Roles and responsibility of the investigation team

The investigation team-

Police officers-

Police officers are part of the investigation team and can have a range of different roles, their first role is to ensure the reported crime is genuine and worth sending out more officers to the scene. If they think the crime is a hoax or if it is not worth investigating further into the police will decide this and react accordingly. For example if they believe the crime is genuine they will send out officers but if they think it is a hoax they will tell the person they can’t help or either tell them to come to the police station. Their next role is to protect any victim that may need protection. For example if a bank was being robbed by a group of criminals with weapons they would send in a group of police to protect the victims and prevent anyone getting harmed. Also by attending the crime scene it means they could catch any criminals or suspects. If they attended the crime scene early enough it means that any people who were present or nearby at the time may still be there and they can be used as witnesses.  If they can find any witnesses they have the responsibility to ask questions to them to find out information but this all must be recorded in order for them to use it as evidence against them. They can also be used to secure the scene and ensure that no evidence gets destroyed. If evidence is destroyed it means it could be overlooked during the presentation of the evidence in court and someone could be wrongly acquitted. The police must act in a certain way depending on the crime that has been committed, for example at a murder they must be protecting the victim and looking to care and reassure the family if the criminal wasn’t present. But if it was an attack and the criminal was still present they must be ready to fight back and protect victims by using violence rather than in a caring way. Depending on the investigation team needed each part of the team would have different roles. A police is used in every investigation team as it is the main reason the crime is started off because without it the crime wouldn’t be recorded and investigated into.

 In my case the police officer was the first to attend, his name was pc Bruce and when he arrived at the crime scene he questioned Sion Jenkins but didn’t make any notes on the interview with Sion Jenkins so it wasn’t included as evidence in the case. This is because if he made notes it would have had clear evidence to show what Sion Jenkins had said and information they could look back onto. Because it wasn’t wrote down it makes it difficult for them to read back through the notes and use it in court as pc Bruce's memory isn’t good enough to be used as evidence. Also Dc Clevery and Gregory where two police officers that interviewed people in the case.

FAO-

A FAO is the first attending officer in a crime scene. The FAO are first to arrive and have certain roles and responsibilities which they must fulfil. Their most important and first thing they do is cordon of the crime scene. This can be done by using either tape or putting a tent up over the area to protect the evidence from the passer-bys or the weather conditions. They also cordon off the crime scene to prevent anyone walking through it, this could cause someone to step on an important part of evidence and destroy it which could contaminate the investigation. Also if people are allowed to walk through it, it could mean their footprints could be taken in as evidence and they could be wrongly acquitted. They also have the responsibility to interview or question any witnesses or nearby people. They must ensure they keep a note or recording of this though so that the evidence can be used in court and not overlooked.  This part of the investigation team most link to the initial response to the crime because the FAO are sent out to help investigate into the crime. It would also help with the presentation of evidence to court, because by cordoning off the scene and questioning people it means evidence can be collected correctly and it can help the right person be acquitted. This responsibility differs from the rest of the team but is very similar to the police jobs. This is because a FAO could be the police as they have the same responsibilities. The police and FAO varies from the roles of the rest of the investigation team because there main job is to protect and cordon of the scene. The role of the FAO would vary depending on the crime that has been committed. If a burglary has occurred and a police officer caught the criminal there wouldn’t be any need for an investigation team so a FAO wouldn’t be used, but if the criminal wasn’t found the investigation would need to be carried out by the investigation team so the FAO would be present.

In my case the FAO was also the police officer PC Bruce. He was the first person to attend and interviewed Sion Jenkins and also ensured the scene was cordoned off. Sion Jenkins gave the police officer information but the police officer didn’t make notes or record this interview so all the evidence from the interview was overlooked. This is because they can’t make it as evidence as it was only information from pc Bruce’s memory.

