Criminal Case Management

Investigative Efforts and Case Management

• Prioritizing investigative efforts ensures that cases with the highest solvability factors are investigated first.
• The primary detective is responsible for ensuring all facets of the case are investigated and documented.

Case Management System

• Investigative units use P1 for management of their cases.

DNA Profiling

• The FBI manages the National DNA Index System (NDIS), which contains all DNA profiles uploaded by participating states.
• The Report of Examination/CODIS Hit Notification (Laboratory Report) informs investigators of DNA matches.

Ballistic Investigation

• The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) allows images of cartridge cases to be entered and searched against stored images from crime scenes and confiscated firearms.

Case Coordination and Closure

• The assigned detective is responsible for coordinating with the investigative unit to ensure that all work is properly updated in the case notes.
• The detective is responsible for verifying that all cases in the assigned queue are either properly closed out or transferred to another detective before they leave.
• Disputes arising from case transfers are handled by the supervisor.
• Thorough follow-up in a criminal investigation is confirmed by the supervisor.

Victim Support and Suspect Identification

• The department's victim advocates or Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) volunteers are utilized to provide support to victims.
• Databases such as NIBIN, CODIS, and AFIS should be utilized to identify, interview, or apprehend a suspect.

Social Media Monitoring and Case Review

• Reviewing and actively monitoring social media or social networking sites is used to identify potential leads and suspects.
• Cases marked as "cleared by exception" are those that have been closed due to exhausted leads.

Case Documentation and Filing

• Supplemental reports are completed to document additional information or investigative actions.
• Juvenile case files should be kept in a secure location.
• Original documents in a case file should be preserved and maintained.
• The Forensic Science Unit is responsible for the forensic analysis of crime scene samples, buccal swabs, cartridge cases, confiscated guns, and latent fingerprints.

Forensic Analysis

• The Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) is used to identify latent fingerprints.
• Buccal refers to a cheek swab used to collect DNA samples.
• The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) is used to identify DNA matches.

Case Notes and Requirements

• Detectives are not responsible for documenting case notes in real-time.
• Case notes should include all relevant information, investigative actions, and results to ensure a comprehensive report.
• A case does not need to be reviewed by a supervisor prior to closure.