A.C 1.2: Assess usefulness of investigative techniques in criminal investigations
Databases
Databases store information that can help police fight against crime. For
example, the Police National Computer (PNC), who are operated by the
National Policing Improving Agency, whose commander is the Home
Office. This database contains searchable data of arrests, convictions,
police cautions, and driving records of any convicted, suspected criminals,
or protesters. In addition to police agencies across the United Kingdom,
law enforcement agencies use this database. The Police National
Database is a meta-database comprised of 2 billion records of offenders,
suspects and protesters. Meaning the 53 agencies, and 12,000 users in
the UK police force can access the records available. According to
Datalynx.net, the police national database was established in response to
the recommendations made in the Bichard Inquiry, as a result of the 2002
Soham Murders. The report highlighted that the murderer Ian Huntley was
still able to be a caretaker, despite being investigated by police about his
crimes for indecent assault and rape in the 90’s. The inquiry therefore
established that all police forces in the UK can share their data. All the
information gathered from the murders of Hollie Wells and Jessica
Chapman was entered in the HOLMES 2 database. CRIMINT is another
example of a database that was formed by the Metropolitan police in
1994. Its purpose is to hold intelligence on the suspects, offenders and
protesters, it was not established to be a crime recording system.
There are also databases that are international, such as Interpol, which
according to Interpol.int, is an International Criminal Police Organisation. It
includes 194 member countries police forces, whose job is to work
together by sharing and accessing data on crimes and criminals, in order
to make the world safer. This also contains the International Child Sexual
Exploitation database, which contains 2.7 images and videos of child
sexual abuse. It is an investigative tool, which has helped identify 23,564
victims worldwide. An advantage to this investigative technique is that it
allows the exchanging of vital information between countries for Interpol
has 194 members such as Afghanistan, France, Iran and Kuwait. The
disadvantages to having multiple countries exchange data is that different
nations will have different information storage procedures. Another
limitation is that in 2012, the United Kingdom deleted 1.6 million
fingerprints and 1.7 million DNA profiles deleted. So there is also a
possibility that other countries can destroy or protect those records upon
request.
Forensics
Forensics are typically found at crime scenes, where violent or property
crime has occurred, and DNA has been left. When at a crime scene the
police are expected to liaise with other forensic experts to help
progress the investigation and will usually recover evidence with the
use of protective clothing, so that contamination does not occur. DNA
(Deoxyribonucleic Acid), is an individual's biological data, containing all
their genetic information; DNA profiling first developed by Professor
Alec Jeffreys at the University of Leicester in 1985. There has been a
significant advancement in DNA evidence pertaining to criminal
, A.C 1.2: Assess usefulness of investigative techniques in criminal investigations
investigation: Previously, the doctor would confirm death and examine
the body. Colin Pitchfork was the first person to be convicted of rape
and murder using DNA profiling in 1988 after he murdered two young
girls. Also, by using a relative's DNA profile in an investigation, this can
assist the identification of the victim or the defendant, as family
members share similar DNA characteristics – seen in the case of
Colette Aram. Using familial DNA profiling, the offender Paul
Hutchinson was able to be convicted, after his brother had a sample
taken from a driving offence. When a person is requested or
necessitated to give DNA, it is usually uploaded to the UK National DNA
Database (UK DNAD), which was created in 1995 to hold DNA samples
obtained by law enforcement. The biometrics commissioner report
(2017) asserts repeat offenders comprises a significant proportion of
overall offending. In 2017, 66.5% of DNA samples acquired at crime
scenes in England/Wales were paired to subject profiles on the
database.
A strength of forensics is that it has help solve, not only present cases of
murder- but old cases. This is because forensic technology has progressed
extraordinarily. For instance, the case of Norma Richards, whose case was
solved after 28 years. Her killer, Wilbert Dyce was convicted after the
police reviewed the DNA evidence in the case. Another advantage to
forensics that it can also prove innocence, not just guilt. Sean Hodgson
spent 30 years in prison but was freed after new DNA testing established
his innocence. Furthermore, forensics has very high reliability, due to
every person having a unique set of DNA.
A weakness of forensics is that there can be problems with DNA
evidence. Contamination can occur, consequently leading to a
miscarriage of justice. Evident in the case of David Butler, who was
charged with the murder of Anne Marie Foy, because of a partial DNA
match that had been found under Anne’s fingernails. However, David
suffered from a dry skin condition, meaning his skin flaked off easily, so
his DNA transfers easily. As he was dropping off Annie in his taxi, his
DNA had transferred when handling money. Meaning he was innocent.
Another issue of DNA evidence is that to obtain a match at a crime
scene, the DNA of the suspect must be on the UK DNAD. To add, there
have been Human Rights concerns over the storage of DNA. S &
Marper (2008) stated that the ECHR (European Court of Human Rights)
held the blanket on retention of DNA profiles taken from innocent
people posed a disproportionate interference with Article 6 ECHR. The
Protection of Freedom Act 2012 expresses that within 6 months of a
DNA sample being collected, it must be destroyed. It also removes
police authority to retain biometric data of any suspect not convicted of
a crime. Evidence can only be kept in instances where it is required by
the court to be retained for the duration of the legal proceedings.
