Goal #2 Objective D


Objective D:
Without the use of the course text or class notes, the student will identify how people can be a source of information.
People are a great source of investigative information.

People can give both first hand (eyewitness) information and secondhand information (background, overheard remarks, rumors, etc.).

The investigator has the responsibility to identify those who can provide information relative to the criminal investigation.

Categories of Persons Who May Provide Information of Investigative Value

suspect -
An adult or juvenile considered by a criminal justice agency to be one who may have committed a specific criminal offense, but who has not been arrested or charged.
Schmalleger, F.(1995)Criminal Justice Today, 3rd Ed, Prentice Hall:Englewood Cliffs, NJ

The proper identification of any suspect includes a proper analysis of many investigative factors.

Investigative Suspect Analysis
motive -
Something (as a need or desire) that causes a person to act.
Webster's New College Dictionary(1979)G & C Merriam CO:Sprinfield, MA

Motive can sometime help link a suspect to a crime. Osterburg divides crime motives into two classes

Methods of Identifying Persons With Motive

When multiple persons have motive, then this number can be reduced by identifying who had the opportunity of time, place and ability.

The question of motive should be considered in every investigation, even when it does not benefit the case, because it is a crucial point many defense attorneys target and juries tend to be convinced of guilt easier when motive can be shown.

modus operandi (MO) - An offender's pattern or method of operation.

To increase their sense of security, criminals tend to develop unique and identifiable habits and techniques which they use in the commission of crimes.

These operational characteristics will be repeated consistently throughout their criminal career.

Characteristics of MO

Most investigative operations have Modus Operandi Files to catalogue MOs for future investigative lead information. The file may be a card file or automated in a computer database.

psychological profiling -
An assessment by a psychiatrist or psychologist to recognize and interpret visible evidence at a crime scene as indicative of the personality type of the perpetrator.

This is used with some high profile cases, where there is no identified suspect and there is little investigative lead activity.

The FBI has been the biggest investor in this use of behavioral science research.

The FBI used to provide training to state and local agencies for investigators to attend for development and certification. In the mid 1990s, the FBI discontinued this practice and dramatically scaled back their operations in the Behavioral Science Unit.

Since psychology is not an exact science, it is obvious that psychological profiling is not an exact science either. Therefore, it cannot be viewed as a replacement for sound investigative practice.

This is illustrated by cases where multiple profiles have produced contradictory information. This happened in the FBI investigation of the UNIBOMER.

One profile said the bomber was likely a frustrate blue collar factory worker with limited intelligence. Another (the one the FBI discarded) said the UNIBOMER was extremely intelligent, possibly borderline genius. He was possibly a former college professor and was a loner.

What the profile attempts to do is answer the question, "Who would do a thing like this?"

Osterburg gives a list of common profile information on page 151.

confession or admission -
At any point during an investigation, the investigator may be confronted with a suspect who wants to confess or makes a spontaneous admission to officers, particularly when they are first arriving at the scene of a violent crime and they are attempting to find out what is happening.

The second category of persons who may provide information of investigative value are "victims."

victim -
A person who has suffered death, physical or mental anguish, or loss of property as a result of an actual or attempted criminal offense committed by another person.
Schmalleger, F.(1995)Criminal Justice Today, 3rd Ed, Prentice Hall:Englewood Cliffs, NJ

A victim may also a witness in cases where the victim is present at the time the crime is committed.

The victim may also be able to identify the suspect by name and/or speculate on a possible motive.

The discussion about witnesses will be applicable to victims.

Witness -
A person who has knowledge by seeing, hearing, otherwise observing, or has expert knowledge of the circumstances of a case.
Schmalleger, F.(1995)Criminal Justice Today, 3rd Ed, Prentice Hall:Englewood Cliffs, NJ

While visual observation is the most frequently the source of witness information, the other senses (hearing, smell, touch and taste).

The questions the investigator must always ask with every witness are
Witnesses who have observed the suspect should be asked to describe the suspect to a police artist or to someone certified in the use of an Identi-Kit or computer imaging software.

3 Methods of Collect Description information
Description of Vehicles and Weapons are contained on pages 155 and 156.

Persons acquainted with the suspect -
These people serve as a resource of information about a suspect's lifestyle, habits, and ways of life.

They also may maintain contact with a suspect who is being actively sought, but is avoiding capture. This provides opportunity to establish a surveillance to capture the suspect.

Informant -
An individual who discloses information to an investigator.

We will discuss informants in Goal #3.

Other investigative aspects where people can be a source of information include

Osterburg goes into some detail on these and other practices in pages 157 to 167.


Continue to Goal #2 - Objective E.
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