Thursday, November 28, 2019
Authorities Essay Example
Authorities Essay In every case being investigated, authorities are required to look into some information that will lead them to the decision to continue the investigation on a certain case. Such basic information is commonly referred to as the solvability factors. Solvability factors are being identified during the course of preliminary investigation, which is basic to the process in order to provide for the basis of determining who committed the crime (Urlacher, Gordon and Robert Duffy).Investigators in the process of prioritizing the cases to work on to also use solvability factors. In the investigative approach called the Triad Concept, solvability factors are being identified first, the availability of which will define the fate of the case.The more positive the available solvability factors are, the better will be the chance of the case to be placed in the high priority. Solvability Factors therefore serve as screening criteria for case investigation. â€Å"Case screening is designed to provid e sufficient information about a case at the earliest possible time in the investigative process in order to permit a decision to be made regarding the value of continuing an investigation†(Iowa City Police Department 1999). According to experts in the field, the outcomes of case screening will either be suspension or follow-up investigation of the case, wherein suspension are for those classified as uncompromising and if there the a reasonable probability of the case clearance, there will be follow up investigation to be conducted (Iowa City Police Department, General Order No. 91-07).In order for us to establish the importance of solvability factors, we need to look into the objective of the Investigative Case Screening Process wherein the identification of solvability factors is included. The general objectives are summarized as follows:1.   To establish the policies and procedures for determining whether to assign a case for additional follow-up investigation or to suspend any further investigation. From here, we can directly correlate the importance of solvability factors in establishing the basis for a decision on whether a case has to be suspended or a follow up operation should be conducted.2.   To define the responsibility and the accountability for the decision whether to assign to screen out a case.3.   To in order have a more manageable caseload that is ideal for solving cases. When solvability factors are identified, it will be easier for the investigators to screen the cases to be placed in high priority. That way, they will be able to maximize time and resources for cases of immediate action or proven to be worth the effort and time investment.4.   To assign for additional follow up investigation on those cases with sufficient solvability factors. Again the key to the follow up investigation is the availability of the solvability factors.5. To provide procedures for notifying crime victims of the cu rrent status of their case.In the course of the case screening process, solvability factors play significant role in weighing the severity of the crime. â€Å"Serious crimes that have the best chances of being solved are usually assigned before the less serious with little or no chance of being solved†(L. Siegel 2004). Siegel compared this process to the hospital emergency cases where a bleeding patient always have to be attended to in priority over less severe cases like a patient with sprain. This only suggests that solvability factors defy the rule of first come first served basis.Solvability factors also depend on the case being investigated. For example, in a robbery case, car plate number is held as significant factor while the color of the shirt may not be of significance since there will likely be similarities with such factor with other people not involved. Generally, cases being investigated are screened using the following general solvability factors, the importan ce of which still depends on the case (J. Ostenberg and R. Ward 2000):1. Reliable witness2. Suspect names3. Suspect described4. Suspect Location5. Suspect identified6. Suspect previously seen7. Suspect vehicle described8. Traceable property9. Significant m.o.10. Useable physical evidence11. Limited opportunity for anyone other than suspect to commit the crime.12. Offense may be solved with reasonable additional investigation effort.In the case screening procedures, solvability factors play a significant role in the skills of the investigation officers, as they are the primary persons assigned with the task of identifying and weighing of these factors. In all of the responsibilities of the investigation officer, solvability factors will always lead him to his success or failure as an investigation officer.In the investigation process, the solvability factors are also important as these are being used in the reconstruction of crimes. Because investigation of crimes aimed at collecting solid evidences that can solve the case, solvability factors offer a helping hand in figuring out or of making sense of the evidences available and what are yet to look for. In the course of crime reconstruction, solvability factors are being used regardless of the investigation methods employed: induction, deduction, abduction, synthesis, typology, hypothesis and theory. All of these methods make use of the solvability factors in order to come up with something significant data or evidences for the case. A factor or a collaboration of such factors may comes in the following forms according to Miethe and McKorcle (1998): ·Ã‚        Patterns series of similarities that usually indicate the same person or the same modus operandi is involved in different crimes ·Ã‚        Leads clues or breaks in the case that help move an investigation forward, usually something in a statement that was overlooked, or it could be something that comes up after a records search ·Ã‚        Tips leads provided by whistleblowers or informants. Tips by definition involve specifics, like names, dates, places, addresses, phone numbers, or license plates ·Ã‚        Theories these are beliefs about the case that take you in one direction, at the exclusion of other possible directions ·Ã‚        Clues these are pieces of evidence that are consistent with the corpus delecti or elements of the crime believed to have been committed or that the suspect will eventually be charged with ·Ã‚        Modus Operandi behaviors learned by the offender in order to successfully complete the crime ·Ã‚        Signature things about the case that represent the unique psychological or emotional characteristics of the offender.In whatever form does solvability factors fall on these terms, it is important to stress that these facto rs are being identified and collected with preferably of much prudence and diligence for a case to be solved at the most cost and time efficient manner. It is also important that we stress the fact that solvability factors be weighed not on the quantity available but of the quality of these factors relative to their contribution in the solving of the case. â€Å"The number and kind of facts, together with any ambiguity or doubt associated with them, determine the level of evidentiary value†(Rhodes Conley 1981).CONCLUSIONIn the course of course of case investigation, we have proven that solvability factors have been playing significant role in the case even as early as the case screening procedures. In the course of discussing the how and why these factors are being identified, we were able to find out that solvability factors are collected, classified and weighed according to their probable contribution in the solving of the case. By identifying the general types and example s of such factors, we were also able to justify that the quality of the factors are to be placed of higher importance than the quantity of the collected or identified factors. Solvability factors are also important in the process of crime reconstruction wherein these factors are being to used to link other data and evidences to make up the whole picture of the crime. In conclusion, this paper was able to establish the fact that solvability factors are the keys essential to the process of solving any case.
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