NCJ Number
219013
Journal
Evidence Technology Magazine Volume: 5 Issue: 3 Dated: May-June 2007 Pages: 36-41
Date Published
May 2007
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article examines the utilization of two factors by evidence teams in the solving of cold-case homicide investigations today: change in relationships and change in technology and the importance of evidence personnel and their role in solving cold-cases.
Abstract
Time which was once considered an enemy in homicide investigations is now a friend to those evidence teams working on unsolved cases. Close relationships are found to change as years pass. Because of maturity, distance from the crowd previously associated with or the result of a religious experience, people with knowledge of murders that occurred years ago may now come forward. In addition, advances in technology today have provided the ability to learn more from physical and biological evidence, such as DNA technology and automated fingerprint identification systems (AFIS). Today, modern cold-case homicide investigations are a team effort. It is a joint undertaking carried out by dedicated investigators, evidence and laboratory personnel, and prosecutors who join forces, as the evidence team, in an attempt to solve cold-cases. Understanding the sequence of cold-case investigative events provides an insight into the role evidence personnel play during the early stages of an investigation and the hurdles they face.