Test #2: Chapter 4,5,6

What are the four commonly recognized objectives in the interrogation process?

- 1. to obtain valuable facts - 2. to eliminate the innocent - 3. to identify the guilty - 4. to obtain a confession

What was McNabb v. United States and what is the significance of this case?

- The court held that the failure of federal officers to take the prisoner before a committing officer without unnecessary delay automatically rendered his confession inadmissible.

What are some of the factors that limit a person's ability to give a complete account of events or to identify people accurately?

- The significance of insignificance of the event - The length of the period of observation - Lack of Ideal conditions - Psychological factors internal to the witness - The physical condition of the witness - Lack of familiarity with members of another race or ethnic group - Expectancy

8. Describe how to tell the difference between an entry defect and an exit defect in glass. There are a couple of ways to tell the difference between an entry/exit defect in glass.

1. A cone-shaped crater will appear on the side of the glass where the bullet entered. The entry hole is narrower. An expansion crater will appear on the side of the glass where the bullet exited. The exit hole is wider 2. Rub your fingers around one side of the defect in the glass; if it is smooth (you don't feel like you're going to cut your fingers) = entry. If you rub your fingers around one side of the defect in the glass; if it is rough (you feel like you're going to cut your fingers) = exit.

10. Forensic Odontology can be an asset in what five circumstances?

1. A head is found or there is an unidentifiable body 2. A decomposed, burned, or skeletonized body 3. Sexual assault, child/elderly abuse, domestic violence and homicide cases involving aggressive and/or defensive bite marks. 4. Identifying mass casualties of attacks or natural and industrial disasters 5. Verifying a presumptive, or reasonably believed identity for example - Hitler Eva Braun and Mussolini during World War II.

What are some guidelines for writing effective reports?

1. Fill in all the blanks on the incident report unless the information is not available. 2. Write the report in 1st person, using "I" as opposed to "Officer Morales" 3. Avoid unnecessary technical or legalistic jargon 4. Write short sentences - less likely to be confusing 5. Use short paragraphs 6. Support any conclusions you express with details 7. Don't repeat facts more than once 8. Check your spelling 9. Edit what you write.

10. There are two basic categories of people who tend to confess to crimes. What are they?

1. Guilty parties who psychologically need to "get it off their chest" 2. Persons who are not guilty but who act under some urge to confess

11. What conclusions are possible from the examination of hair?

1. Racial characteristics 2. Somatic or body area origin of the hear 3. Manner in which it was removed 4. Damage to hair 5. Types of drugs ingested and how recently 6. Presence of hair contaminates like blood 7. Hair treatment including bleaching, shampoo residues 8. Origin such as fiber wig, animal, or human

6. After a uniformed supervisor accepts a report, he/she must make a disposition of it. What are five dispositions that might be made?

1. The case may be retained for further investigation by uniformed officers. 2. It may be unfounded (that is, the complaint is false). 3. The case may be inactivated due to a lack of leads. 4. It may be referred to plainclothes investigators. 5. The case may be completed and closed.

What are two characteristics that can be examined in determining if a hair is animal or human? The two characteristics are:

1. The shape of the root - human roots are bulbous in shape while animal roots are spear-shaped. 2. The width of the medulla - human medulla occupies 2/3rds or less of the diameter of the hair shaft, whereas animal medulla occupies 2/3rds or greater the diameter of the hair shaft.

2. What are the four commonly recognized objectives in the interrogation process?

1. To obtain valuable facts 2. To eliminate the innocent 3. To identify the guilty 4. To obtain a confession

What are the two types of comparison samples and describe.

1. Unknown or questioned sources - unknown/questioned sources can be recovered crime scene sample whose source is in question; questioned evidence that may have been transferred to an offender during the commission of a crime and been taken away by him or her; evidence from an unknown or questioned source that can be used to link multiple offenses 2. Known samples - known samples are standards or reference samples (material from a known verifiable source; a control or blank sample; elimination samples

11. Three categories of false confessions were discussed. What are they?

1. Voluntary false confessions: people claim responsibility for crimes they did not commit without prompting or pressure from police. 2. Coerced-Compliant false confessions: people voluntarily confess due to the pressures of the police interrogation. 3. Coerced-Internalized false confessions: Innocent but vulnerable suspects confess and come to believe they committed the crime in question, a belief that is sometimes accompanied by false memories.

