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Scene Investigations - Conducting vs. Completing the Investigative Process

2/29/2012

1 Comment

 
As investigators we get the opportunity to investigate all aspects of a case.  Sometimes

a case may require some scene work.  Even if at first it appears that the case does not require a visit to the scene, if you have the opportunity, it is always recommended to go back where the event first began.  Whether the case involves a death, a motor vehicle accident, or some type of crime, take the extra time, go that extra mile and visit the scene.  You might be surprised once you visit the scene to find out that something could not have occurred the way the witness, victim or police officer claims.  It is best not to rely on others to do the work you need to do yourself.  You are the investigator, and someone is depending on you to see, hear, and get an overall feel of what the scene was like.

Once you have made up your mind that you should go visit the scene for yourself, the next thing to think about is the date and time of when the original event took place.  Sometimes it may be a year or even a few years after the event occurred and you may have more work cut out for you than what you originally suspected.  Let’s take for instance a case that is a couple of years old where a motor vehicle accident occurred at a particular intersection on May 12, 2008 at 6:00pm.  You head back to the scene and after canvassing the area, you discover this is in the middle of a subdivision.  After interviewing some of the people in the neighborhood, you discover that the traffic light that is now at the intersection was not there two years prior.  Also you are told that when the traffic light was installed, there were sidewalks put in place and some shrubbery was cut down.  This information will give you some things to work on and measurements to take regarding the motor vehicle accident.  When you compare the photos taken at the scene, hopefully someone did their job and took some photos, and with the awesome photos you will take; you will be able to find the comparison facts necessary in the case.  

One very important aspect to take into account when you plan to visit the scene is the time of year.  Say you were given this case in December, 2010.  You must take into account the fact that the lighting and weather will be different in December versus in May.  So you will need to calculate by using either a site that you are familiar with, or this site http://www.timeanddate.com   Let’s take for instance the sunrise time for May 12, 2008 in Denver, CO was at 5:48am and the sunset time was 8:05pm.  We know the accident took place at approximately 6:00pm on May 12, 2008; however, you receive the case on December 12, 2010.  The sunrise time for December 12, 2010 is 7:12am and the sunset is 4:36pm.   

So to continue on for the example case, the best time to visit the scene to get close to a similar light source, you would need to visit the scene at approximately 2:30pm on December 12, 2010 since the accident occurred approximately 2 hours before sunset on May 12, 2008.  This may seem like too much trouble to some investigators, but if you want to see what others saw in similar daylight, or if the case was during evening ambient light, then this extra step is worth doing in order to get as close to that time frame as possible.  Something as simple as figuring out the best time to visit a scene will assure your client that they hired the right investigator and this will give them confidence in your work product. 

Also, if you get the case shortly after the motor vehicle accident occurred, you will have more than one scene to visit.  Consider all options available that are connected to the main scene and go visit the mini scenes.  For instance, if the vehicle or vehicles are still available to view, it is important to go see these vehicles with your own eyes and take several photos.  Again, you as the investigator need to investigate the damage of the vehicles, do not rely on what other people say they saw or thought they might have seen.  You might just be amazed at what you see in the photographs you take versus what you saw in person. 

When there are motor vehicle accidents involving an intersection with a traffic light, you will want to go to that site, again using the time analysis as described, and sit and watch the light change for yourself.  Once you investigate the traffic light and document all necessary information, you will want to take this a step further and contact the traffic engineers who maintain that particular intersection.  The traffic engineers could be a private company or department of a jurisdiction which may be at the state, county or municipal level. 

These are important extra steps necessary in order to either collaborate what witnesses have stated, or dismiss their statements.  Another reason to check traffic lights yourself, and then make contact with the traffic engineers is to ensure there was not a power outage, maintenance, or weather related issues on the date in question.  By checking the pattern of the lights yourself, you will then be able to discuss what you documented with the traffic engineers.  Perhaps you might even alert them to an issue they did not realize they had with that particular traffic light.

Times and dates are not the only thing to think about when you visit a scene.  The temperature, as well as the type of weather has an influence on the entire scope of your investigation.  To find the temperatures and weather on a given date and time, one site to use is http://www.wunderground.com, and you will find more than enough weather information to complete your investigation.

Don’t forget water and the rate of flow during certain times of the year as well.  If you need to go back to the scene of an accident involving water; the water levels, weather, time and date will all have an effect on how you need to conduct your investigation.  To find water flow and temperatures an informative site to use is http://www.usgs.gov, which is full of information on water past and present of the United States.  For other countries Google the words “water flow data” for your region as well as the name of the water resource you are interested in finding more information about.

When you are hired by a client, whether an attorney, another investigator, or a private citizen, the client needs to feel confident that you will do a thorough investigation, not a haphazard or simple investigation (unless of course they specifically ask for a simple investigation).  Also, if you are being contacted to do an investigation or a reinvestigation, more than likely the first investigation was not conducted thoroughly or satisfactorily from the beginning.  By explaining to clients that you take these extra steps in your investigations, you are telling them you go that extra mile that others may not.  You are completing, instead of simply conducting, an investigation.  These added ideas could be simple things even your clients have not thought about, which might give them that “aha” moment, and sometimes that is all it takes to get you the job.  Remember, just a few more steps in the investigative process can gain you leaps in your quality of work as well as gains in the confidence of your clients, the choice is up to you.

