CJ 210W - Introduction to Criminal Investigation

Credits: 3

     A.          Explain the impact of Agricultural & Industrial Revolutions.

     B.          Discuss the Fieldings and the Bow Street Runners.

     C.          Demonstrate the importance of the Metropolitan Police Act to modern concepts of policing.

     D.         Describe historical milestones of criminalistics.

 2.    Examine crime scene and associated procedures as well as special procedures for physical evidence collection.

     A.         Cite the rules for crime scene investigators to obtain search warrants.

     B.         Demonstrate various techniques of the crime scene search.

     C.         Cite rules for collection, preservation, and marking of evidence.

     D.         Explain procedures of submitting evidence to crime laboratory.

     E.         Discuss importance of sketching and photographing crime scene.

     F.          Differentiate between class and individual characteristics of physical evidence.

                  1.    fingerprints

                  2.    dental, hair, blood

                  3.    human excretions and secretions

                  4.    firearms - tool marks

                  5.    soil, paint and glass

                  6.    questioned documents

3.    Recognize the importance of interviews by accurate field notes and report writing   

     A.          Explain importance of witness, and realizability of identification.

     B.          Cite various types of witness.

     C.          Explain the qualifications of the interviewer.

     D.          Demonstrate interviewing techniques.

     E.          Describe methods and rationale for documenting the interview.

4.    Establish the necessity for follow-up investigation and subsequent interrogation.  

     A.          Explain importance of crime analysis/National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and local computer networks.

     B.          Indicate necessity of neighborhood canvass, use of informants and surveillance.

     C.          Cite legal issues and guidelines for line-ups.

     D.          Demonstrate importance of admissibility of confessions and admissions.

     E.          Describe methods of documenting the interrogation.

5.    Demonstrate the importance of the crime laboratory and it's impact on major crime investigations.    

     A.          Explain the difference between forensic science and criminalistics.

     B.          Cite the requirements for submission of evidence to FBI and ATF labs.

     C.          Discuss various concepts of injury and death investigation.

     D.          Identify scene, autopsy checklists and medico-legal exams.

     E.          Describe various wounds and special problems of investigator.

     F.          Discuss basic homicide, vehicular and fire deaths investigative methods.

     G.         Discuss sex-related offenses and auto-erotic episodes.

     H.         Discuss crimes against children, Munchausen’s Syndrome By Proxy, incest and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

 6.    Establish the procedures for prosecutorial situations, the basic rules of evidence, and the investigator as a witness.    

     A.          Explain the requirements of probable cause.

     B.          Discuss necessity of evaluating the case.

     C.          Explain arrest warrant and other evidentiary concepts including hearsay evidence and the role and types of various witnesses.

7.    Promote familiarity with key criminal justice and investigatory vocabulary.

     A.          Demonstrate an understanding of the following terms: Henry System, anthropometry, DNA typing, dactylography, criminalistics, ballistics,
                  evidence, corpus delecti, mens rea, actus reus, probable cause, search warrant, latent, odontology, interview, interrogation, confession,
                  admission, revolver / semi-automatic, polygraph, surveillance, forensic, serology, AFIS, Social Network Analysis, cadaver, exhumation,
                  cadaveric spasm, pugilistic pose, rigor mortis, adipocere, post mortem lividity, livor mortis, carrion insects, stellate wounds, ligature,
                  petechial, self - immolation, ingestion, autoerotic, chicken hawks, pedophile, SIDS, asportation, caliber, gauge, theory of transfer, wad,
                  Munchausen’s by Proxy Syndrome.

8.    Perform writing tasks to promote learning of concepts.

     A.          Document attainment of skills learned.

     B.          Demonstrate knowledge of the subject.

9.    Write effectively for a specific audience and purpose.

     A.          Articulate important ideas.

     B.          Select, organize, and present details to support a main idea.

     C.          Employ conventions of written, edited, standard English (WESE) or the language of instruction.

     D.         Use appropriate vocabulary for the audience and purpose.

10. Demonstrate the learning of concepts through writing.

     A.          Analyze course content in written form.

     B.          Explain the subject matter in a coherent writing style.