WEEK 4: AT A GLANCE

EVIDENCE PROTECTION, PROCESS, AND CASE BUILDING

INTRODUCTION

Consider a murder weapon that is found in a suspect’s home. An investigator may have a “smoking gun” like this, but unless that evidence was obtained legally and protected through chain-of-evidence practices, it is worthless. It won’t stand up to court or public scrutiny.

As much as investigators spend time collecting evidence, they also spend time preserving the integrity of that evidence so that it may be used to close the case and/or prosecute the offenders.

This week, you follow the evidentiary process past the initial gathering to protection and analysis, ultimately developing conclusions based on the evidence

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will:

Compare roles and responsibilities of criminal investigators

Analyze the role of objectivity when building a case from evidence

Evaluate evidence from a crime scene

Develop a concluding report for a criminal investigation

CHAIN OF EVIDENCE

To protect the evidence and record interactions with that evidence, criminal investigators establish a chain of evidence, sometimes called a chain of custody. This involves documentation of evidence location and each person who has handled it. In court, a defense attorney may question the origin or processing of evidence, and the investigator can point to the chain of evidence to refute any claims of contamination or improper collection or storage methods.

For this Discussion, you describe the roles in the chain of evidence and assess where the greatest responsibility lies.

Post a response to the following:

Identify the key roles in the chain of evidence.

Explain how each role contributes to the chain of evidence.

Where does the greatest responsibility lie for the proper handling of evidence?

Do assumptions made about evidence by law enforcement when building a case help or complicate a case? Explain your reasoning.

LEARNING RESOURCES

Required Readings

Brandl, S. (2018). Criminal investigation (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Chapter 3, “The Role and Documentation of Evidence in Criminal Investigations Download The Role and Documentation of Evidence in Criminal Investigations” (Review) (pp. 36–57)

Criminal Investigation, 4th Edition by Brandl, S. Copyright 2018 by Sage Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Inc. via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Brandl, S. (2018). Criminal investigation (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Chapter 4, “The Law and Criminal Investigations Download The Law and Criminal Investigations” (Review) (pp. 58–87)

Criminal Investigation, 4th Edition by Brandl, S. Copyright 2018 by Sage Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Inc. via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Brandl, S. (2018). Criminal investigation (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Chapter 5, “Physical Evidence and the Crime Scene Download Physical Evidence and the Crime Scene” (Review) (pp. 88–134)

Criminal Investigation, 4th Edition by Brandl, S. Copyright 2018 by Sage Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Inc. via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Brandl, S. (2018). Criminal investigation (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Chapter 15, “The Presentation of Evidence Download The Presentation of Evidence” (pp. 436–453)

Criminal Investigation, 4th Edition by Brandl, S. Copyright 2018 by Sage Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Inc. via the Copyright Clearance Center.