The criminal investigator must incorporate skills of critical thinking with known scientific methods in their investigations. When comparing these two approaches to criminal investigation, which statement below best reflects a scientific method?
A) The collection of data through observation and experimentation and the formulation and testing of hypotheses
B) An ability to recognize problems and to find workable means for meeting those problems
C) Being disposed to consider in a thoughtful way the problems and subjects that come within the range of one's experiences
D) Deliberately evaluates the
quality of thinking
(Question #2) After an initial evaluation of evidence in a case, the criminal investigator draws conclusions through a process of reasoning. This process is typically achieved through inductive or deductive reasoning. Which of the following statements is an example of strong INDUCTIVE reasoning?
A) My daughter likes red; therefore, red is a feminine color.
B) The suspect was driving a car; therefore, the driver has a driver's license.
C) The wind is blowing at 10 mph.
D) All observed crows are black; therefore, all crows are black.
(Question #3) Because of the changing nature of criminal activity and the role of the investigator, the objectives of a criminal investigation may be more complex than people imagine. Which of the following are objectives of criminal investigations?
A) Locate and identify a suspect for every crime and obtain a 100 conviction rate
B) Convict all suspects and recover stolen property
C) Recover stolen property and prepare sound criminal cases for prosecution
D) Conduct searches and obtain convictions in all cases regardless of guilt
(Question #4) Which of the following statements is a major recommendation that arose from the PERF study?
A) Since physical evidence is seldom used in identifying suspects, less emphasis should be placed on gathering such evidence.
B) Police departments should develop policies and guidelines encouraging the use of evidence technicians in routine cases such as burglary and robbery even when there has been no physical injury to victims.
C) Greater emphasis should be placed on the collection and use of physical evidence because it can be effective in corroborating other evidence of suspect identification.
D) Police officers should limit time locating witnesses through the use of a neighborhood canvass since this effort is highly ineffective and thus wastes critical time required to solve cases.
(Question #5) In the late 1970s, the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice awarded a grant to the RAND Corporation to undertake a nationwide study of criminal investigations by police agencies in major U.S. cities. Which of the statements below identify a major recommendation of this study?
A) Less serious crimes, such as drug violations, gambling, and prostitution, are major causes of serious crimes such as murder, rape, and robbery.
B) Patrol officers should be afforded greater responsibilities in conducting preliminary investigations, providing greater case-screening capabilities for investigators while eliminating redundancy.
C) There should be less emphasis on increased forensic resources for processing latent fingerprints and more emphasis on intelligence gathering.
D) Crimes that require special investigative abilities should be handled by patrol officers and thus agencies should eliminate specialized investigators.
(Question #6) The phenomenon in which jurors hold unrealistic expectations of forensic evidence and investigation techniques, and have an increased interest in the discipline of forensic science is known as ________.
A) The CSI effect.
B) Proof beyond ALL doubt syndrome.
C) The courtroom science requirement.
D) The forensic science expectation syndrome.
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