Criminal Investigation Is The Process Of Discovering Criminology Essay

Criminal investigation Is The Process Of Discovering Criminology auditionA Criminal Investigation is the process of discovering, stash awaying, preparing, identifying and presenting demonstration to determine what happened and who is responsible. It is a reconstructive process that wonts deductive reasoning, a logical process in which a conclusion fol blues from specific concomitants. From specific pieces of show, investigators establish proof that a shadowed is blameworthy of an offence. (Hess Orthmann, 2010)In this assignment Im going to provide a clear understanding of an appropriate investigatory approach toward theft construct residence.Theft form residence in other countries is also cognize as a Burglary. This kind of aversion is considered to be 1 of the near important offensive activitys worldwide, since it is also one of the most viridity forms of criminal behaviour. The comment of raidery is defined by each states criminal code and it various from one code to another, although some commonalities exists and be gener all in ally reflected in the elements of the offensive. Burglary is committed when a person, knowingly breaks, or remains, in a building or anatomical structure dieing to anther for the purpose of committing a crime in that locationin. Burglary is referred as a crime a collectst the d come uping that is violated and there is no need of direct strength towards any occupants.The public regards theft as a major crime problem since for many persons it is a traumatic flatt when they realize that some proboscis unknown to them has invaded their privacy of their ho designs and in-person belongings and stolen their possessions. Burglars ar most lots to choose suitable targets like elderly persons, women who live alone. Perpetrators often unclothe rooms to look for valuables and practise it difficult for victims to establish what is missing. Their targets atomic number 18 cash, televisions, computers, radios, jeweller y, guns, tools and some(prenominal) household goods that either they use for their personal needs or to move them. Theft from residence occurs mostly when most persons be away from their residence. genuinely often burglars main victims ar those people that uses the same r come onine day time to day and so that legitimate time is more(prenominal)(prenominal) susceptible to burglary callable to the routine absence of residents like going work, shopping, mass etc.Burglars are either to be amateurs or long time professionals. The amateurs are ordinarily to be unskilled and they take up by trial and error. They easily make mistakes and regulartually are caught by the patrol, although once convicted they gain experience and learn from the trade ones. More experiences burglars are more trained, they may consider more lookouts who are in communication through mobile or even radios and often a getaway vehicle is used and usually adjacent to the burglary site. Most burglars m otives are drug related and monetary.Approaching on the stroke of crimeInvestigation initiates from that moment that the police receives the phone call. Reports contribute be received by the victim itself, neighbour or anyone else that may fall in noticed or suspected any distinct movements or noises. maven should be genuinely cautiously due to the situation that the crime could have occurred any time and perpetrators could still be inside premises or nearby. Investigators should be on the alert for any persons fleeing the area, suspicious or well known persons that are known by the police and suspicious vehicles. The first-class honours degree officer to respond a burglary call is usually the patrol de pop outment officer. Officers should first determine whether a crime is currently in progress. When a crime is still being carried out, officer must(prenominal) call for more dish up in order to prevent the escape of the suspect/s. On the way to the shaft of crime officer should approach the burglary location without good role model emergency lights or siren. After arriving one atomic number 50 observe certain reliable indicators that a burglary has been or still being for example yield doors, windows.The first at rangeant officer should immediate preserve the crime shot, in order to maximise forensic opportunities due to the fact that there is some amount of time before the evidence will be contaminated. The crime scene should be secured and the victims are to be escorted to an area not part of the investigation and it is to be made sure that victims dont touch anything.The Preliminary InvestigationPreliminary investigation is of utmost importance, although some investigators tend to simply slue the necessary steps of a preliminary investigation due to the fact that theft from residence are seen as being high-time investment for low results awards. The preliminary investigation should start by obtaining information about the face of struct ure which has been burglarized. It has to be established the time, date, the whereabouts of the owner, points and methods of portal and exit, however it is important to definitive who the occupant of the residence burglared is and where they were at the time of the offence, the time they left hand the residence, if all doors and windows were properly locked and if any visitors have been recently been there.Burglar backside gain access by forced open a door or a window by manner of tools, by break out or uprise a small pain of frosting in order to unlock a door from the inside. It is important to discover what geek of tool was used and how the perpetrator had gained entrance. When no signs of forced entry are appoint it may indicate that burglar entered through an open or unlocked door or might possess the key of the residence. The conterminous step for an investigator to carry out the preliminary investigation is to search, collect and preserve evidence. Great care must be taken when meddlesome for evidence. The point of entry is usually the area which has the most evidence. When walking nigh the scene one must use extreme caution. Search must start from near where the perpetrator entered. wizard must locate where items were upturned or removed. After the search, it has to be determinate the type and amount of passing with complete description. An important step in the preliminary investigation is the Modus Operandi. The identifications of a unique modus operandi are essential in investigating burglary due to the fact that most burglars commit a series of burglars using the same patterns. One should look for the time of day, location, type of methods used to gain entrance, type of vandalism, things stolen for example cash only or jewellery and any particularities of the offence. Such patterns can tie and lead several burglaries to one suspect. Preliminary investigations also complicate interview the victim, and any witness available, enquiring wi th neighbourhood for witnesses and the identifications of CCTV cameras. A sketch of the scene of crime and a list of property stolen could also help toward the investigation.Witnesses roughly might think that when it comes to deal with the crime of burglaries, there are hardly a(prenominal) witnesses but in actually there might be more than one believes. Police tend to miss and to try to locate