UNIT 3 ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 1.1 - EVALUATE THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ROLES OF PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS (10MARKS)
POLICE OFFICERS/DETECTIVES - Investigate the crime
WHO? Police officers are law enforcement officials responsible for
maintaining public order, preventing, and investigating crimes, and
enforcing laws. Additional jobs of a police officer are patrolling designated
areas , responding to 999 calls , , making arrests when necessary , and
give evidence to courts. Also specialize in the force units /sections such as
firearms or CID. Regarding a criminal investigation Police usually attend to
999 calls and arrive first at the crime scene , and then carry on to assist
the investigation. Police also have the role during the investigation to
decide whether the have a strong enough case to go to court by sending
all the evidence gathered to CPS who then make the decision of whether
they should go to court.
POSITVIES? Police play a key role in the investigation of criminal
investigations:
They are the first personnel called to the crime scene and their
initial action is especially important, which can be beneficial to the
criminal investigation ,as they are able to quickly secure the scene ,
helps prevent any contamination of evidence.
Their first job is to preserve life, this is very effective as police are
equipped to provide immediate medical assistance , they can
stabilize victims who may be in a critical condition , this not only
helps save lives but can also lead to more accurate testimonies and
evidence collecting , as victims may be able to provide crucial
information about the incident. they will also secure the crime scene
in an attempt to conserve evidence.
The police service also uses police dogs which are used for general
purposes. They are used to search property and evidence, to search
and track people and to aid their handlers by restraining people.
Police dogs are highly effective in criminal investigations as they
find evidence that humans cannot find such as small droplets of
blood, ensuring no piece of evidence is missed.
NEGATIVES? There are some limitations to police officer's role:
In some cases, such as the Hillsborough disaster, police have been
shown to act inappropriately in criminal investigations, causing or
contributing to disasters themselves as victims were unlawfully
killed. This disaster shows that police acted inappropriately in
criminal investigations, inappropriate actions can cause critical
, evidence to be overlooked or mishandled , resulting in incomplete
and inaccurate investigations
Potential for abuse of power includes excessive use of force, racial
profiling, and corruption this is negative as it can compromise the
criminal investigation. When investigators misuse their power /
authority , this can lead to false arrests , wrongful convictions and
violation of individuals rights. Not only affects individuals involved
but also affects the public trust.
Misconduct which can include, bribery, falsifying evidence,
excessive use of force, and discriminatory practices. An example of
misconduct is sometimes in police interviews with suspects they
sometimes reply with ‘no comment’ or their lawyer says ‘my client
does not need to reply this is negative as it limits the information
available to enforcement law , also it can hinder the ability to gather
evidence , understand the suspects perspective or clarify
circumstances.
CASE STUDY? Stephen Lawrence was a 18 year old man who was
stabbed to death near a bus stop in Eltham , south east London , in April
1993 , in a racist attack by a gang of white youths .Contributing to this
case police made vital errors , when the police officers found Stephen ,
they did not carry out first aid and they did not carry out a search for
Stephens despite being told where the criminals went. Officers did not
conduct house-to-house enquiries as they thought it was too late to wake
people up. They did not check the floorboards when searching the youth's
houses. Where youths have drove past the scene twice laughing and
jeering but the officers did not stop the car for a week. Stephens parents
were also given no information updating the case. The police were racist
and had decided that Stephen was killed due to being up to no good. The
investigation had also been hampered by a corrupt link between police
officers and Clifford Norris, the criminal father of one of the suspects.
EXPERTISE? To become a police officer, having relevant experience can
be beneficial but is not always a strict requirement. However prior
experience in roles is beneficial involving working with the public often
provide comprehensive training programs to equip new recruits with the
necessary skills and knowledge for the job. Require no experience
however experience in a similar field is required.
SALARY/COST? In the Uk salaries vary based on rank and experience :
A new police constable typically starts with £26,000 to £28,000 per
year.
