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Importance of crime scene investigation
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Psychology used in a Crime Scene Investigator career
A Crime Scene Investigator is a special agent that investigates crimes from local to federal levels. This career was chosen due to the hands-on investigation of collectible evidence by photographs, interviews, fingerprints, blood samples, crime scenes, and much more. As a future Crime Scene Investigator, this would be an exciting, stimulating, and rewarding job. This type of career would provide support for the prosecution team and hopefully lead to successful convictions. After analyzing and synthesizing four concepts of psychology that can be applied to a Crime Scene Investigator career, and ones that will be used in this paper are: biological, cognitive, behavioral, and social concepts.
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Through investigative tasks, her department determines what is in the best interest of children that have been placed in foster care and represents them in juvenile court. They interview people, read psychological reports, DNA tests, medical examinations and other necessary reports and records. Another individual that inspired me to work in this field, is my cousin. She is a Chief Probation Officer with the North Carolina State Department. She works with criminals that are on probation and supervises other officers in her department. These individuals has proven to me that if I want my career as a Crime Scene Investigator, then I can do …show more content…
The first psychological concept to look at is, biological. Through psychology, I have learned that the biological concept of psychology is how our thoughts and behaviors are influenced by our physical bodies, our thoughts, feelings, and actions (Grison, Heatherton, & Gazzaniga, 2017, p. 19). Learning about the biological concept and analyzing it as a Crime Scene Investigator, the perception may help explain the violent, criminal behaviors that a suspect may be having. My first step may be to research the suspects past; looking for any records that may determine if he had a brain injury or illness. This could explain erratic behaviors that the suspect may be having.
The second concept that I have learned about that may be useful in Crime Scene Investigation is the cognitive concept. Working in this career, I have learned that the cognitive concept is the ability that a person has to think, solves problems, and makes decisions (Grison, Heatherton, & Gazzaniga, 2017, p. 17). When identifying suspects, this would be an effective way to understand the possibility of the suspects’ next move. It is very important to recognize how the criminal thinks and makes decisions to figure out what his next move may
The criminal justice field is made up of many facets. The court system includes many professions which include lawyers, judges, police officers and polygraph examiners. The federal justice system has numerous professions as well. Two highly recognizable organizations in the government criminal justice system are the CIA and the FBI. Two careers of interest worth future investigation are a polygraph examiner and a special agent in the FBI.
Costanzo, M., & Krauss, D. (2012). Forensic and legal psychology: Psychological science applied to law. New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
I was sitting in the old rickety chair that looked as if it had been there for five years. The smell of gunpowder hung in the morning air as I leaned over the rifle rest. My finger wrapped around the trigger as my eye focused through the scope of my grandfather’s Springfield ’03. I took a deep breath and let half out. My finger tightened on the trigger as I awaited the recoil and crack of the gunpowder igniting. Finally, when my finger’s pull was enough to move the trigger, the gun went off. Moments like this are why I love shooting guns.
Costanzo, M., & Krauss, D. (2012). Forensic and Legal Psychology: Psychological Science Applied to Law. New York: Worth Publishers.
On February 27th, 2014 I had the pleasure to interview Detective Vincent Velazquez who was referred to me by Professor Paul Guerrucci. Vincent currently works at the Atlanta Police Department located in 226 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30303. On the day of the interview, I was a little anxious since this was actually the first time I interview a crime investigator, however Vincent was very professional and he allowed me to record the entire conversation. I was able to ask questions about his personal life, full details of his profession, current case assignments, criminal investigation procedures and existing problems in the investigation process.
The procedures depicted of the criminal justice system on television are complex, inaccurate, and implausible portrayals of what actually occurs. These shows do not show the planning, timing, and effort that is put into the maintenance of a crime scene. Investigators show up, take some photographs, and continue to the lab for results in a matter of minutes (Forensic Science Degree). Television leaves out the uneventful procedures that are essential in a real crime scene. They also neglect to show how much time is spent on each case, which can take months or even years to finish. There are many techniques and procedures which seem to be forgotten or simplified in the shows. Crime scenes require a variety of people, including the skills of photographers, sketch artists, evidence recorders, and other team members. Intricate notes and sketches of the crime scene give all of the details requ...
Crime scene investigators, also known as CSIs, have played an essential role in protecting citizens, by proving who is guilty, and who is innocent. CSIs use a large amount of Science and Math skills to solve crimes, resulting in a decent income. They are specialized in forensic science in order to examine crime scenes and recover important evidence (Career Cruising).
Within the Criminal Justice System there is diverse career opportunities to choose from. The career I am interested in being is a Criminal Profiler with the FBI National Center for Analysis of Violent Crime. I am interested in this job because it seems to be an intense job to do. A criminal profiler's job is to create a psychological profile of a criminal suspect. Creating one of these profiles can be used to help catch the suspect. This is done by examining evidence from the crime, interviewing witnesses and victims, and analyzing crime scenes. Information obtained from these investigations can then be used to help the profiler determine a pattern of criminal behavior. Most of the time the information that was collected can be used to find out more about the suspect.
Crime scene investigators have a very important role when it comes to catching criminals and putting them away for a crime they committed. They are also called Forensic Science Technicians. The main role for a crime scene investigator is to investigate crimes and to collect evidence. Most types of evidence being hair, tissue, and fluids like blood or saliva. Basically, they provide evidence that shows information to help either acquit or convict a person of a crime (Crime 1).
Redl, F. & Toch, H. (1979). The psychological approach to crime, in Toch, H. (Ed.). Psychology of Crime and Criminal Justice. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Just as insight into the mind of the artist may be gained by examining and comparing the progression of his work, so knowledge of the mind of the serial killer can be ascertained by an examination of his canvas: The murder scene. Forensic profiling is the attempt to do just that. An investigator tries to discern information about the killer based on the information at the crime scene, deducing information about the cause from the effect. This is not an exact science, and has been often likened to an art. It is the goal of this work to provide the reader with a basic understanding of the function and application of forensic psychology, as well as an explication of some of its strengths and weaknesses.
A Criminal Investigator is an exciting, always changing career that also helps make a difference. Criminal Investigators help make a difference in a community by assessing and solving crimes like burglaries, homicides, assaults, and other problems in communities where there is any criminal intent. Also after a crime has been committed, Investigators will follow up on leads and may testify in court (“Criminal Investigator Job Description). Some people that become criminal investigators were or also are police officers. Criminal Investigators work with many people such as, police officers, detectives, medical examiners, and photographers to solve criminal cases.
Greenfield, D. (2007). Introduction to forensic psychology. issues and controversies in crime and justice. Journal of Psychiatry & Law, 35(2), 201-201-204,105-106.
Since the inception of this niche in psychology, there has been a greater appreciation for the use of police psychological services. Now almost every police department has a separate psychology department with a number of psychologists working with its other employees. This specialized subset of psychology delivers a number of services to its employees, from assessing qualified applicants, counseling, to suspect profiling and providing expertise during hostage situations. The field has grown tremendously, especially over the last 40 years and has developed into its own sub-specialty with its own dedicated research, journals and professional organizations. During that time, there have been great strides made in developing this relationship betwe...
There are various theories within the biological explanation as to why individuals commit criminal behaviour, these include: genetic theory, hereditary theory, psychosis and brain injury theory. In the next few paragraphs examples of each will be shown.