INVESTIGATING CRIMINAL HOMICIDES - POLICE WORK IN REPORTING AND SOLVING MURDERS (FROM CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS - A READER, 1976 BY WILLIAM B SANDERS AND HOWARD C DAUDISTEL - SEE NCJ-34969)

• NCJ Number: 34972
• Author(s): W C TERRY; D F LUCKENBILL
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 17 pages
• Corporate Author: Praeger Publishers
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES THE ORGANIZATIONAL ACTIVITIES (THE ACTIVITIES THAT UNDERLIE THE PRODUCTION OF OFFICIAL RECORDS AND STATISTICS) INVOLVED IN INTERPRETING CASES OF CRIMINAL HOMICIDE.

Abstract

MATERIAL FOR THIS STUDY WAS DRAWN FROM REPORTS FILED BY DETECTIVES OF THE MAJOR CRIMES DETAIL IN A CALIFORNIA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE DURING THE YEARS 1970-74 AND FROM INTERVIEWS WITH THE INVESTIGATING PERSONNEL. OLDER HOMICIDE CASES THAT HAD BECOME 'LEGEND' WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT ARE ALSO USED. THE STAGES OF INVESTIGATION ARE TRACED FOR NINE SEPARATE CASES, BEGINNING WITH THE PATROLPERSON'S RESPONSE TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME, THROUGH THE SUMMONING OF DETECTIVES FROM THE MAJOR CRIME DETAIL OF THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, TO THE FINAL DISPOSITION OF THE CASE. THE INVESTIGATIVE DISTINCTION MADE BETWEEN 'WALK-THROUGH' AND 'WHODUNIT' CASES (WHICH EFFECTS THE TREATMENT OF EVIDENCE AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FOUL PLAY) IS ALSO POINTED OUT. A WHODUNIT INVESTIGATION IS CONCERNED WITH IDENTIFYING THE VICTIM, DETERMINING THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO AND SURROUNDING THE DEATH, AND LOCATING PERSONS HAVING KNOWLEDGE OF OR INVOLVEMENT IN THE EVENTS. IN WALK-THROUGHS, THE OFFENDER GENERALLY CONFESSES HIS ACTIONS. SPECIAL ATTENTION IS FOCUSED ON THE INVESTIGATION OF 'PROBLEMATIC' CASES (EVENTS CLASSIFIED AS ACCIDENTS, SUICIDES, MISSING PERSONS, OR DEATHS DUE TO NATURAL CAUSES WHICH MAY ACTUALLY BE CLEVERLY DISGUISED MURDERS. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.