Detective Skills and Investigation Process

Investigative Process

• A systematic process used by law enforcement to gather, analyze, and interpret evidence to identify suspects and solve crimes.

Qualities of a Detective

• Analytical thinking
• Attention to detail
• Strong observation skills
• Persistence
• Communication abilities
• Critical thinking
• Ethical conduct are crucial for effective detective work.

Preliminary Investigation

• The initial response to a reported crime.
• Involves securing the crime scene, documenting observations, collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses, and determining immediate follow-up needs.

Follow-Up Investigations

• A deeper investigation following the preliminary phase.
• Aims to identify suspects, gather more evidence, analyze reports, and prepare the case for court.

Case Clearance Types

• Closed by Arrest: Suspect is arrested, charged, and the case is resolved.
• Exceptionally Cleared: Case resolved without an arrest due to circumstances like death or inability to extradite the suspect.

Closed by Arrest

• Occurs when a suspect is identified, arrested, charged, and transferred to the court system.

Exceptionally Cleared

• Cases resolved without an arrest under specific circumstances, including the suspect's death or unavailability.

Solvability Factors

• Factors helping determine the likelihood of solving a case, including witnesses, physical evidence, suspect descriptions, and available resources.

Follow-Up Process

• Steps after the preliminary investigation: re-interviewing witnesses, analyzing evidence, pursuing leads, and preparing reports for court proceedings.

Intelligence Files - 4 Types

• Criminal Intelligence: Information on organized crime or ongoing criminal activities.
• Strategic Intelligence: Long-term crime trends and patterns.
• Tactical Intelligence: Immediate, actionable intelligence for specific crimes.
• Operational Intelligence: Information supporting specific investigations or operations.

Internal Resources

• Resources within a law enforcement agency: crime analysts, forensics units, databases, and specialized task forces.

External Resources

• Resources outside the agency: other law enforcement agencies, public records, informants, media, and community partnerships.

Surveillance

• Covert observation of individuals, locations, or activities to gather intelligence or evidence.

Surveillance Types

• Physical Surveillance: Direct visual observation.
• Technical Surveillance: Use of tools like cameras, GPS, or wiretaps.
• Electronic Surveillance: Monitoring communications like phone calls or emails.

Surveillance Objectives

• Aims to obtain evidence, locate suspects/witnesses, prevent crimes, and gather intelligence on criminal activities.

Informants

• Individuals providing confidential information on criminal activities to law enforcement.

Informant Types

• Citizen Informants: Everyday individuals providing tips.
• Criminal Informants: Individuals involved in crime who cooperate for incentives.
• Anonymous Informants: Unknown sources providing anonymous information.

Interviews

• Formal questioning of witnesses, victims, or suspects to gather information.

Interview Requirements - 3 Types

• Voluntary Statements: Information given willingly.
• Miranda-Compliant Statements: Statements given after rights are read.
• Documentation: Proper recording of interviews (transcripts, audio/video).

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)

• Psychological approach focusing on communication patterns, behavior, and language to gain information during interviews.

Kinesics

• Study of body language and nonverbal cues to assess truthfulness or deception.

Cognitive Interview Technique - 4 Parts

• Context Reinstatement: Witness mentally recreates the crime scene.
• Report Everything: Encourage witnesses to report all details.
• Change Perspective: Describe the event from a different viewpoint.
• Reverse Order: Recall events in reverse order to identify inconsistencies.

Witness Types - 3 Types

• Eyewitness: Person directly observing the crime.
• Expert Witness: Qualified professionals offering technical or scientific testimony.
• Character Witness: Person offering details about a suspect's character or behavior.

4 Objectives of Interrogation

• Obtain a confession.
• Discover facts and details of the crime.
• Determine the suspect’s involvement or alibi.
• Develop leads for further investigation.

Miranda v. Arizona

• Landmark Supreme Court case (1966) requiring law enforcement to read rights to suspects before custodial interrogations.

4 Parts of Miranda Warning

• Right to remain silent.
• Anything said can be used against them in court.
• Right to an attorney.
• If they cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided.

Custodial Interrogation

• Questioning after a person is taken into custody, requiring Miranda rights to be read.

In-Custody

• Formal detention or a feeling of not being free to leave.

Eyewitness Identification

• Process where a witness identifies a suspect, often through line-ups or photo arrays.

Photo Line-Up

• Procedure where a witness views photos of individuals, including the suspect, to make an identification.

Blind Administration

• Identification procedure where the officer doesn't know who the suspect is to prevent bias.

Show-Up

• One-on-one identification process where a witness sees a single suspect shortly after the crime.

Investigations

• Overall process of evidence collection, information analysis, and suspect identification to solve crimes.

Follow-Up Investigations

• Steps after initial investigations to deepen evidence collection, analyze findings, and prepare for prosecution.

Interview and Interrogation

• Interviews gather information from witnesses/victims.
• Interrogations question suspects to reveal involvement or guilt.

Eyewitness Identifications

• Procedures like line-ups, photo arrays, or show-ups to confirm or deny suspect involvement using witness recollection.