CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION

• NCJ Number: 64873
• Author(s): J L DOWLING
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 236 pages
• Corporate Author: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
• Sale Source: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: HBJ CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERIES

Annotation

FOR STUDENTS WITH LITTLE OR NO BACKGROUND IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, AN FBI AGENT DISCUSSES BASIC THEORIES AND TECHNIQUES AND SYSTEMIC STEPS FOR INVESTIGATING AND RESOLVING THE MAJOR CRIMINAL OFFENSES.

Abstract

THE TEXT EXAMINES THE NATURE OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, THE ROLE OF THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR, REASONS FOR INVESTIGATING CRIME, LIMITATIONS ON SOLVING CASES, A BRIEF HISTORY OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, AND INVESTIGATIVE THEORY AND METHODS. METHODS OF PRESERVING INFORMATION ARE DISCUSSED, ESPECIALLY THE IMPORTANCE OF THE OFFICER'S MEMORY, INVESTIGATIVE NOTES, AND PHOTOGRAPHS AND DIAGRAMS. PROCEDURES INVOLVED IN WITNESS INTERVIEWS ARE OUTLINED, AND THE DISCUSSION TOUCHES THE CATEGORIES OF POTENTIAL WITNESSES, BASIC TRAITS FOR WITNESSES AND INTERVIEWERS, THE INTERVIEW FORMAT, PHYSICAL AND PROPERTY DESCRIPTIONS, AND WITNESS EVALUATION. SUSPECT INTERROGATION IS ALSO DESCRIBED; INTERROGATION TACTICS, LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERROGATIONS, AND METHODS OF VERIFYING THE TRUTH DURING THE INTERROGATION (I.E., POLYGRAPH, VOICE STRESS ANALYZER) ARE COVERED. SOURCES OF INFORMATION ARE POINTED OUT. THEY INCLUDE GOVERNMENT, LAW ENFORCEMENT, OR PRIVATE RECORDS; INFORMANTS, AND DIRECT OBSERVATION AND SURVEILLANCE. DISCUSSION ALSO FOCUSES ON THE COLLECTION OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE, THE FUNCTIONS OF INVESTIGATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY, GRAPHIC RECORDING (SKETCHES) OF CRIME SCENES, CASTS AND PRINTS AT THE CRIME SCENE, FIREARMS EVIDENCE, AND LABORATORY SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THE INVESTIGATOR. SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE FOLLOWING MAJOR CRIMES ARE PROVIDED: DEATHS AND ASSAULTS, SEXUAL ASSAULTS, THEFTS, BURGLARIES, AUTO THEFTS, ROBBERIES, ARSON AND EXPLOSIVES, CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE OFFENSES, AND ORGANIZED CRIME. FINALLY, METHODS OF TRACING FUGITIVES AND THE ROLE OF THE INVESTIGATION DURING THE TRIAL ARE DISCUSSED. TABULAR DATA, DIAGRAMS, AND SAMPLE FINGERPRINT PATTERNS ARE INCLUDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN A SAMPLE LETTER FOR SUBMITTING EVIDENCE AND A GUIDE FOR SUBMISSION OF EVIDENCE TO LABORATORIES. (WJR)