Description
Course Overview:
Conducting investigations requires many steps, from securing cooperative witnesses, locating physical and forensic evidence, discovering additional crime scenes, recovering stolen property, and developing information and facts to build probable cause regarding an individual suspect or suspects. Obviously, these steps drive us toward the goal of identifying the likely person responsible for the crime so that a physical arrest and formal charges by prosecutors may be forthcoming. In some cases, the suspect may be immediately identified and detained, in others in the suspect may appear apparent but the circumstances lack probable cause and require extensive investigation, or in cases where strangers are not known to victims may result in the identification of multiple suspects and in some cases the number of suspects can immediately overwhelm an investigation (e.g. particularly heinous violent homicide cases that garner the attention of the public).
In these likely stranger involved cases each of these suspects will require our full attention, but obviously not all of them can be responsible. Each will require varying levels of investigative interest, from very high to low interest. Of course, the diligence required for follow-up takes a tremendous amount of investigative time – hence this is often where high-profile cases have a tendency to “bogged down.”
Developing a criterion for prioritizing suspects is key in decision making – how much information, facts, and data is captured, such as biometrics collections for comparison to forensic and physical evidence, technology resources (GPS, cellular tracking, LPR’s, internet/social media activity, etc.), suspect statement details, alibis, their associates, past criminal activity, known location at the time of the crime, and are they known to the victim (victimology), etc., etc.
The WEBINAR will comprehensively cover an instructor developed “4- Level Suspect Development Matrix” that may be utilized in all cases – from the initial identification stage, investigative interest stage, suspicion, to high interest priority.
Equally important to developing the suspects and probable cause will be conclusively eliminating suspects from your case so that we may ensure the guilty person has been charged.
Course Topics include:
The 4 – Level Suspect Development Matrix – from the initial identification stage, to the next level of investigative interest, to the general suspicion stage, and finally, to the high interest/priority and building probable cause stage.
Methods for eliminating suspects – alibis, suspect statements, securing cooperative witnesses, technology resources (GPS, cellular tracking, etc.), forensic and physical evidence – biometrics collections for comparison, new advances in DNA searching,
Expectations on suspect behavior during high-profile investigations.
The value of the area canvass at the crime scene – what those in the area can provide when it comes to suspects.
Case Studies
Victimology and risk assessment – why the victim was selected may point towards a suspect (motivation, etc.).
