LATEST CRIMINOLOGY: Unit 3 AC1.1 NOTES
Scene of the Crime Officers (SOCOs) STRENGTHS
Benefitted from scientific advances in the field (DNA and AI)
Analysis of the crime scene and the evidence can decrease likelihood of wrongful convictions
Undergo training to ensure they are capable of correctly dealing with materials
Scene of the Crime Officers (SOCOs) WEAKNESSES
Risk of evidence contamination though weather conditions or interference (possible misconduct)
Lengthy process which is time consuming and costly without no guarantee of conviction
Problematic testimonies, inaccuracies or misleading
Malpractice, deliberate or accidental, leading to errors
Scene of the Crime Officers (SOCOs) CASES
Amanda Knox
Exchange student found dead in her flat in Italy, friend Knox suspected of murder.
Contamination of evidence, failures to document evidence, planted evidence to falsely incriminate
Stephen Lawrence
Young boy murdered in a racially motivated attack in London.
Failure to follow up on crucial evidence, loss of evidence and institutional racism
Forensic Scientists STRENGTHS
Deal with specialized areas within the investigation (Computing, Toxicology, Psychology and Dentistry)
Scientific advances (DNA Profiling)
Advanced analysis of evidence (Spectrometry)
Highly accurate, decrease chances of injustices
Forensic Scientists WEAKNESSES
Mistakes can allow injustices (wrongful or failing convictions)
Ethical issues due to the use of DNA as it involved the use of private information
Expensive and time-consuming
DNA requires records and cannot be compared without a suspect
Forensic Scientists CASES
Sarah Payne
Young girl was abducted and murdered by a previously convicted pedophile Roy Whiting
Used fibers from sweatshirt found in van to link to the presence of Sarah there, found threads of school
uniform on Velcro shoes
Police Officers STRENGTHS
Evaluate the effectiveness of investigative personnel
Scene of the Crime Officers (SOCOs) STRENGTHS
Benefitted from scientific advances in the field (DNA and AI)
Analysis of the crime scene and the evidence can decrease likelihood of wrongful convictions
Undergo training to ensure they are capable of correctly dealing with materials
Scene of the Crime Officers (SOCOs) WEAKNESSES
Risk of evidence contamination though weather conditions or interference (possible misconduct)
Lengthy process which is time consuming and costly without no guarantee of conviction
Problematic testimonies, inaccuracies or misleading
Malpractice, deliberate or accidental, leading to errors
Scene of the Crime Officers (SOCOs) CASES
Amanda Knox
Exchange student found dead in her flat in Italy, friend Knox suspected of murder.
Contamination of evidence, failures to document evidence, planted evidence to falsely incriminate
Stephen Lawrence
Young boy murdered in a racially motivated attack in London.
Failure to follow up on crucial evidence, loss of evidence and institutional racism
Forensic Scientists STRENGTHS
Deal with specialized areas within the investigation (Computing, Toxicology, Psychology and Dentistry)
Scientific advances (DNA Profiling)
Advanced analysis of evidence (Spectrometry)
Highly accurate, decrease chances of injustices
Forensic Scientists WEAKNESSES
Mistakes can allow injustices (wrongful or failing convictions)
Ethical issues due to the use of DNA as it involved the use of private information
Expensive and time-consuming
DNA requires records and cannot be compared without a suspect
Forensic Scientists CASES
Sarah Payne
Young girl was abducted and murdered by a previously convicted pedophile Roy Whiting
Used fibers from sweatshirt found in van to link to the presence of Sarah there, found threads of school
uniform on Velcro shoes
Police Officers STRENGTHS
Evaluate the effectiveness of investigative personnel
