AC 1.1 Evaluate effectiveness of the roles of personnel
involved in criminal investigations
10 Marks – evaluate 4 personnel involved in criminal investigations with brief explanation of roles.
Use strengths and weaknesses, examples/case studies, cost, availability
What happens after a crime has been reported:
Police arrive on scene
Collection of evidence
CSI (depending on the crime)
Conducting interviews
Canvas the area to look for leads
What are some roles involved in the criminal justice system:
Forensics – looking through evidence to find DNA
Lawyers – using the evidence to build a case
Detectives – piece together the case
Therapists/psychologist – try to get more information being held by victims
Ambulance – in case victim was harmed
Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) – whether to prosecute the offender or not
Police officers and detectives
They are the first personnel called to crime scene
Aims: Protect lives and property while also preventing/detecting/investigating crime
What do police need to do once they get to crime scene:
Look to see if crime is ongoing
Speak to the victim and get a statement
Canvases the surrounding area to see if there’s further evidence
Check if there were any witnesses
Start to build a list of possible suspects
Arrest offender (if they know who)
The golden hour principle - period immediately after the crime has been reported or found
Specialist police officer units:
Traffic
Mounted Police
Air support
Underwater search
Dog handling
Police detectives:
Personnel leading the investigation, they handle the most serious crimes. There are difference
divisions such as firearms, CID, fraud, etc
, Traffic Policing roles
Responsibilities include monitoring the traffic to identify drivers disobeying the law. Issuing tickets
e.g. parking or speeding tickets. They also make sure that cars are ensured and safely allowed to be
driven.
Traffic police was used in the US to catch Ted Bundy. This serial killer was caught through a stop and
search conducted by a police officer. When searching his vehicle they found many suspicious items
which led him to his arrest and conviction.
Dog handling police
These types of officer’s use dogs to conduct searches including drugs or locating missing persons.
There are different types of dogs to be used for different purposes. Some dogs are German
shepherd, bloodhound, Labrador retriever and beagle.
Criminal investigation department
Roles include to investigate criminal cases that may require specialist skills to ensure more complex
or serious crimes. Crimes include murder, fraud, sexual offences.
Special branch
Unit responsible for matters of national security and intelligence in British, Commonwealth, Irish and
other police forces. Crimes include terrorist acts.
Ministry of defence
Defend United Kingdom from threats
Specialist What they do Their main Cases where the
role/department responsibilities expertise has been
used?
Traffic police Monitor drivers to
make sure they aren’t
disobeying the law
Dog handling Use dogs to help
solve/prevent crime
including drugs,
firearms, and missing
persons
Special branch Responsible for
matters of national
security and
intelligence
Criminal investigation Investigate serious
department crimes that require
specialist skills
Ministry of defence Defend United
Kingdom from threats
within the country and
involved in criminal investigations
10 Marks – evaluate 4 personnel involved in criminal investigations with brief explanation of roles.
Use strengths and weaknesses, examples/case studies, cost, availability
What happens after a crime has been reported:
Police arrive on scene
Collection of evidence
CSI (depending on the crime)
Conducting interviews
Canvas the area to look for leads
What are some roles involved in the criminal justice system:
Forensics – looking through evidence to find DNA
Lawyers – using the evidence to build a case
Detectives – piece together the case
Therapists/psychologist – try to get more information being held by victims
Ambulance – in case victim was harmed
Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) – whether to prosecute the offender or not
Police officers and detectives
They are the first personnel called to crime scene
Aims: Protect lives and property while also preventing/detecting/investigating crime
What do police need to do once they get to crime scene:
Look to see if crime is ongoing
Speak to the victim and get a statement
Canvases the surrounding area to see if there’s further evidence
Check if there were any witnesses
Start to build a list of possible suspects
Arrest offender (if they know who)
The golden hour principle - period immediately after the crime has been reported or found
Specialist police officer units:
Traffic
Mounted Police
Air support
Underwater search
Dog handling
Police detectives:
Personnel leading the investigation, they handle the most serious crimes. There are difference
divisions such as firearms, CID, fraud, etc
, Traffic Policing roles
Responsibilities include monitoring the traffic to identify drivers disobeying the law. Issuing tickets
e.g. parking or speeding tickets. They also make sure that cars are ensured and safely allowed to be
driven.
Traffic police was used in the US to catch Ted Bundy. This serial killer was caught through a stop and
search conducted by a police officer. When searching his vehicle they found many suspicious items
which led him to his arrest and conviction.
Dog handling police
These types of officer’s use dogs to conduct searches including drugs or locating missing persons.
There are different types of dogs to be used for different purposes. Some dogs are German
shepherd, bloodhound, Labrador retriever and beagle.
Criminal investigation department
Roles include to investigate criminal cases that may require specialist skills to ensure more complex
or serious crimes. Crimes include murder, fraud, sexual offences.
Special branch
Unit responsible for matters of national security and intelligence in British, Commonwealth, Irish and
other police forces. Crimes include terrorist acts.
Ministry of defence
Defend United Kingdom from threats
Specialist What they do Their main Cases where the
role/department responsibilities expertise has been
used?
Traffic police Monitor drivers to
make sure they aren’t
disobeying the law
Dog handling Use dogs to help
solve/prevent crime
including drugs,
firearms, and missing
persons
Special branch Responsible for
matters of national
security and
intelligence
Criminal investigation Investigate serious
department crimes that require
specialist skills
Ministry of defence Defend United
Kingdom from threats
within the country and