What are the two indispensable elements of reports?

1. accuracy 2. clear communication of the meaning the writer intended

What are the three categories of fingerprint patterns and what percentage of the population has each type.

1. loops - approximately 65% of the population have loops. 2. arches - approximately 5% of the population 3. whorls - approximately 35% of the population

What are the five methods used in order to develop latent fingerprints.

1. traditional powders 2. fluorescent powders 3. application of chemicals 4. superglue fuming 5. laser, alternative light or UV light

4. How would you characterize the difference between basic incident reports and those that are NIBRS compliant?

A basic incident report contains blanks such as information about the type of crime committed, the compliant, victim, witnesses, and offenders. The NIBRS reports are much more detailed and they show the relationship between victims and offenders, the role of drugs and alcohol in offending, and other factors.

What is a confession? What is an admission?

A confession is the acknowledgement by a person accused of a crime that he or she is guilty of that crime and committed every element of the offense; must exclude any reasonable doubt about the possibility of innocence. An admission is a person's acknowledgement of certain facts or circumstances that tend to incriminate him or her with respect to a crime but are not complete enough to constitute a confession.

16. What is a questioned document?

A document is anything on which a mark, symbol, or writing is made for the purpose of transmitting a meaning. A questioned document is one whose origin or authenticity is in doubt.

7. What are minutiae?

A fingerprint is a replica of the friction ridges that touched the surface on which the print was found. These ridge characteristics are called minutiae. There are three types, loops, whorls, and arches.

How are known and questioned sources different?

A known source is evidence that used as a standard or reference sample. It's collected from material that is from a known or verifiable source. It can also be a controlled or blank sample. A known source can also be an elimination sample that excludes those with lawful access to the crime scene. A questioned source can be samples that are recovered from a crime scene without knowing who left the material behind. This can be evidence that may have been transferred to an offender during the commission of the crime. It can also be evidence from an unknown or questioned source that can be used to link multiple offenses.

What is the delay-in-arraignment rule?

After a person is arrested they must be taken before a committing magistrate "without unnecessary delay.

What is an interview? What is an interrogation?

Are conducted in criminal cases for the purpose of gathering information from people who have, or may have, knowledge needed in the investigation. It is a planned conversation with a specific goal - to elicit information from witnesses which was perceived through one or more of the witness's five senses Interrogation is the process of testing that information and its application to a particular suspect. Interrogation is designed to match acquired information to a particular suspect in order to secure a confession.

How quickly should witnesses be interviewed?

As soon as reasonable possible to avoid misinformation and lapse in memory.

What is the free-and-voluntary rule?

Basically states that individuals must be able to give statements without any form of physical violence, psychological coercion, empty promises, and meaningless guarantees of rewards

13. What was the first notable incident of the U.S. Supreme Court intervention into interrogation practices by nonfederal law-enforcement officers?

Brown v. Mississippi, under no circumstances could a confession be considered freely and voluntarily given when it was obtained as a result of physical brutality and violence inflicted by law-enforcement officials on the accused.

What are class and individual characteristics?

Class characteristics are common to a group of objects or persons. Evidence can only be placed into a broad category, no matter how thoroughly examined. Cannot make an individual identification - there can be more than one source. Examples: brand, size, soil, hair Individual characteristics can be identified as originating with a particular person or source. Examples include fingerprints, palm prints

. Describe the process of superglue fuming. What is another name for the process?

Cyanoacrylate is heated in a high-humidity chamber. As the fumes condense, they develop white-colored latent prints in about 5 - 15 minutes. The developed prints may then be further developed with powders or soaked in chemicals that fluoresce under UV light. Another name is the cyanoacrylate process

What is dental stone and what is it used for?

