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Detective's Role in a Murder Investigation

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I have attach the full assignment. I don't know where to start. Help me please.

Write a paper involving a murder scenario. Aside from the information listed below, the details of the scenario are left to your imagination. The result should be a 1,750- to 2,100-word paper, in APA format, with at least three reliable sources to support your handling of various communication situations.

Here's the Scenario!

Scenario

As a detective with a local law enforcement department, you are one of the first to arrive at the scene of a drive-by shooting, which resulted in the death of a teenage male. The shooting occurred at a corner gas station of a low-income neighborhood. A number of witnesses approach you, including a child who was playing outside; a hearing-impaired, visually shaken man who was pumping gas at the station; and a group of young gang members, upset by their friend's murder.

Before you get out of your car, you pause to think about communication.

? Discuss potential communication barriers that you might encounter and how you might overcome them.

You get out of your car and look around the crime scene.

? Indicate the impact your nonverbal communications may have while interacting with other officers, witnesses, and possible suspects.

You want to interview your witnesses.

? Describe the interviewing process you would follow for each witness.
? How do you go about speaking with the hearing-impaired man, the child, and the gang members?

After gathering all your information, you go back to the police department.

? Discuss the technology used throughout the investigation and in the courtroom.
? What are the ethical issues to consider?

At the office, you begin to write your report.

? Compose a report based on the who, what, when, where, why, and how information available.

After all of the information is reviewed and you have followed up on leads, you have a possible suspect for the murder. When arresting the suspect, he suddenly takes a hostage. Address the following:

? Conflict resolution
? Subsequent interrogation
? Associated legal issues
? Writing a press release

Your suspect is finally charged with murder and pleads not guilty. A trial is set, and you attend it.

Who are the key participants in this trial? Discuss credibility issues.
What role will you play in the trial, if any?

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Solution Summary

Based on the case scenario, this solution provides suggestions for a paper involving the murder scenario. Specifically, the role of a detective in a murder investigation (interviewing, communication, etc.) is explored. Supplemented with four relevant articles.

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Hi,

Interesting paper! Let's take a closer look.

RESPONSE:

Hi,

One approach to help you with a paper like this one is to look at each section individually, and to include information from various sources, which you can draw on for your final paper. This is the approach this response takes. I will also direct you to links and provide several articles to get you started on this interesting assignment.

The place to start is often writing a tentative outline so you know what information to look for when researching your topic. The attached directions and questions can act as a tentative outline for your paper, which might look something to the effect...

I. Introduction (about ¼- ½ page; introduce topic or scenario; thesis or purpose statement)

II. Crime Scene (e.g. include the following sections)
a. Communication Style and Impact (e.g., verbal and nonverbal)
b. Interviewing Witnesses
i. Describe the interviewing process you would follow for each witness.
ii. How do you go about speaking with the hearing-impaired man, the child, and the gang members?
c. Gathering Information
i. Discuss the technology used throughout the investigation and in the courtroom.
d. Ethical issues to consider?

III. Investigative Report
a. Compose a report based on the who, what, when, where, why, and how information available (e.g. objective and state the facts, without opinions).

IV. Arresting the Suspect

a. Hostage Taking
i. Conflict resolution
ii. Subsequent interrogation
iii. Associated legal issues
iv. Writing a press release

V. Trial Proceedings
a. Who are the key participants in this trial? Discuss credibility issues.
b. What role will you play in the trial, if any?

VI. Conclusion (e.g. restate thesis or purpose statement, sum up main points)

Now let's look at some information to consider for each section, together with links for further researcher and references to the material in the attached articles.

ASSIGNMENT

1. Write a paper involving a murder scenario. Aside from the information listed below, the details of the scenario are left to your imagination. The result should be a 1,750- to 2,100-word paper, in APA format, with at least three reliable sources to support your handling of various communication situations.

Scenario: As a detective with a local law enforcement department, you are one of the first to arrive at the scene of a drive-by shooting, which resulted in the death of a teenage male. The shooting occurred at a corner gas station of a low-income neighborhood. A number of witnesses approach you, including a child who was playing outside; a hearing-impaired, visually shaken man who was pumping gas at the station; and a group of young gang members, upset by their friend's murder.

You might want to incorporate the scenario as part of your introduction.

Generally, the crime scene investigator oversees complex crime scene investigations, including but not limited to homicides, sexual assaults, armed robberies, home invasions, and property crimes such as burglaries. Approximately 70% of the detective's time is spent processing crime scenes, packaging and transporting evidence, attending and photographing autopsies and attending briefings and conferences with the police agencies requesting assistance. You would spend the remaining time preparing investigative reports, testifying in court, receiving continuing education, instructing classes and maintaining equipment in a state of readiness (http://www.feinc.net/csi-desc.htm).

II. Crime Scene

· At the crime scene, a number of witnesses approach you, including a child who was playing outside; a hearing-impaired, visually shaken man who was pumping gas at the station; and a group of young gang members, upset by their friend's murder. Before you get out of my car; you pause to think about communication. Perhaps you have been instructed to use objective language.

The police officers, detectives, and crime scene investigators arrive on the scene, see the evidence, document, photograph and collect the evidence, determine which, if any, witnesses they will interview, select the questions they ask them, decide what, if anything, of what the witness said will be memorialized in notes or a police report gives the prosecutor a huge advantage at trial (http://www.relentlessdefense.com/interrogate.html).

If the investigator (you in this case) decides to interview all the witnesses, the potential communication barriers that you might encounter have to do with the witnesses' age (e.g., child), the physical disability (e.g., hearing), the gang members (attitudes and perhaps might be suspects). How will you overcome them? You will need to consider using language and technique appropriate for a child witness, which is challenging. For the person with a hearing problem, you could consider writing the questions. The gang members need to communicated to in a respectful manner to avoid putting them on the defensive.

Also see attached article for specific types of nonverbal and verbal communication techniques to consider: Interviews and Interrogation Techniques.pdf.

· As you get out of your car, you look around the crime scene. (Indicate the impact your nonverbal communications may have while interacting with other officers, witnesses, and possible suspects).

Nonverbal communication is extremely import at the crime scene. If you act superior and hostile, it is likely that you will get a response of defensiveness. Your body is a nonverbal cue, as is other physical evidence at the crime scene loaded with nonverbal cues. Investigators often present in an objective professional manner, interested in collecting the facts about the crime. See attached article for specific types of nonverbal and verbal communication techniques to consider: Interviews and Interrogation Techniques.pdf.

See the attached article: An Introduction to Crime Scene Analysis.

b. You will interview your witnesses

· Describe the interviewing process you would follow for each witness.
· How do you go about speaking with the hearing-impaired man, the child, and the gang members?

I am wondering if you have taken this up in class. You will need to explain the interview process for each witness.

In the interview, the investigator will be collecting information about the crime from the witnesses. The gang members should be talked to in language that they understand and treated with respect so they do not get on the defensive. However, they might also be considered suspects, but do not interrogate them at the crime scene, because you are only interested in collecting information not accusing someone of the crime. The ...

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