Surveillance
CCTV is operationalised in criminal investigations to aid in identifying
suspects. An abundance of CCTV cameras are situated in towns or cities,
so most CCTV evidence points to street crime, such as robbery. In the
Databases
Databases store information that can help police fight against crime. For
example, the Police National Computer (PNC), who are operated by the
National Policing Improving Agency, whose commander is the Home
Office. This database contains searchable data of arrests, convictions,
police cautions, and driving records of any convicted, suspected criminals,
or protesters. In addition to police agencies across the United Kingdom,
law enforcement agencies use this database. The Police National
Database is a meta-database comprised of 2 billion records of offenders,
suspects and protesters. Meaning the 53 agencies, and 12,000 users in
the UK police force can access the records available. According to
Datalynx.net, the police national database was established in response to
the recommendations made in the Bichard Inquiry, as a result of the 2002
Soham Murders. The report highlighted that the murderer Ian Huntley was
still able to be a caretaker, despite being investigated by police about his
crimes for indecent assault and rape in the 90’s. The inquiry therefore
established that all police forces in the UK can share their data. All the
information gathered from the murders of Hollie Wells and Jessica
Chapman was entered in the HOLMES 2 database. CRIMINT is another
example of a database that was formed by the Metropolitan police in
1994. Its purpose is to hold intelligence on the suspects, offenders and
protesters, it was not established to be a crime recording system.
There are also databases that are international, such as Interpol, which
according to Interpol.int, is an International Criminal Police Organisation. It
includes 194 member countries police forces, whose job is to work
together by sharing and accessing data on crimes and criminals, in order
to make the world safer. This also contains the International Child Sexual
Exploitation database, which contains 2.7 images and videos of child
sexual abuse. It is an investigative tool, which has helped identify 23,564
victims worldwide. An advantage to this investigative technique is that it
allows the exchanging of vital information between countries for Interpol
has 194 members such as Afghanistan, France, Iran and Kuwait. The
disadvantages to having multiple countries exchange data is that different
nations will have different information storage procedures. Another
limitation is that in 2012, the United Kingdom deleted 1.6 million
fingerprints and 1.7 million DNA profiles deleted. So there is also a
possibility that other countries can destroy or protect those records upon
request.
Forensics
Forensics are typically found at crime scenes, where violent or property
crime has occurred, and DNA has been left. When at a crime scene the
police are expected to liaise with other forensic experts to help
progress the investigation and will usually recover evidence with the
use of protective clothing, so that contamination does not occur. DNA
(Deoxyribonucleic Acid), is an individual's biological data, containing all
their genetic information; DNA profiling first developed by Professor
Alec Jeffreys at the University of Leicester in 1985. There has been a
significant advancement in DNA evidence pertaining to criminal
, A.C 1.2: Assess usefulness of investigative techniques in criminal investigations
investigation: Previously, the doctor would confirm death and examine
the body. Colin Pitchfork was the first person to be convicted of rape
and murder using DNA profiling in 1988 after he murdered two young
girls. Also, by using a relative's DNA profile in an investigation, this can
assist the identification of the victim or the defendant, as family
members share similar DNA characteristics – seen in the case of
Colette Aram. Using familial DNA profiling, the offender Paul
Hutchinson was able to be convicted, after his brother had a sample
taken from a driving offence. When a person is requested or
necessitated to give DNA, it is usually uploaded to the UK National DNA
Database (UK DNAD), which was created in 1995 to hold DNA samples
obtained by law enforcement. The biometrics commissioner report
(2017) asserts repeat offenders comprises a significant proportion of
overall offending. In 2017, 66.5% of DNA samples acquired at crime
scenes in England/Wales were paired to subject profiles on the
database.
A strength of forensics is that it has help solve, not only present cases of
murder- but old cases. This is because forensic technology has progressed
extraordinarily. For instance, the case of Norma Richards, whose case was
solved after 28 years. Her killer, Wilbert Dyce was convicted after the
police reviewed the DNA evidence in the case. Another advantage to
forensics that it can also prove innocence, not just guilt. Sean Hodgson
spent 30 years in prison but was freed after new DNA testing established
his innocence. Furthermore, forensics has very high reliability, due to
every person having a unique set of DNA.
A weakness of forensics is that there can be problems with DNA
evidence. Contamination can occur, consequently leading to a
miscarriage of justice. Evident in the case of David Butler, who was
charged with the murder of Anne Marie Foy, because of a partial DNA
match that had been found under Anne’s fingernails. However, David
suffered from a dry skin condition, meaning his skin flaked off easily, so
his DNA transfers easily. As he was dropping off Annie in his taxi, his
DNA had transferred when handling money. Meaning he was innocent.
Another issue of DNA evidence is that to obtain a match at a crime
scene, the DNA of the suspect must be on the UK DNAD. To add, there
have been Human Rights concerns over the storage of DNA. S &
Marper (2008) stated that the ECHR (European Court of Human Rights)
held the blanket on retention of DNA profiles taken from innocent
people posed a disproportionate interference with Article 6 ECHR. The
Protection of Freedom Act 2012 expresses that within 6 months of a
DNA sample being collected, it must be destroyed. It also removes
police authority to retain biometric data of any suspect not convicted of
a crime. Evidence can only be kept in instances where it is required by
the court to be retained for the duration of the legal proceedings.
Surveillance
CCTV is operationalised in criminal investigations to aid in identifying
suspects. An abundance of CCTV cameras are situated in towns or cities,
so most CCTV evidence points to street crime, such as robbery. In the