Dental stone is the preferred medium for casting of footwear impressions (indentations). It has greater strength, quicker setting time, ease of use, and because it provides more detailed impressions.

How is evidence that is either known to have a biological fluid or is possible to contain a biological fluid, packaged?

Evidence known to contain or possibly contain a biological fluid MUST BE packaged in paper; never plastic. The reason for this is that paper can breathe whereas plastic cannot and will encourage the growth of medium or bacteria to destroy the biological fluid (DNA)

1. Identify and briefly discuss four reasons why field notes are important.

Field notes are short written record of events, times, places, suspects, witnesses, and other information and are used as the basis for preparing incident/offense reports. They are made by a police officer from the time he/she arrives at the scene until the assignment is completed. 1. So information won't be forgotten by the officer 2. Primary information source for preparing the incident/offense report 3. Field Notes can defend the integrity of the incident/offense report 4. Notes may reduce the need to recontact the parties involved

What are field notes?

Field notes are the shorthand written record made by a police officer from the time he or she arrives at the scene until the assignment is completed.

What are footwear prints? What are footwear impressions?

Footwear prints are formed when the soles are contaminated with foreign matter such as blood or dust and leave a print on a firm base, such as a floor, a chair, paper or cloth. AKA: residue prints or imprints. Footwear impressions occur when the footwear treads in some moldable material, such as earth, clay, and snow. AKA: indentations

List three chemicals that can be used for developing latent fingerprints.

Gentian/Crystal violet, Iodine, Ninhydrin, DFO

What are the basic groupings in which witnesses can be classified and briefly describe each group.

Honest and cooperative; desire to impart information in their possession to the investigator. The information may still be affected by age, physical characteristics, and emotions. may not desire to give any information in an interview regardless of what they know. may be reluctant to cooperate or be suspicious of the motives of the interviewer until rapport is established

15. How do you collect a tool impression in a door-frame where a prying-type action was used to gain entry in a burglary?

If possible collect the whole piece of material that has the tool impression on it. If not, you must make a cast molding with material such as Mikrosil. The tool mark should be photographed to establish their locations. Do not place a possible tool on the impression for a size evaluation because this could lead to cross-contamination.

What are some differences between interviews and interrogations?

Interviews • Purpose: to obtain information • No rights warning required • Cooperative relationship between interviewer and subject likely • No guilt or guilt uncertain • Moderate planning or preparation • Private or semiprivate environment desirable Interrogations • Purpose: to test information already obtained • Rights warning required • Adversarial or hostile relationship between interviewer and subject • Guilt suggested or likely • Extensive planning and preparation • Absolute privacy essential

What is Berghuis v. Thompkins and what is the significance of this case?

Involved issues of both invocation and waiver of the Miranda right to remain silent. Thompkins refused to sign the Miranda warnings form which indicated that he understood his rights. At no point during the interrogation did Thompkins say he wanted to remain silent, did not want to talk to police, or wanted an attorney. He essentially sat in silence for most of the 3-hour interview.

17. In the discussion of detection of deception a number of body positions were discussed: isoparaxis, flash frozen, rogatory position and the palmsdown position. What is the significance of each of these positions as it relates to the detection of deception?

Isoparaxis is mirroring another person's behavior because they are comfortable with that person. Flash frozen is sitting for long periods in a chair as though flash frozen in an ejector seat, is evidence of high stress and discomfort. A rogatory position is when people place their outstretched arms in front of their bodies, with palms up. This is someone who says something that they want you to believe. The palms down position is someone who knows they are telling the truth.

16. What is the significance of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case of Berghuis v. Thompkins?

It was a decision by the United States Supreme Court in which the Court considered the position of a suspect who understands his or her right to remain silent under Miranda v. Arizona and is aware he or she has the right to remain silent, but does not explicitly invoke or waive the right

What are types of known samples and describe.

