WJEC Criminology Unit 3 - AC1.1 Evaluate the
effectiveness of the roles of personnel involved in criminal
investigations
Scene of the Crime Officers (SOCOs) STRENGTHS - (answers)>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 - (answers)>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 - (answers)>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 - (answers)>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 - (answers)>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 - (answers)>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 - (answers)>Quick responders to crime and undergo
training to preserve scenes
>Arrest and detain powers
>Effective at investigating as access to different crime units (e.g. Narcotics, Anti-
terrorism)
>Education and degree requirement
effectiveness of the roles of personnel involved in criminal
investigations
Scene of the Crime Officers (SOCOs) STRENGTHS - (answers)>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 - (answers)>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 - (answers)>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 - (answers)>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 - (answers)>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 - (answers)>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 - (answers)>Quick responders to crime and undergo
training to preserve scenes
>Arrest and detain powers
>Effective at investigating as access to different crime units (e.g. Narcotics, Anti-
terrorism)
>Education and degree requirement
