Everything needed for Year 2 Controlled Assessment/ coursework exam in WJEC criminology. I got 96/100 in mine using these notes, contain all key detail needed and plenty of case studies. Can be used in exam whole or broken up into indivdual units.
Criminology Notes Year 13:
Key Knowledge:RED
Keywords:BLUE
UNIT 3=CRIME SCENE TO COURTROOM
UNIT 1.1:EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ROLES OF
PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS.
Key Personnel in Criminal Investigations:
1.POLICE:
ROLE:Police are the first personnel called to the crime scene whose main
duty it is to preserve evidence and preserve human life,by protecting the
public and attending to those who are injured. They need to make sure the
crime scene is blocked off from the general public and isn’t contaminated
by new people on the scene. They may need to arrest people during the
investigation and present suspects at the scene. Police are also
responsible for collecting all necessary information to give to the
CSI(SOCO) + tasking witness statement. They work during the ‘golden
hour’ of a crime,which is the name given to the period immediately after the
crime is discovered.
EFFECTIVENESS:
● Special units within the police(e.g.CID-Crime Investigation
Department,firearms,drugs,Special Crime and Counter Terrorism
Division,underwater divisions) which specialise in serious crimes and
ensure that crimes are dealt with effectively. All police=given
specialist training to make them more effective in dealing with crime
scenes,for example to reduce the chance of evidence being
contaminated. More comprehensive police force-more effective.
● does not require university degree so accessible + easier to become
especially for young people _ appealing salary of £23,000 for young
people
● Police are easily accessible and available 24 hours a day through
their phone lines (999 for emergencies and 101 for non
emergencies)-a team can respond to a crime scene quickly,which can
increase the chances of catching the perpetrator and keeping the
scene uncontaminated and keeping evidence viable.
, ● EXAMPLE TO SUPPORT:Murder of Leanne Tiernan-
● She disappeared on her way home from a shopping trip in Leeds and
was abducted in 2000. The investigation was led by West Yorkshire
Police and they searched hundreds of properties looking for her. Her
body was found 16 miles from her home. Forensic evidence was
used to show how she had been kept in a freezer,which then linked it
to her murderer John Taylor. Police checked Taylor's DNA during a
review of other unsolved sex attacks in the local area which led to
further charges and links to two more rapes. Faced with the DNA
evidence, Taylor admitted the rapes and was sentenced to two terms
of life imprisonment and was told that early release would not be
allowed-justice=served.
INEFFECTIVENESS:
● Extremely expensive to fund the police service-18 billion budget for
2019/20. Led to budget cuts,meaning there are fewer officers in some
areas-leads to a lower availability of officers able to deal with crimes
The Number of officers in the UK is steadily declining-mean crimes
are not addressed quick enough to gather evidence and effectively
catch those responsible-general public may not feel safe and violent
crimes may increase.
● Budget cuts also mean that there is less specialist training available
for the police which decreases their effectiveness. This means that
there may not be a specialist officer available to deal with a crime
scene in an effective manner. This would be a negative as the police
could lack the forensic knowledge needed to deal with crime scenes
and may contaminate the scene and decrease the viability of the
evidence-may touch things by accident and fail to keep evidence
intact.
● EXAMPLE TO SUPPORT:Lack of expertise,incompetence and
discrimination demonstrated in the Steven Lawrence case. In the
case, a young black teen was stabbed by 5 white teenagers on the
22 April 1993 and the police failed to convict them for this crime at the
time that it happened. The charges were dropped on the original
suspects by the Met. The Macpherson Report was published on the
case which concluded that the Met was institutionally racist,meaning
, they did not perform their jobs appropriately and protect the public or
Lawrence-shows how lack of funding and training of police can lead
to a lack of effectiveness and cause more harm to victims. Two of the
perpetrators were convicted of murder on 21 June 2012.
2.CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATORS(SOCOs):
ROLE:Also known as scene of crime officers(SOCOs). Not police officers
but have specialist training(science degree etc). They are responsible for
collecting evidence from crime scenes and processing it,as well as from
post mortems etc. They have to make sure evidence is uncontaminated(so
it’s admissible) Main activities include:
1. Preserving and protecting crime scenes,taking charge,liaising with
police.
2. Recording crime scenes using photography and video
3. capture fingerprint evidence + other biological evidence like DNA
samples
4. keep written records, produce statements and update information
systems with evidence details to advise police based on evidence
5. Giving evidence in court.
EFFECTIVENESS:
● Able to expertly gather evidence which may link suspects to crime
scenes and victims, Their expertise may be the reason a suspect is
arrested and brought to justice(viability of DNA)
● May also be able to conclusively prove a suspect is innocent-avoid
miscarriages of justice
INEFFECTIVENESS:
● Require specialist skills(e.g. Forensic photography) as well as
patience,care and attention to detail=may mean there is a lack of
qualified professionals who can do the job correctly. Failure of CSI’s
can be detrimental to as contaminated DNA evidence can lead to a
guilty person being freed etc
● Forensic samples may put CSI’s at risk-blood,bodily
fluids,chemicals,explosives etc-may deter people
● Stressful and emotionally demanding work-can lead to people
burning out or quitting the profession=leads to SHORTAGES
, 3.FORENSIC SCIENTIST/SPECIALIST:
ROLE:Involves applying scientific knowledge to crime and the legal system.
They analyse and interpret evidence from crime scenes,such as performing
blood grouping,DNA profiling and analysing fluid and tissue samples for
traces of drugs and poisons. They then conclude their findings in a report
which can be used to give impartial, scientific evidence in court.
EFFECTIVENESS:
● Provide specialist expertise that may be able to identify evidence in a
way that no other personnel can-help to prove if a suspect was likely
to be the perpetrator or if they were innocent.
● Expertise may be of paramount importance for complex cases with
little DNA or other evidence,like when the criminal also has specialist
understanding of how to get away with their crimes.
INEFFECTIVENESS:
● Need high levels of qualifications and their services and very
expensive-may not be readily available.
● Contamination can occur through scientist fault
● Forensic scientists may disagree-experts may contradict when being
called by either the defence or the prosecution-courts may be unable
to evaluate which side is credible and the jury could become
confused
● EXAMPLE TO SUPPORT:Adam Scott=spend 5 months on remand in
2011-12 on the charge of rape BUT his DNA sample,taken by Exeter
Police when he was involved in a spitting incident,was mixed but with
genetic material taken from a rape victim in Manchester-INNOCENT.
4.PATHOLOGISTS:
ROLE:Pathologists are generally involved with studying disease,which
includes roles such as diagnosing, preventing, treating and studying illness
by looking at cells and tissue samples from patients and dead bodies. In
criminal investigations,forensic pathologists are called to provide a 24/7
service to assist police and coroners in establishing the cause of
death.Forensic pathologists can be used in a criminal investigation by
specialising in performing autopsies on dead bodies to discover the cause
of death. They would try to find out whether people died accidentally or by
suicide or murder and produce a report on their findings:they may
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