Known samples can be: 1. Standards or reference samples - materials from a known verifiable source like a buccal swab 2. Control or blank samples - is material from a known source that was uncontaminated by the crime 3. Elimination samples - is taken from a source known to have had lawful access to the crime scene.

14. What requirements are imposed on law-enforcement personnel by Miranda v. Arizona?

Law-enforcement personnel must read certain rights to those that taken into custody for an offense. They must say: You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law, you have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed one for you.

12. What is Touch DNA?

New iteration in DNA analysis that involves skin cells rather than body fluids. Firearms have areas where touch DNA might be more prevalent.

What is custody?

Occurs when a person is deprived of his or her freedom in any significant way or is not free to leave the presence of law enforcement.

Describe the process of collecting a latent fingerprint.

Once a latent fingerprint has been developed, a section of fingerprint tape is applied to the area containing the print. Affix the tape to the area, being careful to smooth out any and all air bubbles (especially over the area of the latent print). The tape is then removed and placed on a fingerprint card and collected.

What are some similarities between interviews and interrogations?

Planning important Controlling surroundings important Privacy desirable Establishing rapport important Asking good questions important Careful listening Proper documentation

What are the three broad categories of fingerprints?

Plastic prints, patent prints and latent prints

18. What types of measurements are employed by the polygraph and computer voice stress analysis to detect deception?

Polygraphs record indicators of a persons' cardiovascular pattern and fluctuations, respiratory patterns and fluctuations, and the changes in skin resistance or sweat on the fingertips. The computer voice stress analysis notes microvariations in the audible and nonaudible portions of speech.

6. Radial and concentric fractures are different in what way?

Radial fractures move away from the point of impact. Concentric fractures form a circular pattern around the point of impact.

What was Brown v. Mississippi and what is the significance of this case?

S.C. held that under no circumstances could a confession be considered freely and voluntarily given when it was obtained as a result of physical brutality and violence inflicted by law-enforcement officials on the accused.

What is the name of the chemical that is used to develop latent fingerprints on items that are wet?

SPR - small particle reagent

What is the proper way to collect loose paint chips at a crime scene?

Samples should be taken immediately adjacent to the area damaged by the suspect. Each sample of paint must be collected separately and must collect four samples around each separate area that is involved with the incident. Use of a razor blade or evidence scalpel should be used for each paint chip. These samples can be placed in a clear plastic container so that it can easily be handled. Do not place in plastic bags or use transparent tape. Paper envelopes are acceptable as long as they are not bent.

1. What are the similarities and differences between interviews and interrogations?

Similarities: Planning important, controlling surroundings important, asking good questions, careful listening, proper documentation Differences: Interviews purpose is to obtain information but interrogations are to test information already obtained. Interviews have moderate planning or preparation and interrogations require extensive planning and preparation.

What was Maryland v. Shatzer and what is the significance of this case?

The court reasoned that because Schatzer experienced a break in Miranda custody lasting more than 2 weeks between the first and second attempts at interrogation, and that he was no longer in a police-dominated atmosphere (even though he was in prison) that he had resumed his "normal life."

Describe the process of developing latent fingerprints with powder.

The entire area to be dusted should be covered with smooth, light brush strokes until the ridge detail begins to show. Then the brush strokes should follow the contours of the ridges. Black and gray are the most commonly used powders due to the good contrast it provides. Caution must be used when applying powder to a latent print. Too much powder creates a print in which the details are difficult to identify.

15. What are the facts and the significance of the U.S. Supreme Court case involving Maryland v. Shatzer in 2010?

The facts involved an attempt by a detective to question Shatzer in 2003 about allegations that he had sexually abused his son. The court agreed with the trial court, allowing the statements to be used against Shatzer even though he invoked his Miranda rights.

What is "eyewitness identification" and what is its significance?

The identification of someone or something involved in a crime by a witness who perceives the person or thing through one or more senses.

