personnel: roles, advantages, limitations and cases

Question 1

what does a scenes of crime officer do(SOCO)?

Answer 1

They help police officers solve crimes. they’re experts at taking photos of evidence and identifying traces at crime scenes.

Question 2

what equipment may a SOCO use?

Answer 2

Cameras, paper bags, personal protective equipment, bodily fluid collection kits, evidence seals/tape, torches, measuring devices, tweezers and spray paint.

Question 3

what are the limitations of a SOCO?

Answer 3

• requires specialist skills
• forensic samples may be dangerous e.g. infected blood
• work is demanding and stressful

Question 4

what are the advantages of SOCO?

Answer 4

• they are experts at collecting evidence
• evidence retrieved can prove someone’s innocence or their guilty
• prevent more crimes occurring by proving the defendant was the perpetrator

Question 5

what is the role of a police officer

Answer 5

they are the first person to attend a crime scene and need to safeguard everyone at the scene. secure the scene and avoid contamination.

Question 6

what are the limitations of a police officer?

Answer 6

• failure to secure the scene /preserve evidence
• failure to investigate
• institutional racism

Question 7

what case was affected due to constitutional racism within the police force

Answer 7

Stephen Lawrence

Question 8

what are the advantages of police officers

Answer 8

• quick response to crimes
• powers to arrest and detain
• undergo training to preserve evidence
• effective at investigating as access to different crime units

Question 9

what roles do forensic scientists and specialists do

Answer 9

they use scientific knowledge to analyse and interpret evidence and produce a report on their findings

Question 10

what are some advantages of forensic scientists and specialists

Answer 10

• special expertise of forensic scientists may be able to identify and interpret evidence that proves a suspects guilt or innocence
• their expertise may be essential in complex cases where the criminal also has specialist knowledge or skills

Question 11

what are some limitations of forensic scientists/ specialists

Answer 11

• highly qualified and expensive
• contamination of evidence can occur when examined
• experts may disagree and impact on the court case
• if an expert accidentally or deliberately misleads the court it could result in a miscarriage of justice

Question 12

name a case where a fault by forensic scientists have affected a case

Answer 12

Adam Scott was convicted of rape when scientists in the lab reused Petri dishes

Question 13

what are the roles of pathologists

Answer 13

drs who specialise in causes of disease and death. they make detailed external examinations and may look at internal organs

Question 14

what are the advantages of pathologists

Answer 14

-they can provide conclusive scientific evidence e.g. cause and time of death

Question 15

limitations of pathologists

Answer 15

• very few home officer registered pathologists
• requires 7 extra years once dr training is completed
• highly trained= expensive service
• emotionally demanding

Question 16

name a case where a pathologist error affected a case

Answer 16

Dr Freddie Patel, wrongly concluded a murder victim had died of natural causes allowing Camden ripper to be set free

Question 17

name a case where a SOCO error affected a case

Answer 17

SOCO’s on the Meredith Kercher case allowed detectives and SOCO’s into the crime scene causing contamination between crime scenes

Question 18

what are the roles of the CPS

Answer 18

They apply tests to cases to decide if there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and if its in public interest. decide if suspects can be charged and what with. prepares cases for hearings, collecting evidence disclosing evidence to the defence.

Question 19

advantages of the CPS

Answer 19

• they have specialist divisions that deal with prosecutions in need of specialist knowledge e.g. fraud
• they own take a case to court if there is enough evidence to convict

Question 20

what are the limitations of the CPS

Answer 20

• relationship with police is often difficult
• has power to reject police request to prosecute
• have sometimes made serious errors
• funding and staffing cuts in recent years have meant a growing burden of cases.

Question 21

name a case where CPS error affected it

Answer 21

damilola taylor