NCJ Number
47548
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1978) Pages: 157-167
Date Published
1978
Length
11 pages
Annotation
A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE COLLECTION AND PROCESSING EFFORTS OF SIX POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO SEE IF THERE IS A CORRELATION BETWEEN EVIDENCE RETRIEVED AND SUSPECTS IDENTIFIED IS DESCRIBED.
Abstract
DEPARTMENTS STUDIED WERE LONG BEACH, BERKELEY, LOS ANGELES, AND RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA; WASHINGTON, D.C.; AND MIAMI, FLORIDA. EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS USED ONE OF THREE EVIDENCE COLLECTION PROCEDURES. THE RESPONDING PATROL OFFICER MAY HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF REQUESTING AN EVIDENCE COLLECTION TECHNICIAN AT THE CRIME SCENE; OR THE EVIDENCE TECHNICIAN MAY CRUISE THE AREA IN A MOBILE EVIDENCE VAN AND BE CALLED TO THE SCENE BY THE DISPATCHER; OR THE INVESTIGATOR MAY REQUEST THAT A SPECIFIC SITE BE SEARCHED, AND THIS REQUEST IS SENT TO THE EVIDENCE TECHNICIAN UNIT, WHERE IT IS HANDLED IN TURN. IN BERKELEY AND LOS ANGELES, PATROL OFFICERS ARE EQUIPPED TO LIFT LATENT FINGERPRINTS, AND THEY CALL THE EVIDENCE UNIT ONLY FOR MORE COMPLEX CRIMES. IN LONG BEACH, DEPARTMENT POLICY REQUIRES NOTIFICATION OF A TECHNICIAN FOR ALL SERIOUS CRIMES AND SPECIFIED TYPES OF BURGLARIES. RICHMOND AND WASHINGTON DEPARTMENTS DISPATCH EVIDENCE TECHNICIANS IN MUCH THE SAME WAY PATROL CARS ARE DISPATCHED. IN MIAMI, THE CRIME SCENE SEARCH OFFICERS, WHO USUALLY HAVE A 1-TO 2-DAY BACKLOG, COLLECT THEIR SLIPS AND MAKE THEIR ROUNDS. A SAMPLE OF CLEARED AND UNCLEARED CASES FROM EACH CITY INDICATES THAT IN RICHMOND, WHERE TECHNICIANS ARE DISPATCHED TO NEARLY 90 PERCENT OF ALL CRIME SCENES AND SUCCESSFULLY LIFT FINGERPRINTS FROM 70 PERCENT, THE SUSPECT IDENTIFICATION RATE IS ABOUT THE SAME AS FOR LONG BEACH AND BERKELEY, WHERE PRINTS ARE LIFTED LESS FREQUENTLY. THIS MAY BE DUE TO A LACK OF ADEQUATE PROCESSING FACILITIES. SOME DEPARTMENTS HAVE INSUFFICIENT MANPOWER TO SEARCH THE FINGERPRINT FILES, EVEN IF READABLE PRINTS ARE OBTAINED. FIGURES REGARDING PRODUCTIVITY OF THE VARIOUS FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION SECTIONS ARE PROVIDED. COSTS IN TIME AND MONEY PER SUCCESSFUL IDENTIFICATION RANGES FROM 140 HOURS AND $875 IN WASHINGTON TO 5.2 HOURS AND $32 IN RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA. THE RICHMOND DEPARTMENT ATTRIBUTES ITS HIGH PRODUCTIVITY TO THE FACT THAT TECHNICIANS SEARCH THE CRIME SCENE ALONG WITH THE INVESTIGATORS. OFTEN STATEMENTS MADE BY A SUSPECT OR THE VICTIM LEAD TO LOCATIONS OF POSSIBLE PRINTS, AND IN ADDITION, THE TECHNICIAN CAN BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE PRINTS OF MANY REPEAT OFFENDERS. OFTENTIMES WHEN A TECHNICIAN LIFTS A PRINT AT THE CRIME SCENE, HE CAN IDENTIFY IT WITHOUT CONSULTING THE FILES. COMPARISONS ARE MADE OF DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES, WHICH SHOW THAT NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF PERSONNEL ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FINGERPRINTS NOR WHAT TYPE OF ORGANIZATION IS USED, ONLY 4 TO 9 PERCENT OF ALL LATENT PRINTS ARE EVENTUALLY MATCHED WITH A SUSPECT'S INKED PRINTS. (GL)