4. How do you cast a shoe impression using dental stone?

The impression cannot be disturbed. If there is loose material ON the impression, it can be removed. If there is stuck material IN the impression, it must stay in it. If the impression is in sand, the impression can be "fixed" with hair spray, Use 2lbs of dental stone and place in a 1-gallon size zip lock and mix until it's the consistency of pancake mix. It sets fairly rapid, just wait 12 to 15 minutes. If there is standing water, there is no need to take it out. Once it sets, allow it to dry for 24-48 hours.

What are minutiae?

The individualizing feature of a fingerprint

4. What should an interrogation room look like?

The room should be sparsely furnished, usually only two chairs. No physical barriers such as tables or desks between the investigator and the suspect. If there is a desk, the two chairs must be corner to corner rather an on opposite sides. Two-way mirrors are acceptable but must be small and unobtrusive. The room can also include a video or audio recording device.

What are conditions that affect the quality of latent fingerprints?

The surface on which the print is deposited the nature of the material contaminating the fingerprint any physical or occupational defects of the person making the print. how the object on which the prints appear was handled the amount of contamination

What is proximity?

The suspect and interrogator should be close enough to touch without being too close.

Describe the traditional interrogation room

The traditional interrogation room should be sparsely furnished, usually with only two chairs. There should be no physical barriers, such as tables or desks, between the investigator and the suspect

What are the two types of fractures in glass?

The two types of fractures in glass are concentric and radial

6. Why is eyewitness testimony so unreliable?

There are a number of factors that limit a person's ability to give a complete account of events such as the significance or insignificance of the event, length of the period of observation, lack of ideal conditions, psychological factors internal to the witness, physical conditions of the witness, lack of familiarity with members of another race or ethnic group, and they sometimes perceive things in the manner in which he or she expects them to appear called expectancy.

8. How are plastic prints formed?

They are three-dimensional; they are molded, indented, or impressed into some pliable surface. They are created when fingers touch materials such as oil films, explosives, edible fats, putty, dust, caulking and similar surfaces.

8. What can the police do to deter individuals who would be inclined to intimidate witnesses?

They can visit the offender and his/her family and friends to caution them regarding their behavior and to explain the laws concerning witness intimidation and obstruction of justice. Or when risk of intimidation is significant, prosecutors can seek high bail to keep defendants in jail and away from witnesses.

7. What are the forms that witness intimidation can take?

They include: implicit threats, looks, or gestures, explicit threats of violence, actual physical violence, property damage, sending notes or letters, making nuisance phone calls, parking or loitering outside the homes of witnesses, threatening witnesses' children, spouses, parents, or other family members, and assaulting or even murdering witnesses or their family members.

3. What are the qualifications of interviewers and interrogators?

They must be knowledgeable in the art and science of criminal investigation and know how to use psychology, salesmanship, and dramatics. They must have a flexible personality, be easy to talk to, have persuasiveness and perseverance

5. What steps should an investigator take in order to prepare for an interview or interrogation?

They must learn as much as possible about the offense, the victims, and the suspect through the process of collecting, assessing, and analyzing data and theorizing about the motivations and thought processes of the suspect. This begins the formulation of a profile that will then dictate the initial approach the interrogator will take on first contacting the suspect.

9. What are the advantages of using electronic recordings for interrogation?

They prevent disputes about the investigator's conduct, the treatment of suspects and the voluntariness of statements they made. Viewers and listeners see and/or hear precisely what was said and done. Recordings also reduce the number of defense motions to suppress statements and confessions. It also frees the investigator from writing down notes while speaking to suspects. Last, tapes can be used as a training tool for less experienced investigators who want to develop their interrogation skills.

5. How are MCTs and PDAs being used in law enforcement?

They provide consistently secure communications between 911 and law-enforcement units, allow officers to directly check important databases (rather than going through a dispatcher and waiting for a reply), and it also enables officers in the field to write incident reports electronically with full access to spelling and grammar checking tools.