1 Comment

False Confession and Accusations

2/24/2012

0 Comments

 
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Karen's third published article and second for www.PursuitMag.com!

To most of us, false confessions and accusations seem completely unfathomable. The first couple of questions that come to mind are, “Why would anyone admit to a crime that he/she did not commit?” and “Why would anyone knowingly accuse a person of a crime he/she did not commit?”

< Click here to read the complete article at PursuitMag.com >


Update:  This article was published at www.WrongfulConvictionsBlog.org!
http://wrongfulconvictionsblog.org/2012/02/23/the-polygraph-and-false-confessions/

The polygraph industry in the United States, in particular, has done an outstanding job of perpetrating the myth that the polygraph exam is a benign scientific pursuit of the truth. Many people who take a polygraph exam, even if they pass it, conclude otherwise. Karen S. Beers, a respected legal investigator in Colorado, writes about how intimidating a polygraph exam can be and more about the problem of false confessions here.

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Reviewing and Comprehending Autopsy Reports - encore repost at PursuitMag.com

2/24/2012

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Voltaire said ‘To the living we owe respect, but to the dead we owe only the truth.’ This is the definitive task of the medicolegal death investigator and forensic pathologist. The course of the death investigation has multiple phases including: scene investigation body assessment medical records ...


< Click here to read the complete white paper at PursuitMag.com>


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Are you involved in civil or criminal cases involving traumatic injuries or death?

2/17/2012

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www.MedicolegalDeathInvestigations.com
 for details and registration.

Includes the Ethics program for FREE ($25 value)!

This continuing education based death investigation course is a basic introduction into the concepts of the official investigation of death, such as by a coroner or medical examiner office, and the role that the private investigator may play in an equivocal death investigation. As might be expected, there are similar roles, overlapping roles and, of course different roles and responsibilities.  Although developed for continuing education, the concepts and methodology are suitable for any private or government sector investigator looking to expand their investigative knowledge into the basics of death investigation, and even personal injury investigations and injury causation.

This course is designed to provide the investigator currently working in, or interested in working in, the death and personal injury investigation fields the knowledge and insight to informatively and intelligently conduct a criminal defense or civil investigation in which serious bodily injury or death is the subject matter of the litigation.

This course is approved for 14 hours of instruction for Certified Legal Investigators (CLIs) and PIs in TX, OK, and IA; 12 hours in GA, TN and KY; 8 hours in LA and KS; 10 hours in OR and SC; 6 hours in NC; 4 hours in NM. An exam will be administered upon the conclusion of the program. If the candidate passes with a score of 75% or better, a certificate of completion will be issued in accordance with state licensing authority standards.

* This course may qualify for other private, government and association CE credit - please contact the oversight authority.

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How skilled are you at individual locates, backgrounds and assets & liabilities?

2/17/2012

2 Comments

 
I recently came across a test I developed in 2002 for a 'Certified Locate Specialist' exam.  Believe it or not, not much has changed in 10 years when it comes to the core skills and knowledge necessary for these types of records checks and investigations.  So, I thought I would have a little fun and share it.  I've put it on the page with our updated and revised eBook, which was developed from the course for this certification.

Take this quiz, email or fax it to us and we'll send back your grade and answers to see if you need any brushing up, or if you're an 'Ace'!  If you're an 'Ace' we'll email you a novelty Certificate of Skills and Knowledge!

Download and take the Knowledge Test!

Its completely free, no catches and just for fun!

This Knowledge Test is based on the just released, revised and updated, eBook 'Professional Investigations:  Individual Locates, Backgrounds and Assets & Liabilities' which also includes the 'Professional Investigations:  Ethical Considerations for the Professional Investigator'!  It is a challenge of 135 questions with 179 answers - 70 multiple choice, 35 fill in the blank, 15 true or false and 15 list multiple answers.
2 Comments

Whitney Houston - What is the Cause and Manner of Death?

2/13/2012

0 Comments

 
A press conference by the Beverly Hills Police Department and Los Angeles County Coroner is coming up. 

Media is reporting that the autopsy that has determined her cause of death is completed. FYI - the autopsy begins with the scene investigation and concludes when the investigative reports, information, facts, evidence and autopsy findings (including toxicology and possibly microbiology) are done. So, no the autopsy is not complete and I doubt you will hear a cause or manner of death. To the living we owe respect, to the dead we owe the truth.

First mistake in a media story - 'Did she die of an accidental suicide'?  FYI - It's either 'Accident' or 'Suicide', not both (if there is a question between the two with neither being more than likely than the other, that is 'Equivocal' and that is where our agency comes in and shines).

Hollywood has taken it toll of great talent over many decades, and it seems much more so over the recent years.
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