4th Edition

Criminal Investigation

By Michael J. Palmiotto Copyright 2012

    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.

    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

    Biography

    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.