3. Briefly discuss the operational and administrative uses of incident reports.

They serve as the official memory of the department so that anyone who needs access to the file after the reporting officer or investigator is no longer available, can make sense of the report and the event. The report can be useful to create crime analysis reports. They can be produced, personnel with assignments in the department can be properly aligned with the actual workloads, and geographic information system (GIS) data can produce informative maps showing, for example, where robberies with certain types of characteristics are being committed.

9. You are assigned to dust for latent fingerprints on a white refrigerator door using a traditional powder. How should you do this?

To locate the fingerprints on the door, you can use a forensic light source to better view the prints, but if one is not available, a regular flashlight may help. Traditional power must be in the color black so it can be seen clearly. Take a brush and dip it in the powder, swirl it with a coat of powder and then lightly tapped to allow excess powder to drop away. Then take the brush use light brush strokes until the ridge detail begins to show.

12. What recommendations were made to reduce the possibility of false confessions?

Use police skill teams, provide mandatory police training, and provide mandatory police training on special interview considerations in dealing with populations most vulnerable to false confessions.

13. How would you attempt to locate "hidden blood" at a crime scene?

Use preliminary field testing for unseen blood at a crime scene, you can use Luminol that creates a blue glow when the lights are off or Hexagon OBTI, which also distinguishes between animal and human. Although these preliminary tests may interfere with DNA analysis back at the lab.

Be able to tell me which shot came first based on radial fractures.

When the first bullet stops the second bullets radial fracture.

What are the six interrogatories that officers should phrase all questions with?

Who, what, where, why, when, and how

3. What procedures would you follow to take soil samples?

You must take the soil samples quickly because conditions can change. Collect from the crime scene, but also logical points of access to and escape from the scene. Collect samples where they are noticeable changes in color, texture, and composition. Also collect them from a depth that is consistent with the depth at which the questioned soil may have originated, collect soil samples from alibi areas, do not remove soil from clothes or shoes, they must collected as a whole. You must package samples in clear plastic containers and not plastic baggies.

14. A revolver is found near a body at an indoor crime scene. What procedures should be followed for processing the revolver?

You should not touch it, it must be photographed and measurements have been made for the crime scene sketch. Once those things are complete, note the position of the hammer and the slide, and safety if possible. Record the description of the rounds and empty chambers in a revolver, remove cartridges from a revolver and packaging them individually, note if semi-auto or automatic firearm, record the serial number, allow any fresh blood to dry naturally and if item is found in the water, collect the item and place in a bucket with the same source of liquid it was found in.

What are plastic prints?

are created when fingers touch material such as a newly painted surface, the gum on envelopes and stamps, oil films, explosives, thick layers of dust, edible fats, putty and adhesive tapes.

What are latent prints?

invisible prints which are associated with the small amounts of body perspirations and oil that are normally found on the friction ridges. Require some sort of processing (light, powder or chemical) to make the print visible.

What is a fingerprint?

is a replica of the friction ridges that touched the surface on which the print was found

How does an investigator become prepared to do an interview or an interrogation?

is often determined by the time and dedication committed to preparing for the conversation. The investigator must learn as much as possible about the offense, the victim(s), and the suspect through the process of collecting, assessing, and analyzing data and theorizing about motivations and thought processes of the suspect.

. What are patent prints

result after fingers, contaminated with foreign matter such as soot, oils, face powder, ink, and some types of safe insulation, touch a clean surface. They are visible without any other type of processing.

What is rapport? And why is it important?

the relationship of two or more people who are in sync or on the same wavelength because they feel similar and/or relate well to each other. techniques that are supposed to be beneficial in building rapport such as: matching your body language (i.e., posture, gesture, etc.); maintaining eye contact; and matching breathing rhythm.

What is the purpose of an interview?

to obtain information

What is the purpose of an interrogation?

to test information already obtained

Before 1936, the only test for the validity and admissibility of a confession or admission was?

voluntariness

What are the Miranda rights?

• Right to remain silent • Anything said can and will be used in court • Right to counsel before questioning and during interrogation • Right to counsel if one cannot be afforded.