Detection and investigation of crime

When crimes are committed the responsibility of the police is to find and apprehend the suspect and to collect evidence that can be used in the prosecution and trial. Police success is measured by clearance rate – that is the ratio of crimes solved to the number of crimes reported to the police.

Crime detection falls into three main phases: the discovery that a crime has been committed, the identification of a suspect, and the collection of sufficient evidence to indict the suspect before the court¹.

A high proportion of crimes are discovered and reported by persons other than the police, such as victims or witnesses, but certain types of crime, such as dealing in drugs, are often not discovered unless the police take active steps to determine whether these crimes are being committed. Once the commission of a crime has been discovered, the identification of the suspect becomes essential.

Techniques of identification, especially fingerprinting, and more recently voiceprinting and even “DNA² fingerprinting” have come to prominence in modern investigation. Because each person’s fingerprints are unique, fingerprinting is used as a method of identification. Fingerprints retrieved from a crime scene may be compared with those on the police file to identify suspects. DNA analysis is sometimes called “DNA fingerprinting”. Identification of a criminal who has left no fingerprints or other conclusive evidence can often be advanced by analysis of the modus operandi; professional criminals tend to stick to a certain technique (e.g., forcing entrance), to seek certain types of booty³, and to leave a certain trademark (e.g., the means by which a victim is tied up). Criminal investigation departments compile such data, and have access to such public records as automobile and firearms registrations and such private records as laundry and dry-cleaners’ marks, and many more. Besides, information flows in from police informants and undercover agents. Wiretapping⁴ and other electronic-surveillance methods have become extremely important, though subject to legal restraints.

The identification of the suspect is not the final stage of the process: it is essential to gather sufficient legally admissible evidence to convince the judge or jury that the suspect is guilty. An investigation at the scene of crime is a very important action. Crime scenes must be searched to locate physical evidence, which may range from latent fingerprints to bloodstains or to pieces of a broken automobile headlight. Evidence must be marked for identification, preserved, and protectively packaged for transportation to the laboratory. In addition, records (written or photographic) must be made of each piece of evidence and its exact location with respect to the crime. The law requires that the “chain of evidence” remains unbroken and makes police accountable for every item of evidence from the time of its discovery to its presentation in court.

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¹to indict somebody before the court /In'daIt/ - предъявить кому-либо обвинение в суде

² DNA /"dJ en'eI/ - ДНК

³booty /'bHti/ - награбленное добро, добыча

⁴wiretapping /'waIq"txpIN/ - прослушивание телефонных разговоров

Task 19. Find the English equivalents for the following word combinations; memorize them.

1. задержать подозреваемого

2. собрать улики

3. уровень раскрываемости

4. соотношение раскрытых и зарегистрированных в полиции преступлений

5. отпечатки пальцев, изъятые с места преступления

6. решающие доказательства/улики

7. секретный агент; агент, работающий под прикрытием

8. методы электронного наблюдения

9. юридическое ограничение

10. доказательства, приемлемые с точки зрения закона

Task 20. Complete the following sentences.

1. It is the responsibility of the police to …

2. Clearance rate is …

3. The three phases of crime detection are …

4. Certain types of crime are discovered by the police only when they …

5. Some of the important techniques of the identification of the criminal are …

6. “DNA fingerprinting” is …

7. Fingerprints retrieved from a crime scene may be …

8. Professional criminals tend to …

9. Criminal investigation departments have ready access to …

10. To convince the judge or jury that the suspect is guilty it is essential to …

11. Physical evidence may range from …

12. Written or photographic records must be made of …

Task 21. Translate the following word combinations with the word “evidence” into Russian.

to collect

sufficient

conclusive

physical

legally admissible evidence

a piece of

a chain of

an item of

Task 22. Look through the text “Detection and Investigation of Crime” and say:

• What the three main phases of crime detection are;

• What activities of the police are included in crime detection and crime investigation.

Task 23. Fill the gaps with the prepositions from the box; read and translate the text.

by with for (2) in (2) at

In all police forces, criminal investigation is a specialization … which only experienced officers are selected. Criminal investigation is not … the beginners. Some crimes require unusual skills … order to be solved, such as computer crimes, commercial fraud, and money laundering¹. Not all police, indeed not all detectives, can be trained … the full range of skills that may be needed … one time or another. Moreover, people … specialized skills that would be valued outside policing would generally not be willing to serve as patrol officers. Therefore some specialists have to be hired … police forces to serve exclusively as detectives.

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¹ money laundering /"mAni'lLndqrIN/ – “отмывание” денег

Task 24. Read and translate the dialogue.