Criminal Investigations History of Criminal Investigations the Essay

Criminal Investigations

History of criminal investigations

The first "detective force" dates back to 1750, when a small group of community members called the "Take Thieves" banded together and rushed to crime scenes to investigate (Swanson, 2003). This group, spearheaded by Henry Fielding, eventually led to the founding of a police force in London (Swanson, 2003). The next famous "father of criminal investigation" is Robert Peel, who authored the twelve "Peel's Principles," outlining proper ethics for policemen and bureaus, from how to conduct oneself to where to build a police station (Swanson, 2003). Many of his ideas are still in use today. Despite Peel's efforts, corruption was rampant in the first metropolitan police departments, and failures to communicate between jurisdictions allowed suspects to escape (Swanson, 2003). Ultimately, these problems led to detective work being outsourced to private organizations such as Pinkerton's (Swanson, 2003). Pinkerton's detective agency was famous for protecting President Lincoln and creating thorough criminal records (Swanson, 2003).

On a federal scale, the first Secret Service agency was founded in 1865 to fight counterfeiting, but after President McKinley's assassination this group became responsible for "presidential protection" as well (Swanson, 2003). The Bureau of Investigation was established in 1908, and became the FBI under President Hoover in 1924 (Swanson, 2003).

Methods of criminal identification first evolved from anthropometry, or the measurement of body parts; this system was used until the development of dactylography, or fingerprint identification (Swanson, 2003). Dactylography was easier and more accurate, and was widely adopted in the early 1900s (Swanson, 2003). From there, the most significant modern advancement in criminal identification has been DNA mapping (first used in a case in 1986) (Swanson, 2003).

Role of eyewitnesses in criminal investigations

Eyewitnesses play a critical role in any investigation, from traffic accidents to murders. Many people assume that eyewitness testimony is highly trustworthy; however, human beings are swayed by emotion and faulty recollection, so investigators must be careful.

In the courtroom, eyewitness testimony generally incites emotion from jurors, and is therefore a powerful tool for prosecutors and defense attorneys alike. Masterful cross-examination can unmask a liar, just as the right line of questioning can bring out the truth and sway jurors. In addition, eyewitnesses rehearse with their lawyers and sometimes even mock jurors, in order to anticipate cross-examination questions and prevent any surprise attacks.

As a result of the critical importance of eyewitnesses in criminal investigations, the National Institute of Justice created the Technical Working Group for Eyewitness Evidence (TWGEYEE) project in 1998, with the goal of improving the "accuracy, reliability, and availability of information obtained from eyewitnesses" (Dept of Justice Technical Working Group, 2003). The group consists of criminal investigators, lawyers, researchers, and psychologists (Dept of Justice Technical Working Group, 2003). The TWGEYEE has published a comprehensive booklet on their findings called "Eyewitness Evidence: A Guide for Law Enforcement" (Dept of Justice Technical Working Group, 2003).

Types of eyewitnesses

Eyewitnesses can be primary or secondary. A primary witness is the most reliable, having…