Criminal Investigation: Informant Development and Utilization

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary objective of informant development and utilization in law enforcement?

To gather physical evidence

To negotiate with suspects

To intimidate witnesses

To gather accurate information for successful investigations (correct)

What is the main difference between informants, victims, and witnesses?

Their level of involvement in the crime

Their motives for cooperating with law enforcement (correct)

Their relationship with the investigator

Their mode of operation

According to the maxim, what is an investigator only as good as?

Their information (correct)

Their training

Their equipment

Their experience

What is the primary benefit of informant cooperation in a community?

Effective law enforcement Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of understanding informant motives?

To control their cooperation Signup and view all the answers

What is the total time allocated for the informant use lesson plan?

1 hour Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of using informants in law enforcement?

To gather information and solve crimes Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for an informant who provides confidential information but wants to remain anonymous?

Confidential Informant Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a motive for an informant to cooperate with an investigation?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What is the most common use of informants according to the text?

To make controlled buys of illegal items Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for an informant who wants to right a past wrong?

Repentance Motive Signup and view all the answers

How many arrests were made possible by a single informant in the San Francisco area?

2,000 Signup and view all the answers

What is the total value of money and property recovered due to informants, according to the FBI?

$50 million Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for an informant who is motivated by a desire for personal gain?

Remuneration Motive Signup and view all the answers

Which group of people were defendants in a famous trial that relied on informants?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of a successful investigator when working with informants?

Ability to build trust Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason informants are used in law enforcement?

To obtain information that would otherwise be difficult to obtain Signup and view all the answers

In what scenario would an informant be used to enter upon public or private premises?

To purchase controlled substances Signup and view all the answers

What is one way to avoid entrapment when working with an informant?

By carefully controlling the informant by the police officer Signup and view all the answers

What should be done with each transaction and incident involving an informant?

Document each transaction and each incident in which the informant actions are proven correct Signup and view all the answers

Why should an officer have an intelligent, objective and professional outlook and attitude toward informants?

To always be fair and not make promises you cannot keep Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of an informant identification system?

To protect the informant's identity Signup and view all the answers

Why should an officer follow their department's procedures when working with informants?

To protect themselves from liability Signup and view all the answers

What can be a challenge when working with informants?

They can be time consuming and 'high maintenance' for the officer Signup and view all the answers

Why should an officer evaluate each person they encounter as a potential informant?

To consider their motives and interests Signup and view all the answers

What should an officer avoid when working with an informant?

Obtaining or becoming involved in any type of professional activity from the informant Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Importance of Informants in Law Enforcement

Informants are crucial in law enforcement as they provide valuable information to investigators.
The cooperation of individuals who can furnish accurate information to law enforcement agencies is indispensable to effective law enforcement in a community.

Types of Informants

There are two categories of informants:
- Informant: Gives the investigator information and may do so openly or offer to stand as a witness, or ask to remain anonymous.
- Confidential Informant: Provides confidential information concerning past or projected crimes but does not want to be known as the source of the information.

Motives of Informants

Informants' motives can determine the value and/or reliability of the information.
Common motives include:
- Vanity: Wants attention
- Civic Mindedness: Public-spirited committee member who wants to see justice done
- Fear: Person is under the illusion of oppression or impending danger
- Repentance: Wants to right a wrong to clear their conscience
- Avoidance of Punishment: Seeks to avoid punishment for another crime
- Gratitude or Gain: Wants to express gratitude or obtain a privilege
- Competition: Wants to eliminate competition
- Revenge: Wants to settle a grudge
- Jealousy: Wants to ruin someone
- Remuneration: Informs for money

Uses of Informants

Four major uses of informants:
- To make controlled buys of illegal items
- To acquire information to establish probable cause and a search warrant
- To provide officer entry into an illegal operation
- To obtain information that would otherwise be difficult to obtain

Guidelines for Officer-Informant Relationship

Develop your own informants by evaluating each person you encounter.
Consider persons working jobs with specific vantage points (e.g., bartenders, cabbies, waiters, janitors, mail carriers).
Take precautions to avoid entrapment or the appearance of entrapment.
Document each transaction and incident where the informant's actions are proven correct.
Have an intelligent, objective, and professional outlook and attitude toward informants.
Use an informant identification system with a numbering system to protect the informant's identity.

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Description

Learn about the importance of informant development and utilization in law enforcement, including the characteristics and uses of different types of informants. Identify the role of informants in criminal investigations and their classification.