Investigations & Identification of Offenders Flashcards
(32 cards)
What are two key tasks of any investigation?
1) gathering & preserving evidence
2) documentation
Appropriate & accountable decision making is based on an investigator’s knowledge of?
- the legal framework
- characteristics of crime
- national policies and procedures
Good decisions are reached by a process of reasoning based on the following sequence?
1) acknowledge of the situation or problem exists
2) Identify, isolate and analyse the problem
3) formulate a clear objective
4) gather all the data and information required to determine the ways in which the aim might be achieved
5) draw up a list, based on the information, of all the possible ways in which the aim might be achieved
6) weigh and study each of these alternatives individually
7) prepare a plan for putting the selected course into action
What are three factors that can effect decision making?
1) Individual bias
2) Verification bias
3) Availability error
What is Individual bias?
When one fails to recognise their inconscious perceptions of people, places or things
What is a Verification bias?
Occurs when the focus is channeled towards decisions supporting a certain point of view, thereby overlooking other line of enquiry
What is Availability error?
Basing decisions on vivid emotionally charged material which not necessarily reflect the scope of material available to make the correct decision. eg: over focussing on the Victims account and overlooking collection of evidence
What are the four steps in the Appreciation Technique?
Aim or Objective
Factors
Courses Open
Plan
Explain the meaning of “Aims \ Objective”?
An aim or objective is a short statement of intent beginning with a verb
Explain the meaning of “Factors”?
A factor is a statement of truth about some known influence or circumstance
Give examples of factors?
the time available possible suspects available witnesses material located to date policy and procedure required know history of parties records that can be tapped the weather at the time
Explain the meaning of “Courses Open”?
Courses open are the options you can identify after having assessed the factors and the deductions made from the factors
Explain the meaning of “Plan”?
Select the most appropriate courses for attention and place the action you can take:
- It is more than likely that it will be effective?
- Is it proportionate? (effort, time, service?
- Is it achievable?
- Will it pass the SELF test?
Critical to an investigative mindset is your ability to exercise. Name four things?
- critical thinking
- decision making
- the application technique
- evaluation
The investigation process is underpinned by four key areas of knowledge, understanding and skills in?
- core legislation
- characteristics of crime
- national policies & procedures
- investigative techniques
What are the stages of criminal investigation?
- instigation
- initial investigation
- investigative evaluation
- further investigation
- suspect management
- evidence evaluation
- further investigation
- charge
- file preparation
- court
What is material?
Material is substance of any kind, including information and objects, sounds and images, obtained in the course of a criminal investigation that has some bearing on an offence under investigation or any person being investigated, or on the surrounding circumstances of the case
Name potential sources from which material is gathered from?
- victims
- witnesses
- suspects
- locations
- CCTV recordings
In practice the most common formats from material are?
- statements
- documents
- reports
- physical exhibits such as weapons, clothing etc
- fingerprints
- images
- audio or video recordings
What are the five principals of the “investigative mindset”?
- Understanding the source of material
- Plan and prepare
- Examine all material
- Record and collate actions taken and to be taken with material
- Evaluation should identify and further action required
What is investigative evaluation?
Undertaken to determine
- what is known
- what is now known
- consistencies
- conflicts
the key differences between investigative and evidential evaluation is that during evaluation ‘all material is evaluated, even if inadmissible.
What is a evidential evaluation?
considers:
- the overall strength of the case
- whether suffcient evidence exists against the offender to proceed to charge
when carrying out an evidential evaluation the strength of the case is evalauted only on admissible evidence
What is self/peer evaluation?
will address:
- review of assumptions and decision making
- records organisation and management
- information communication and dissemination
- lessons learnt
self and peer evaluation is a critical component of the practice of professionals
What is the appreciation technique?
It is a cognitive tool commonly uses by investigators to take a disciplined approach to their decision making
