1st Edition

Criminal Investigation for the Professional Investigator

By Warren J. Sonne, BCPI, CLI Copyright 2006
    184 Pages 3 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    Aimed at the busy professional who aspires to become certified in the field, Criminal Investigation for the Professional Investigator is a single source guide that details essential techniques a trained investigator will be called upon to perform during the course of a career. Comprehensive and accessible, the book is authored by a veteran of the NYPD who gained extensive training and experience and went on to launch and operate two successful private investigation agencies.

    The book covers crucial topics such as crime scenes, how to document and secure them upon arrival, how to interact with witnesses and suspects, and how to correctly obtain search warrants; death investigations…how to conduct them when they involve natural causes, suicide, homicide, accidents, and gunshot and stab wounds; the art of interrogation…warrants, techniques, and how to interrogate juveniles; and specific criminal investigations…robbery, burglary, narcotics, and sex crimes. The book also provides important strategies for making arrests and testifying in courtrooms, details the most effective investigative tools to use, and explains the role of criminal defense investigators.

    Criminal Investigation for the Professional Investigator is part of the Professional Investigators series that is intended to provide all present and future members of the investigative community with the knowledge and insight to reach the height of their profession.

    Author Warren J. Sonne wrote an article entitled "The Ashley Gang: What Really Happened" in the Fort Pierce-based Indian River Magazine. This article sheds new light on the exploits of one of Florida's most notorious crime families and their shooting deaths on the Sebastian Bridge in 1924. The magazine subsequently won the Best In-Depth Reporting Award for this story during the annual Florida Magazine Association meeting in Orlando.

    CRIME CLEARANCE
    Clearance by Arrest
    Exceptional Clearance
    Unfounded Complaints
    Administrative Closing

    CRIME SCENES
    Arrival at the Scene
    Documenting and Securing the Scene
    Securing and Segregating Witnesses and Suspects
    Processing the Scene for Evidence
    Search Warrants at Crime Scenes
    Changeable Crime Scenes
    Stable Crime Scenes
    Crime Scene Summary
    Witnesses
    Canvassing
    Exit, Release, or Continue Securing the Scene
    Crime Scene Checklist

    DEATH INVESTIGATIONS
    Death by Natural Causes
    Accidental Deaths
    Suicides
    Causes for Suspicion
    Gunshot Wounds
    Suffocation or Hanging
    Knives and Stab Wounds
    Poisons/Overdoses
    Deaths at Fire Scenes

    HOMICIDE INVESTIGATIONS
    Identity of the Victim
    Arrests at the Scene
    No Arrest at the Scene
    Evaluation and Pursuit of Evidence
    Evaluation of Victim and Witnesses
    Who Commits Murder, and Where?
    Certain homicide types vary by size of place
    The proportion of homicides that are intimate homicides differs
    by type of area
    Suspect List
    Motive, Means, Opportunity
    People Without the Means to Commit the Murder Should
    Be Moved Down the List
    Serial Killers, Sexual Homicides, and Random Murders
    National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime
    Closing Homicide Investigations
    Solvability
    Arrests in Homicide Investigations

    INTERROGATIONS AND CONFESSIONS
    Interrogation Warning: Absolute Right to Counsel
    The Need for Arrest Warrants
    Ready to Interrogate
    Know the Facts
    Interrogating Juveniles
    Waiver of Miranda Rights by a Juvenile
    Closing Cases with No Arrest

    ROBBERY INVESTIGATIONS
    Robbery Victims
    Eyewitness Interviews
    Eyewitness Identifications
    Arrests Based on Witness Identification
    Modus Operandi
    Informants and Robbery Investigations

    BURGLARY INVESTIGATIONS
    Residential Burglary
    Commercial Burglary
    Crime Analysis/Commercial Burglary
    Crime Scene/Commercial Burglary
    Canvass/Commercial Burglary
    Insurance Frauds and Inside Jobs
    Follow-Up Investigation in Commercial Burglary

    NARCOTICS INVESTIGATIONS
    The Controlled Substances Act (CSA)
    Organized Crime
    Intelligence
    Citizen Complaints
    Surveillance to Initiate Investigations
    Registered Confidential Informants
    Handling Confidential Informants
    Buy Operations

    SEX CRIME INVESTIGATIONS
    Sex Crime Definitions
    Forcible Sex Crimes
    Are Sex Crimes About Sex?
    Investigating Forcible Nonstranger Sex Crimes
    Spousal Offenses
    Acquaintance Sex Crimes
    Sex Crimes, Alcohol, and Drugs
    Interviewing the Victim - Nonstranger Assaults
    Interviewing the Suspect - Nonstranger Assaults
    Preparation for the Interviewing of Suspects
    Stranger Sex Crimes
    Serial Crimes
    Victim Interview - Stranger Sex Crimes
    Canvass
    Case Analysis

    ARREST STRATEGIES
    Nature of the Crime
    Background
    Arrest Location
    Surprise and Immobilization
    Equipment and Backup Personnel
    Ingress/Egress
    Number of Potential Arrests
    Transportation of Prisoners

    TESTIFYING
    Preparation
    Testimony as Public Speaking
    Making a First Impression
    Speaking to the Judge and Jury
    Pace of Testimony
    "Your Honor, May I Review My Reports?"
    Demeanor

    INVESTIGATIVE TOOLS
    Polygraph
    Voice Stress Analysis
    Psychics
    Criminal Profiling
    Deductive Profiling
    Geographic Profiling

    THE ROLE OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE INVESTIGATORS
    Innocent Until Proven Guilty
    Initial Investigation
    Protection of Information
    Police Records
    Background Investigation of Defendant Client
    Interviewing Defendant Clients
    Follow-Up Investigation
    Crime Scene
    Investigative Canvass
    Witness Interviews
    Report Writing
    Trial Preparation
    Testimony
    Appeals

    INDEX

    Biography

    BCPI, Warren J. CLI Sonne

    "Where was this text thirty years ago when I needed it most…Criminal Investigation for the Professional Investigator…needs to be required reading for every law enforcement officer in America and beyond…"

    Jim Silvania, Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur, Columbus, Ohio and the National Association of Legal Investigators