Criminal Investigation, Fourth Edition
Features
- Uses a reader friendly style accessible to a wide audience
- Reflects the latest court decisions regarding criminal investigation
- Includes new chapters on cybercrime and special investigations
- Covers the latest investigative trends
Summary
Criminal investigators need broad knowledge of such topics as criminal law, criminal procedure, and investigative techniques. The best resource for these professionals will distill the needed information into one practical volume. Written in an accessible style, the fourth edition of Criminal Investigation maintains the same reader friendly approach that made its predecessors so popular with students, professionals, and practitioners.
Beginning with an overview of the history of criminal investigation, the book explores current investigative practices and the legal issues that constrain or guide them. It discusses the wide range of sources of information available, including the internet, individuals, state and local sources, and federal agencies and commissions.
Next, the book discusses other investigative techniques, including interviewing and interrogation, informants, surveillance, and undercover operations. A chapter on report writing provides explicit instructions on how to capture the most critical information needed in an investigation. Additional chapters cover the crime scene investigation and the crime laboratory.
The remainder of the book delves into the specific investigative protocols for individual crimes, including sex offenses, homicide, mass and serial murder, assault and robbery, property crimes, cybercrime, and narcotics. Concluding chapters focus on the police/prosecutor relationship and investigative trends.
Each chapter includes a summary, a list of key terms, and review questions so that readers can test their assimilation of the material. Clear and concise, this book is an essential resource for every criminal investigator’s toolbox.
Table of Contents
Historical Review of Criminal Investigation
Roots of Investigation
Investigations in America
The Role of Patrol Officers
The Modern Investigator
Current Investigative Practices
The Management of Criminal Investigations
The Rand Study
Case Screening
Compstat
Investigative Function
Crime Analysis
Specialized Units
Relationship with the News Media
Legal Issues
Arrest
Search and Seizure
Rules of Evidence
Lineups and Identification
Sources of Information
Internet
People as Sources
State and Local Sources
Federal Agencies and Commissions
Interviewing and Interrogation
Listening
Interviewing
Interrogation
Recording Information
Lie-Detection Methods
Informants
Classifying Informants
Evaluating Informants
Working an Informant
Writing Reports and Field Notes
Field Notes
Reports
Principles of Report Writing
Surveillance and Undercover Operations
Surveillance
Undercover Operations
Crime Scene Investigation
Protecting the Crime Scene
Searching the Crime Scene
Specialized Scientific Methods
The Crime Laboratory
Introduction
Purpose of a Crime Lab
Fundamentals of a Crime Lab
Evidence
Crime Lab Services
Equipment
New Technologies
Forensic Science Libraries
Central and Regional Labs
Accreditation
Sex Offenses
Aspects of Illicit Sexual Behavior
Classifying Sexual Behavior
Sexual Misadventure Deaths
Sexual Exploitation of Children
Death through Violence
Suicide
Homicide
Identifying Bodies
Estimating the Time of Death
Evidence from Cause of Death
Medicolegal Investigation
Infanticide
Mass Murder
Spree Murder
Serial Murder
Lust Murder
Assault and Robbery
Assault
Robbery
Property Crimes
The Nature of Burglary
The Preliminary Investigation
The Follow-Up Investigation
Larceny
Investigating a Larceny-Theft
Auto Theft
Motor Vehicle Theft Enforcement Act
Crime of Opportunity
Carjacking
Shoplifting
Fraud
Cybercrime
Computer Theft
Investigation
Narcotics and Other Drugs
The Controlled Substances Act
Types of Drugs
Drug-Trafficking Organizations
Money Laundering
Drug Intelligence
Offenders Who Use Drugs
Drug Dependence
Conducting a Drug Investigation
Asset Forfeiture
Preventing Drug Abuse
The Police/Prosecutor Relationship
Case Preparation
Case Screening
Police Liaison with Prosecution
Benefits of an Improved Relationship
Investigative Trends
Computers
Private Security Connections
Forensic Science
Forensic Psychology
Augmented Reality
Technology
Bias Crimes
Index
Author Bio(s)
Michael J. Palmiotto, Ph.D., is a professor of Criminal Justice and undergraduate coordinator of the Criminal Justice Department at Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas. He is a former police officer in New York State, serving with the White Plains and Scarsdale Police Departments. He has experience in establishing and operating a police training facility in western Pennsylvania. He has a master’s degree from John Jay College (CUNY) and a doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Palmiotto has been a faculty member of several universities including Western Illinois University and Armstrong Atlantic State University. Dr. Palmiotto has published ten books, twelve book chapters, and numerous articles on criminal justice and law enforcement. He has published in the areas of criminal investigations, community policing, police misconduct, police globalization, and police training, to name a few topics.
