Essay On Criminal Investigation

When investigating a death or injury, Investigators have to determine what exactly has occurred. The first look at the crime scene is a very critical part of the process. The lead investigator has to determine if the victim is injured or if the victim is confirmed to have died. Whether the victim is injured or pronounced dead can change the course of the entire investigation. Now, the investigator has to take the proper steps to determine if what he or she was called in to investigate was a murder case, a suicide case, self-defense, manslaughter, etc. The lengthy process has many different aspects and obstacles. This is a lengthy process and requires one to have the proper patience and determination.
Mistakes could be made and have been …show more content…
Photographs of the body are taken, any type of evidence on the body is collected and the identification of the victim needs to be established. Many factors can play a role in the disfigurement of the victims’ physical appearance making ones face unrecognizable. In many cases other methods of identification may be used such as blood work, forms of I.D that contain a name and an address, dental work, help of family members. Mitochondrial DNA - a strain of DNA that is present through the bloodlines of many families down many generations - can be used to identify the victim (Claridge, 2015). Now, this form of identification is used only when there is no other form of identifying the …show more content…
One of the main things the investigator should take notation of is the victims’ injuries, if any. The victim will often have defensive wounds such as cuts or other markings in a self-defense case. The person stating self-defense should never be the first aggressor in the altercation that took place. This is one of those times that eye-witnesses could be crucial in the case. However, a witness who only took notice of the altercation once it already began isn’t as