Criminal Investigation

A Method for Reconstructing the Past

James Osterburg, Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois
Richard Ward, Associate Vice President for Research and Special Programs, University of New Haven

This text presents the fundamentals of criminal investigation and provides a sound method for reconstructing a past event (i.e., a crime) based on three major sources of information - people, physical evidence and records. More than a simplistic introductory text, yet written in an easy-to-read, user-friendly format, it offers a broad approach to criminal investigation.

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Paperback, 680 Pages

Published: April 2010

Imprint: Anderson Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-4224-6328-4

Section I: The Foundation and Principles of Criminal Investigation
Part A: Sources and Uses of Information
1 The Investigator: Responsibilities and Attributes: Origins and Trends
2 Physical Evidence: Development, Interpretation, Investigative Value
3 The Crime Scene: Discovery, Preservation, Collection, and Transmission of Evidence
4 People as a Source of Information
Part B: Seeking and Obtaining Information: People and Records
5 Records and Files: Investigative Uses and Sources
6 Interviews: Obtaining Information from Witnesses
7 Informants: Cultivation and Motivation
Part C: Follow-Up Measures: Reaping Information
8 Surveillance: A Fact-finding Tool-Legality and Practice
9 Eyewitness Identification: Guidelines and Procedures
10 Interrogation: Purpose and Principles
11 Interrogation of Suspects and Hostile Witnesses: Guidelines and Procedures
Section II: Applying the Principles to Criminal Investigation
12 Managing Criminal Investigations
13 Reconstructing the Past: Methods, Evidence, Examples
14 Crime and Constitutional Law: The Foundations of Criminal Investigation
15 Evidence and Effective Testimony
16 Homicide
17 Robbery
18 Rape and Other Sex Crimes
19 Burglary
20 Arson and Explosives
Section III: Special Topics
21 Increasing Threats and Emerging Crime
22 Terrorism and Urban Disorder
23 Computers and Technological Crime
24 Enterprise Crime: Organized, Economic, and White-Collar Crime

Criminal Investigation

Contents