SOCO-

A SOCO is a scenes of crime officer or a crime scene investigator. They arrive after the FAO usually and have quite similar roles and responsibilities to the FAO and police officer but they do further analysis into the case. Their responsibilities are to protect and cordon of the crime scene which is similar to the role of the police and FAO, but they would be more advanced in cordoning of crime scenes as this is an area they have been fully educated in. By cordoning off the crime scene it means that evidence can be kept safe and not contaminated by people near the area. If the crime scene is contaminated it means that evidence would be overlooked as it could be destroyed and it wouldn’t be able to be used in the presentation of evidence in court stage of the investigation. The SOCO would then analyse what the case is and identify what type of evidence needs collecting. By doing this it prevents the wrong type of evidence being collected and prevents an overlook of evidence that isn’t collected. Also by analysing the case it means that it can be a quicker process collecting the evidence as they will only collect what is important and not collect useless evidence. The SOCO can also investigate into methods to analyse the evidence and collect the evidence so that when the investigation occurs it is all organised. They also have the responsibility to take pictures of the scene or even record it so that the scene can be remembered and can be re-enacted if it needs to be. By re-enacting a crime scene it means that it can be analysed again and more evidence could be found due to this. Another one of their responsibilities is to identify and analyse any footprints, fingerprints or marks that could be matched to the crime. By doing this they could find out a criminal if the evidence is analysed properly. By finding fingerprints which are unique to certain people it means that it could be a sign that they were present at the time of the crime or even committed the crime. The evidence would be used in the presentation of evidence to court and would provide enough information to convict someone. Their other role is to place the evidence that they find in certain packaging and send it to forensic laboratories. Throughout their investigation and finding evidence they must keep a record of written reports or update a system to be used as further evidence. This part of the investigation team would vary from the rest as it is used to investigate and identify any evidence. Without it the investigation could not be completely filled out and a conclusion could not be made. A SOCO would depend on the case, a SOCO wouldn’t be needed if the criminal was found out as they wouldn’t need to investigate into the case or find evidence if the person committed to the crime.

In my case the SOCO was pc Bruce as he was present to cordon of the crime scene and ensure no one else accessed the scene except important people such as forensic scientists or more police officers if needed.The SOCO’s were also Mr Mckirdy and Mr Webster as these were the forensics scientists and analysed the crime scene. While analysing the crime scene a picture was taken so that if it needed to be re-enacted it could be. The picture had shown the back garden where Billie-Jo Jenkins was painting the fence before she was murdered. The crime scene was cordoned off using tape and a tent to keep it hidden from the nearby neighbourhood.

Forensic scientists-

The main responsibility of the Forensic scientists is to analyse the crime scene and find any evidence that can be used against someone in court. They will be looking for evidence such as fingerprints and footprints, they can use these to identify who was present at the time of the crime scene and by doing this it can help with the investigating leads stage in the stages of the investigation.  They are also used to find pieces of evidence that can give information towards the crime and help identify what type of crime is occurring. For example if a forensic scientist finds a knife with blood on it, it could mean someone was murdered using this weapon and can help the investigation towards a certain crime. By finding evidence and more information about the case it means the investigation can be planned out earlier and the type of case can be identified using evidence. The most important role of the forensics is to use science to investigate into things found on the crime scene.  They also use information from the police and FAO’S to react and recreate a crime scene so that they can ensure no evidence is overlooked. When evidence is overlooked it means that it isn’t properly analysed and can’t be used in the presentation of evidence in court. If it can’t be used it means that a case could be overlooked for having no clear evidence.  Forensic scientists would be used on most cases that need further analysis into. For example if a burglary occurred and the criminal was found there wouldn’t need to be forensic s as there would be no evidence to further analyse into it. But if in a crime the criminal wasn’t found out it would mean that forensics would need to be brought into it to find enough evidence to accuse someone of a crime and prove it during the presentation of evidence in court.  This role of the investigation team is not like the others as it is not their responsibility to talk to other witnesses or people. They don’t need to find out any extra information than just analysing the evidence. The overall investigation of the case is the detective’s responsibility and they hire the forensics to find the evidence and help make links with suspects and criminal.

In my case the forensic scientists were Mr Mckirdy and Mr Webster and they were both called to investigate the crime scene looking for any evidence that can identify who committed the murder.  The first piece of evidence they found was an 18 inch tent pole left lying next to Billie-Jo-Jenkins covered in blood.  The forensics did no more further research into the tent pole and didn’t identify any fingerprints on it. This could have been because they collected the tent pole incorrectly by not following the forensic evidence collection rules. For example they should of used gloves when collecting the weapon as it prevents their fingerprints contaminating the fingerprints already on there. Another part of evidence found was the 186 microscopic blood splatters found on Sion Jenkins this was found by analysing his t-shirt under the microscope after the crime had happened. By doing this they came to the conclusion to accuse him of committing the crime due to the evidence found against him. The forensics in the investigation then did further research into pressure of the lungs and blood by contacting an aerosol chemist and came to the conclusion this could be caused when he picked up Billie-Jo Jenkins so this evidence wasn’t strong enough to be used against him.

