The manner in which criminal investigators are trained is neither uniform nor consistent, ranging from sophisticated training protocols in some departments to on-the-job experience alongside senior investigators in others. Ideal for students taking a first course in the subject as well as professionals in need of a refresher, Introduction to Criminal Investigation uses an accessible format to convey concepts in practical, concrete terms. Topics discussed include: The history of criminal investigation in Western society Qualifications for becoming an investigator, the selection process, and ideal training requirements Crime scene search techniques, including planning and post-search debriefing Preparing effective field notes and investigative reports Interviewing and interrogating Types of evidence found at the crime scene and how to collect, package, and preserve it The contributions of forensic science to criminal investigations and the equipment used in crime labs Investigative protocol for a range of crimes, including property crimes, auto theft, arson, financial crimes, homicide, assault, sex crimes, and robbery Specialized investigations, including drug trafficking, cybercrime, and gang-related crime Legal issues involved in criminal investigations and preparing a case for trial Bringing together contributions from law enforcement personnel, academics, and attorneys, the book combines practical and theoretical elements to provide a comprehensive examination of today‘s criminal investigative process. The accessible manner in which the information is conveyed makes this an ideal text for a wide-ranging audience.

This is a guide to recommended practices for crime scene investigation. The guide is presented in five major sections, with sub-sections as noted: (1) Arriving at the Scene: Initial Response/Prioritization of Efforts (receipt of information, safety procedures, emergency care, secure and control persons at the scene, boundaries, turn over control of the scene and brief investigator/s in charge, document actions and observations); (2) Preliminary Documentation and Evaluation of the Scene (scene assessment, "walk-through" and initial documentation); (3) Processing the Scene (team composition, contamination control, documentation and prioritize, collect, preserve, inventory, package, transport, and submit evidence); (4) Completing and Recording the Crime Scene Investigation (establish debriefing team, perform final survey, document the scene); and (5) Crime Scene Equipment (initial responding officers, investigator/evidence technician, evidence collection kits).

The criminal investigation process in municipal and county police departments was studied by survey, interviews and observations, and special data collection. Investigators spend about 7% of their time on activities that lead to solving crimes. Case solutions reflect activities of patrol officers, members of the public, and routine clerical processing more than investigative techniques. Nearly half of investigators' case-related activities are devoted to post-arrest processing; these activities are inadequately responsive to the needs of prosecutors. Collecting physical evidence at crime scenes does not help solve crimes unless evidence processing capabilities are adequate. Policy implications are discussed. (Author).

Every action performed by a crime scene investigator has an underlying purpose: to both recover evidence and capture scene context. It is imperative that crime scene investigators must understand their mandate—not only as an essential function of their job but because they have the immense responsibility and duty to do so. Practice Crime Scene Processing and Investigation, Third Edition provides the essential tools for what crime scene investigators need to know, what they need to do, and how to do it. As professionals, any investigator’s master is the truth and only the truth. Professional ethics demands an absolute adherence to this mandate. When investigators can effectively seek, collect, and preserve information and evidence from the crime scene to the justice system—doing so without any agenda beyond seeking the truth— not only are they carrying out the essential function and duty of their job, it also increases the likelihood that the ultimate goal of true justice will be served. Richly illustrated—with more than 415 figures, including over 300 color photographs—the Third Edition of this best-seller thoroughly addresses the role of the crime scene investigator in the context of: Understanding the nature of physical evidence, including fingerprint, biological, trace, hair and fiber, impression, and other forms of evidence Assessing the scene, including search considerations and dealing with chemical and bioterror hazards Crime scene photography; scene sketching, mapping, and documentation; and the role of crime scene analysis and reconstruction Bloodstain pattern analysis and discussion of the body as a crime scene Special scene considerations, including fire, buried bodies, and entomological evidence Coverage details the importance of maintaining objectivity, emphasizing that every action the crime scene investigator performs has an underlying purpose: to both recover evidence and capture scene context. Key features: Outlines the responsibilities of the responding officer, from documenting and securing the initial information to providing emergency care Includes three new chapters on light technology and crime scene processing techniques, recovering fingerprints, and castings Addresses emerging technology and new techniques in 3-D Laser scanning procedures in capturing a scene Provides a list of review questions at the end of each chapter Practice Crime Scene Processing and Investigation, Third Edition includes practical, proven methods to be used at any crime scene to ensure that evidence is preserved, admissible in court, and persuasive. Course ancillaries including PowerPoint® lecture slides and a Test Bank are available with qualified course adoption.

Since the 1960s, testimony by representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in thousands of criminal cases has relied on evidence from Compositional Analysis of Bullet Lead (CABL), a forensic technique that compares the elemental composition of bullets found at a crime scene to the elemental composition of bullets found in a suspect's possession. Different from ballistics techniques that compare striations on the barrel of a gun to those on a recovered bullet, CABL is used when no gun is recovered or when bullets are too small or mangled to observe striations. Forensic Analysis: Weighing Bullet Lead Evidence assesses the scientific validity of CABL, finding that the FBI should use a different statistical analysis for the technique and that, given variations in bullet manufacturing processes, expert witnesses should make clear the very limited conclusions that CABL results can support. The report also recommends that the FBI take additional measures to ensure the validity of CABL results, which include improving documentation, publishing details, and improving on training and oversight.

In 1973 the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice awarded a contract to the Rand Corporation to undertake a nationwide, two-year study of the effectiveness of police investigative practices. The criminal investigation process in municipal and county police departments was studied by survey, by interviews and observations, and by special data collection. In October 1975, the Rand Corporation published its findings and proposed reforms in three volumes. The principal finding of the research was that, although the solution or clearance of reported crimes is the primary focus of police investigators, most clearances are arrived at through the activities of patrol officers, members of the public, and routine police procedures, rather than investigative techniques. It was further suggested that solutions for only a very small percentage of crimes, concentrated in a few specific crime types, are generated through the use of what has been traditionally thought of as investigative efforts. Rather, it was asserted that much of this traditional investigative effort is applied to crimes which empirical evidence indicates will never be solved. As a result of this finding, along with others on fingerprint processing, the use of information systems, strike forces, victim satisfaction, and post-arrest investigation thoroughness, the researchers suggested a number of reforms intended to result in more effective and efficient investigation activity. When the study was made public, it sparked a debate in the law enforcement community. A critical analysis of the Rand research, and the researcher's response appeared in the July 1976 issue of the police chief. The critical evaluation purported to demonstrate that the Rand study contains 'procedural errors', has a 'fatally limited' data base, and 'presents conclusions that do not follow from the data presented'. In their response, the Rand researchers, while acknowledging some instances of 'imprecise or misinterpretable wordings', contend that no contradictory evidence has been brought forth that suggests their basic conclusions are erroneous. Because of the importance of the issues involved, the National Institute has compiled its report, which includes the original summary of the criminal investigation study, the critical analysis, the researchers' response, and a revised summary prepared by the researchers.