Criminal investigation is a hot topic today. It is integral to the daily work of the police and forensic service, although not exactly as the media tend to show. A scientific point of view is indispensable, and the most practical approach must be found for each key topic of criminal investigation. This is what this book provides the readers with. Contemporary controversies, such as the effectiveness of offender profiling, the use of forensic science, the problems arising from eyewitnesses, the interpretation of crime statistics and performance indicators or the interview techniques and police treatment of rape victims, are fully described and discussed.
The authors manage to delve into every raised point, using a simple and understandable language, thus creating an equally useful piece for students and professionals. The chapters have some formal characteristics in common that make the work as a whole more attractive. At the end of each chapter, the reader finds a summary, review questions, issues for further research and analysis, recommended reading and even some websites for further knowledge. For those who are eager for information and data, the recommended bibliography is both extensive and interesting. Another useful tool is the alphabetical index, which enhances this work and contributes to its consideration as a reference book.
Art, craft or science? The beginning could not be more promising. The investigator as a scientist includes the following: scientific approaches, crime scene management, social sciences, the use of the physical evidence, investigative interviewing, informant handling, offender profiling and investigative process management. The authors highlight that the use of science in the context of DNA evidence has initiated a shift away from a suspect-centred approach towards an evidence-centred approach.
After that initial stir, Robin P. Bryant gives us a brief historical overview of the various attempts to model criminal investigation, including current thinking in the professional sphere, and finally approaches the use of the hypotheticodeductive and inductive reasoning.