Aerosol Chemist-

An aerosol chemist is someone who analyses the solid or liquid particles found in a type of gas. They can analyse a range of different gases and also analyse how gases flow and the movement they create to other objects. Their main responsibilities are to analyse and identify how gases have been used and by doing this it can relate to forensic evidence that has been found which involve the use of gases. They can be used to analyse and experiment into evidence that has been found and help the forensics realise how a certain thing has happened.  The aerosol chemist is most useful for investigating links part in the experiment as it can help draw a conclusion of evidence in an experiment. It is also used in the presentation of evidence to court as by using the aerosol chemist’s results on found evidence it can cause someone to be put away for a crime they committed. This role is not always in every experiment as it is only necessary when the forensics need a further investigation into a certain thing. Also it would vary depending on the crime because in a burglary it might not be needed if the criminal had already been found out.

In my case the aerosol chemist was Mr Mcaughey. The forensics in my investigation found 186 microscopic blood splatters on Sion Jenkins and sent them to an aerosol chemist for further analysis to see whether these were an impact from attacking Billie-Jo Jenkins. Or whether these were an impact of Billie-Jo’s last breath. Mr Mcaughey experimented using a pig and confirmed these where an impact of Billie-Jo’s final breath which caused her to cough up blood on Sion. This made the investigation harder and more confusing as the 186 microscopic blood splatters were the main reason Sion was acquitted.

Pathologist-

A pathologist is used in an investigation to analyse deceased bodies. By doing this an identification can be made and by linking up who has been killed it can give clues as to who has committed the crime. Also the body can be analysed to see how the deceased person was killed. They can identify whether it was gun wounds, drug overdose or the person has been stabbed etc. By doing this it can enable forensic scientists to analyse certain weapons or objects found at the crime scene which could be related how the person could have been killed. It can link the forensic evidence to the crime and make the investigation quicker and more effective. By doing an autopsy It can help give more information and evidence when evidence is presented to court in the investigation stages. It can also be useful in investigating links, as forensic evidence can be linked up to the autopsy.  A pathologist wouldn’t be useful in all crimes because It is mainly used when a murder has occurred and the person can’t explain the violence that has occurred themselves.  An autopsy wouldn’t be useful in crimes such as muggings the victim can explain the events that have occurred and if no violence had happened the body wouldn’t have any damage. This role varies from the rest of the investigation team because it is an in depth analysis of the human body to find evidence on how the crime was committed. The rest of the team do have to collect evidence but this is done quickly and straight away instead of waiting until an autopsy is needed.

In my case the pathologist was Dr.Hill. During the autopsy he analysed Billie-Jo Jenkins deceased body and came to the conclusion she was battered to death with the 18inch tent pole. From this conclusion it meant the forensic scientists could have analysed further into this pole to look for fingerprints but no further evidence was done so the weapon analysis was overlooked. This means the weapon could not be used in the presentation of evidence to court stage of the investigation.

Detectives-

Detectives are used in a case to investigate the whole crime and find out the most information they can to solve it. They go to the forensics and the pathologists to find out what they can and to use it to find a suspect or even the criminal. They are the main people in the case and are the ones who do the most investigation into it to identify any links which reveal the criminal.  A detective will be given responsibilities such as giving a testimony in court as a witness against a person and this will be done in the presentation of evidence to court part in the investigation stages. They will also use all the evidence found and all the information they have to make an overall conclusion on who is responsible and will mainly use the investigating links stage in the investigation to achieve this. Another job is for them to ensure the case is sorted and cleared and the family or friends get any help or extra care they may need. This role is quite similar to the others but wouldn’t occur if any of the other team members didn’t do their responsibilities correctly. This is because the other people in the investigation team work together to provide enough evidence and information for the detectives to analyse the case properly and come to a conclusion. A detective would be used in every case that didn’t have a criminal who admitted to it. There would be a different number of detectives depending on how important the case is. For example of a burglary there would be one detective but on a worldwide case such as madeleine McCain there is a range of different detectives trying to help solve the case.

