Investigating crimes requires Investigators to thoroughly inspect the crime scene for evidence, meticulously collect evidence, develop investigative leads, interview witnesses, document all the facts of the case, and more. Many crimes are never solved because there is insufficient evidence to connect a person with the crime. There are times when the suspect is known to law enforcement but there is not enough evidence to charge them with a crime.
The evidence needed to solve a case many has tiny as a piece of DNA or as large as a vehicle used in a crime. Investigators must keep an open mind and not rush to judgement. Also, paying attention to the small details can be very important. During investigations a small non-obtrusive object may be a crucial piece of evidence and/or a person may make a minor contradictory statement at an interview. The investigator must follow up on this leads to help solve the case.
Students will investigate the crime they described in Essay #2. The essay will detail how a proper investigation should be completed including processing the scene, collecting evidence, reviewing surveillance cameras, fingerprint/DNA analysis, interviews, etc. Keep in mind, your investigation must be realistic.
You are now the investigator assigned to handle the perfect crime contained in essay 2. Detail evidence you would seek at the crime scene and throughout the case. Explain how you would solve the case. Ensure you provide evidence for each of the elements of the crime and be realistic. Essay will be 200 – 500 words in length using 12 font and in proper paragraph format.
Start your essay describing when you responded to the scene, observations upon arrival, and your ensuing investigation.
*All students must include what their investigation would reveal during the initial crime scene processing, locating possible witnesses, and evidence lab results. *All cases involving a murder must detail how you determined time of death.
You should use the textbook as a reference to determine what types of evidence and investigative steps you should be utilizing.
Your essay must detail a thorough investigation along with evidence collection, scene processing, witness interviewing, lab results, etc.
Must be discussed in your essay:
- Processing the crime scene
a. Include exactly how you processed the crime scene
b. What evidence were you looking for and what did you collect
- Interviews
a. Who did you interview
b. What type of information were you trying to obtain
- Other evidence
a. What other evidence, outside the original crime scene, would you look for
b. What legal means would you utilize to be collect the evidence
- Determine and state exactly what crime occurred
- Summarize evidence proving the suspect committed the crime
Helpful questions to address in your essay:
- What evidence did you collect? What did the evidence indicate to you regarding how the crime was committed and who committed the crime?
- Did you interview anyone? If so, explain their vantage point to see what happened and state if they had a motive to lie.
- What evidence do you have to prove the suspect committed the crime?
- What investigative strategy did you utilize? Especially important within the first 48 hours of the crime being discovered.
- Discuss what information and evidence you can obtain from victim.