With experience this can rise £40,000 or more.
EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ROLES OF PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS (10MARKS)
POLICE OFFICERS/DETECTIVES - Investigate the crime
WHO? Police officers are law enforcement officials responsible for
maintaining public order, preventing, and investigating crimes, and
enforcing laws. Additional jobs of a police officer are patrolling designated
areas , responding to 999 calls , , making arrests when necessary , and
give evidence to courts. Also specialize in the force units /sections such as
firearms or CID. Regarding a criminal investigation Police usually attend to
999 calls and arrive first at the crime scene , and then carry on to assist
the investigation. Police also have the role during the investigation to
decide whether the have a strong enough case to go to court by sending
all the evidence gathered to CPS who then make the decision of whether
they should go to court.
POSITVIES? Police play a key role in the investigation of criminal
investigations:
They are the first personnel called to the crime scene and their
initial action is especially important, which can be beneficial to the
criminal investigation ,as they are able to quickly secure the scene ,
helps prevent any contamination of evidence.
Their first job is to preserve life, this is very effective as police are
equipped to provide immediate medical assistance , they can
stabilize victims who may be in a critical condition , this not only
helps save lives but can also lead to more accurate testimonies and
evidence collecting , as victims may be able to provide crucial
information about the incident. they will also secure the crime scene
in an attempt to conserve evidence.
The police service also uses police dogs which are used for general
purposes. They are used to search property and evidence, to search
and track people and to aid their handlers by restraining people.
Police dogs are highly effective in criminal investigations as they
find evidence that humans cannot find such as small droplets of
blood, ensuring no piece of evidence is missed.
NEGATIVES? There are some limitations to police officer's role:
In some cases, such as the Hillsborough disaster, police have been
shown to act inappropriately in criminal investigations, causing or
contributing to disasters themselves as victims were unlawfully
killed. This disaster shows that police acted inappropriately in
criminal investigations, inappropriate actions can cause critical
, evidence to be overlooked or mishandled , resulting in incomplete
and inaccurate investigations
Potential for abuse of power includes excessive use of force, racial
profiling, and corruption this is negative as it can compromise the
criminal investigation. When investigators misuse their power /
authority , this can lead to false arrests , wrongful convictions and
violation of individuals rights. Not only affects individuals involved
but also affects the public trust.
Misconduct which can include, bribery, falsifying evidence,
excessive use of force, and discriminatory practices. An example of
misconduct is sometimes in police interviews with suspects they
sometimes reply with ‘no comment’ or their lawyer says ‘my client
does not need to reply this is negative as it limits the information
available to enforcement law , also it can hinder the ability to gather
evidence , understand the suspects perspective or clarify
circumstances.
CASE STUDY? Stephen Lawrence was a 18 year old man who was
stabbed to death near a bus stop in Eltham , south east London , in April
1993 , in a racist attack by a gang of white youths .Contributing to this
case police made vital errors , when the police officers found Stephen ,
they did not carry out first aid and they did not carry out a search for
Stephens despite being told where the criminals went. Officers did not
conduct house-to-house enquiries as they thought it was too late to wake
people up. They did not check the floorboards when searching the youth's
houses. Where youths have drove past the scene twice laughing and
jeering but the officers did not stop the car for a week. Stephens parents
were also given no information updating the case. The police were racist
and had decided that Stephen was killed due to being up to no good. The
investigation had also been hampered by a corrupt link between police
officers and Clifford Norris, the criminal father of one of the suspects.
EXPERTISE? To become a police officer, having relevant experience can
be beneficial but is not always a strict requirement. However prior
experience in roles is beneficial involving working with the public often
provide comprehensive training programs to equip new recruits with the
necessary skills and knowledge for the job. Require no experience
however experience in a similar field is required.
SALARY/COST? In the Uk salaries vary based on rank and experience :
A new police constable typically starts with £26,000 to £28,000 per
year.
With experience this can rise £40,000 or more.