In my case there was 4 different detectives, their names were Steve Hutt, Tracy Christmas, Anne Capon and Paul Hilton. These detectives made links within the investigation to another person who could have been a suspect. This was done in later years. They found out by Billie-Jo’s friends that she was being followed by a man known as the M58 rapist. He was identified to wear similar clothing to the person Billie-Jo explained and had been in the area staying at his girlfriends. By making links with other people and finding information out about criminals nearby that area they could use this to find another suspect.

Crown prosecution service-

This is an organisation of people who are there to prosecute criminals who have committed a crime. They work with police in wales and England to ensure the right people are prosecuted and don’t commit another crime. Their main responsibilities are to ensure that the correct evidence is taking to court and the step presentation of evidence to court is completed properly. If this step isn’t done properly it will mean they can have an acquittal of the wrong person. Another responsibility is for the CPS to ensure that people understand the guidelines and rules when prosecuting someone and whether they think it is worth a court case or not. In every crime a person when caught will be prosecuted but depending on where the crime occurs there will be a different prosecution service. So the roles may very as in other countries they will have different responsibilities. This part of the investigation team is the same throughout any crime as it is important that all crime is treated the same when in court and a fair punishment is made.

In my case the CPS was used and Sion Jenkins was convicted guilty in the Lewes Crown court by eight men and four women. They claimed "Sion Jenkins, the jury have convicted you of murder in what my judgement was compelling evidence’

Judge-

A judge is a person with high status who is present in the court room during prosecution. They are the main leader of the court case and have the responsibility to come to a judgement. It is their responsibility to assess the case that has been presented to them in the presentation of evidence to court stage of the investigation and come to a conclusion. They decide on whether there is enough evidence shown to accuse someone being guilty of this crime. They have the role of being fully in control of the court room and must control when people talk or can’t talk. The judge is used when the presentation of evidence to court stage occurs and they ensure that the right decision is made on the person attending the court case. This role has no relation and is much different from the rest of the other roles as it is used to make an overall decision of all the evidence collected from the rest of the team. The role would vary usual if the case was more serious, for example if they had to sentence someone for life for murder, it would be a very difficult case and decision.  Depending on the type of crime committed there will be a different punishment so making a judgement would be more tense and much more difficult. The jury have similar roles and responsibility as the judge but they don’t have a high status like the judge.

The judge for my case was not named, but Sion Jenkins was trailed under the Crown prosecution service. They came to the conclusion firstly that Sion Jenkins was guilty and sentenced him to life. He was in prison for 6 years then in 2004 he did an appeal and was released due to there not being enough clear evidence to convict him as guilty.

Lawyer-

A lawyer’s main role is to assistant people with problems relating to the law. Also a lawyer is used in a crime case to talk and provide help to victims being known as guilty or not guilty. They are people who are responsible with helping people before going to court and help people prove their innocence. They go in depth into cases and gather as much information as they can to help strengthen a person’s case, by doing this it can help a person be acquitted during the presentation of evidence in court stage in the investigation. By finding more information out on a case and getting more evidence it means that the case is clearer to the court and can help them come to a conclusion. This is very similar to the roles of the Judge, Juries and the crown prosecution service. A lawyer’s job can be more difficult or take more time depending on the case. For example if they are involved in a murder case it may take them a longer time to find out information on the case as they will have to wait for things such as autopsy results to get back. Also they will have to wait for forensic analysis to return to them on evidence found. But it can be a slow process for the lawyers if for example a burglary has happened and a person was caught on CCTV and it shows clear evidence.

In my case there were two lawyers, there was a lawyer who Sion Jenkins had hired to defend his case and prove he was not guilty who has not been named. There was also another lawyer against Sion Jenkins case trying to prove him guilty. When Sion Jenkins hired his lawyer he managed to prove him un guilty as their wasn’t enough evidence and got him released from prison after 6 years. From this he was taken into court another two times and they couldn’t come to a conclusion as there was no clear evidence to prove it was him so they released him and are still trying to find more evidence on the case.

Throughout the investigation team the roles and responsibilities vary depending on the situation. All of the investigation team have an importance because they come together to make a conclusion for the case overall. They all interact with each stage in the investigation stages and allow the presentation of evidence to court have enough evidence to find results for the people present.