Unit 3 AC1.2 Assess the usefulness of investigative techniques Flashcards
Inteligence databases
Police use databases to help them store and search for information which may be relevant to a case. Examples include the UK National DNA Database and the Police National Computer (PNC) which holds extensive information on people, vehicles, crimes and property.
There are also databases which contain information from witnesses, informants and agents.
Suveillance
In modern policing surveillance, CCTV is a major investigative technique that they use, it is one of the first things an investigating officer asks for following a crime. It can provide permanent images of a potential suspect or offender, and possibly even the crime taking place.
Covert surveillance utilises informants and undercover officers and can be used to combat crimes such as terrorism.
Interview-Experts
Police may interview an expert witness in order to gain specialist knowledge that could influence an investigation. For example, medial experts can provide information about cause of death or cause of injury.
Expert witnesses can range from experts in blood pattern analysis, to technological experts, to road traffic experts, to experts in entomology.
Interview - Eye witness testimony
An eye-witness testimony (EWT) is evidence given by someone who has witnessed a crime. As such the expectation of reliability is high and juries are often content to believe such a testimony.
However, it can be affected by the witnesses’ level of anxiety or stress.
Forensics
The police are accompanied by a range of forensic experts to help in investigations. The police discuss actions and usefulness of various forms of evidence with experts.
There is limited access to a crime scene and protective clothing is required to be worn to avoid contamination. The police recover evidence scientifically, which is then considered by a range of experts in many different fields, such as DNA.
Profiling techniques
Offender profiling is grounded in the belief that it is possible to work out the characteristics of an offender by examining the characteristics of their offences. Geographical profiling (bottom-up approach) uses information to provide suggestions about potential offenders and relies on data and statistics in order to find patterns in crime. Investigative psychology is an approach that does not focus on why the offender commits the crime but instead it infers the characteristics of the offender from the known actions taken by them during the crime. Typological profiling (top-down approach) produces a profile of a suspect, often using intuition and is used to narrow down potential leads.
DNA or Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA or Deoxyribonucleic acid – The chemical that carries genetic information and is contained in chromosomes found in the nucleus of most cells. Sometimes called our genetic code as it determines all our characteristics.
Suveillance
Surveillance - Keeping a close watch over something or someone.
Gegraphical profiling
Geographical profiling – Considers patterns revealed in the location and timing of offences to make judgements about where the offender lives.
Investigative psychology
Investigative psychology – A profiling technique based in psychological theory and research to provide support for suspect identification and crime linking to evidence.
Typological profiling
Typological profiling – Considers characteristics of the offender by analysing the crime scene and crimes.
Covert surveillance
Covert surveillance – Undercover or not obvious monitoring.
Barnum effect
Barnum effect – When individuals give high accuracy ratings to descriptions of themselves. However, in fact, the descriptions are in fact vague and very general, capable of applying to a wide range of people.
Entomology
Entomology – The scientific study of insects.