witnesses. Witnesses are very important in the process of solving crimes and they have very often been the key persons in such situations. Eyewitness are those who can provide a detailed account of the circumstances which otherwise would be lost and weaken the evidence. One also has to bear in headway that there may be instances where their evidence could also be unreliable.Although the deposition given by eyewitnesses has often been criticised it has always been given weight by Judges and Juries in a court of law. When a burglar is committed, police should investigate immediate the area a nd look out for a possible witness that can identified or can develop a description of a suspect.Physical EvidenceDomestic burglary scenes are visited by SOCO in order to maximise forensic opportunities. When searching for material evidence at a burglary scene it will also require the help of the victim who can easily identify what has been moved and what items does not belong to the owner. Forensic recovery includes the photographing of the crime scene and the discovery of strong-arm evidence that may include finger sets, footprints inside and outside the house for example downstairs windows, fibers, hair, tire prints, tool marks, tools, and broken glass and paint chips and even personal items such as discarded cigarette butts. Often times burglars tend to drink and eat whatever is at hand in the kitchen of the burgled home and therefore they also leave traces of DNA on a nursing bottle or cup.As stated by Mairs (1930), reproduces are considered to be faultless and valuable m arks in the process of identifying a human body due to the fact that the patterns and characteristics of the fingerprint are unique. They are the most common form of evidence that can be fix in a scene of crime. Trace evidence can establish a nexus between the perpetrator and the scene of crime. The Automated Fingerprint Identification clay (AFIS) is a great advance in scientific criminal investigation and it is possible to search criminal record for a single potential print. A latent fingerprint is the type of fingerprint that most of the time is set in burglary, which gives a positive clue to the offenders identification and strong belief (Horhan, 1991). The classification of fingerprints is important because these are filed and can be retrieved by the investigators when there is need to make identifications (Cunliffe et al. 1980).A matter where it is distinctly shown the importance of fingerprint was held in America State v Connors. The experts produced photographs at cou rt exhibit fingerprints of a perpetrator upon a balcony of a residence that has been burgled and in summing up the experts testified that same fingerprints found at the crime scene matched those of the perpetrator. The accused has been found guilty of committing the burglar (Horgan, 1991).Fingerprints are not always enough to meet evidence in certain criminal cases. A marked example of this is the case of Il-Pulizija (Spettur Keith Arnaud) vs Victor Degabriele. Mr Degabriele was accused of theft from residence of Mr Nazzareno Mercieca from Xghajra. Although a fingerprint elevated from a box that had contained a watch which has been one of the stolen items had matched with the left hand thumb of the accused, the court decided that due to the principle of in dubbio pro reo the court is of the opinion that the legal prosecution had not met the required evidence requested by law.It was decided that Victor Degabriele was not guilty of charges issued.Shoes and clothe marks are also co mmon somatogenic evidence that can be found in a scene of crime. If collected, properly analyzed and recorded can yield to important investigative data. Shoe footprint can provide unique wear patterns that can be compared with a suspects shoes. Shoe print can indicate whether the suspect was running, walking or even if it was carrying something heavy, if it was familiar with the area or unsure of the terrain. The pattern, size, personal characteristics and coincidental characteristics can make a shoe mark unique.LeMay (2006, p.42) stated that dust impression can be made when a person with dust on their shoes walks on a surface, thereby transferring the dust from their shoes to the surface they step on. Shoe marks are to be photographed and latent fingerprint lifters are used to lift shoe impressions from smooth surface.In a Maltese case, Il-pulizija (Insp. James Grech Insp Fabian Fleri) vs Silvio (Saviour) Pace, in which case, Silvio has been found guilty of burglarise two differ ent residences in different time and dates. Investigators sustained their case with the help of shoe marks which were found in both burglarise homes and after a search in his residence the shoe was found and it resulted that such shoe marks belongs to the accused. In fact Silvio Pace had admitted the charges and he was send to prison for 32 months.another(prenominal) possible evidence that can be found in burglarise offence are tyre marks which can be fit(p) around the burglary scene. Tyre marks can show the approximate speed, armorial bearing and even the manufacturer and year the tyres were made.Tools and Tools marks The most common means used to gain entrance in a residence is the use of tools. Common tools that are used in a burglary are screwdrivers, glass cutter, vice grips, pry bars, picks and augers. Tools and Tools marks are important items of evidence. Most burgles use the same tool over and over again to gain entry in residence and this will lead to leave behind charact eristics band marks that can connect one burglar to another. Locards principle of diversify every contact leaves a trace came in force when tools are used to force open a door or a window by means of tools.When a burglary occurs and in the process the burglar smashes a window pane, unknowing, this has attracted physical evidence upon oneself. Traces or fragments of chipped glass or paint stick to clothing and shoe soles. These constitute importance physical evidence. When forensic experts collect this evidence on the crime scene and this is confronted to traces found on the suspect it would therefore be confirmed that the suspect had been on the crime scene.In certain residences one can found estimables to cherish their valuables. Burglars can either carried away or demolished safes. Safes have safe insulation which can also leave traces and fragments on clothing, shoes and even on tools the offender used. These fragments are very often even deposited in the vehicles that have bee n used for the crime. These can also be detected and matched. some other evidence that is becoming important in burglaries is the DNA. When a burglar gets cut while breaking into a structure, trace of blood can be elevated and therefore can be analyzed for DNA.A burglary investigation involves several stages like investigating the scene of the crime, collecting and preserving and available physical evidence, interviewing potential witnesses, using informants, examining records, tracing property and identifying suspects. A successful case will depend frequently on the investigators ability to handle clearly unrelated pieces of information in an analytical way. As stated by Clarke (1992) and Forrester et al. (1988) in order to deter the burglar, there should be more telling policing and enhanced situational prevention.