statement and easily controlling what information you communicate to the police. Nonverbal behaviors are more subconscious and harder to control.

Question 22

Assumptions of profiling

Answer 22

The crime reflects the age, gender, race, and personality of the offender and the offender’s characteristics and personality will not change overtime. Profiling is only based on assumptions and not facts, but it can be useful in situations that are unique such as signature behaviors.

Question 23

Stages of mortis in order they occur

Answer 23

1.) Algor mortis, which is the cooling of the body after death
2.) Livor mortis, which is the pooling of blood in the body after death due to gravity
3.) Rigor mortis, which is the stiffening of the muscles after death

Question 24

What is required to get social media information

Answer 24

A warrant and proper chain of custody

Question 25

Offender likely to use Blitz-style attack

Answer 25

A blitz-style attack is an aggressive, unorganized, physical assault on an individual.

Question 26

When are task force used

Answer 26

Task forces are utilized to collaborate in solving a crime such as utilizing multiple law enforcement agencies or departments to solve a crime. This is common in homicides or serial killings

Question 27

How peace models compare to other interrogation techniques

Answer 27

primarily focuses on open-ended questions, active listening, and respectful communication to establish trust and encourage suspects to provide accurate information

Question 28

The 4 manners of death

Answer 28

1.) Natural causes 2.) Accident 3.) Suicide 4.) Homicide

Question 29

Weakness of using smart home devices in an investigation

Answer 29

Privacy concerns, such as personal information about the user’s activities and routine. Smart home devices might not capture all important information that is relevant to the crime. They also might not be as reliable and accurate due to environmental factors or glitches. Lastly, you need consent to obtain information from these devices.

Question 30

Characteristics of gangs

Answer 30

Groups, using symbols/colors, involved in crime, creative way of communication, and faithfulness.

Question 31

What we can assume from offenders who target low-risk targets

Answer 31

A low-risk target is somebody that is not at risk to be victimized, these people are usually high in weight and are able to defend themselves. Offenders are more likely to target high-risk offenders because they are skinnier and easily to kidnap or take advantage of. If offenders target a low-risk offender, this could mean that they lack the planning aspect of a crime or have limited skills/experience when it comes to committing a crime

Question 32

Behaviors investigators should avoid.

Answer 32

Bias, intimidation, and threats

Question 33

First and most basic question in a death investgation

Answer 33

Determining the manner of death is most crucial for developing a plan for the foundation of the investigation and how to proceed

Question 34

First method of polygraph examinations

Answer 34

First method to polygraphs is asking a series of relevant questions and control questions to know the baseline of when an individual is lying. This is to measure their anxiety levels and their “truthfulness” during the investigation.

Question 35

Second method of polygraph examinations

Answer 35

Second method is presenting multiple choice options that relate to the crime and have one correct response. This can be used to measure their anxiety levels when they hear the option that is correct but want to lie about, and then that information can be used against them if they pick a different option. This option can be limited because all the facts of the case might not be known

Question 36

Third method of polygraph examinations

Answer 36

Third method is presenting specific multiple-choice options that only the perpetrator would know. Can be limited because it requires accurate information about the crime and what exactly the perpetrator did.

Question 37

How digital evidence has evolved over time

Answer 37

Digital evidence has evolved over time because of the accessibility to smartphones, social media, surveillance cameras, and wearable technology like watches or body cameras. There is also an increase of a digital footprint through apps such as snapchat, where everything that you have ever posted online or sent in a message is saved on a file somewhere through the company. There are also now software techniques that can be used to override locked files to collect evidence and recover deleted evidence.

Question 38

Define and describe the use of confidential informants.

Answer 38

Confidential informants are people who assist law enforcement in an active and ongoing investigation and provide information about criminal activity and suspects while remaining confidential. They are important for providing leads and evidence that can direct investigators in collecting evidence, making connections, and performing arrests to solve a crime. Possible issues with CI’s include corrupting their safety, such as having a fear that the offender could do something bad to them if they found out this person was helping the police. Also, the CI could be playing both sides, such as misleading the police in the investigation with false information and also informing the offender of what false leads the police have to steer the investigation away from being accurately solved.

Question 39

Why do we treat every death investigation as a homicide until proven other wise

Answer 39

Treating a death investigation like a homicide is important in preserving evidence since you only have one shot in collecting evidence at a crime scene. This is important in being thorough during the evidence collection process so that nothing is missed. This also maintains the reputation of the law enforcement agency by reassuring the public that every case is taken as seriously as possible and to reduce threats in the community. Lastly, this is important in respecting the victim and the victim’s family to ensure that they receive the justice and closure that they deserve.

Question 40

Organized offender

Answer 40

Organized offenders often plan their crimes, do not make many mistakes, do not leave much evidence behind, and are more likely to use restraints so their victim does not escape. They are highly controlled and skilled in committing crimes, such as serial killers.

Question 41

Disorganized offenders

Answer 41

Disorganized offenders lack planning and organization, use excessive violence, and leave behind a messy crime scene with a lot of evidence. They are more likely to be impulsive and impatient, such as committing random acts of violence due to emotional stress.