Roles and responsibilities of the investigation team

When a crime is committed, there are a big group of people who come together to find the criminal and prosecute them. All of the investigation team have to come together to make a conclusion for the case. Throughout the investigation team roles and responsibilities  will vary depending on the situation, each member of the team interact with each other at each stage in the investigation stages, it eventually goes to court where the presentation of evidence is done, this is where all the information comes together to prosecute the suspect.

Police officers

Police officers have a range of different roles. Their first role is to ensure that there has been a crime committed and that the crime is genuine and how big the crime is such as murder, robbery, sexual assault etc., they can then send out more officers if needed. They can then catch any criminals or suspects if they are anyone found. If there are any witnesses there then they can ask them questions to find out any information however this information must be recorded in order to use it as evidence. The police officers will also secure the scene so that no evidence is destroyed as if evidence is destroyed then it could result in someone being wrongly accused. The police have to act in a certain way depending on the crime that has been committed. They will reassure the family of the victim if it was for example a murder and if the criminal was still there at the time for example if it was a robbery then they have to be prepared to get them. Depending on the investigation team needed then each part of the team would have different roles to do. Police officers are used and are a part of every investigation team. In the case of a murder they are there to protect the victim and reassuring the victims family if the criminal wasn't present, they are also in high alert to make sure everyone is safe and find the offender however if it was in the case of a domestic abuse or attack and the offender was know or there then they are there to catch the offender and arrest them and take them to the police station however they are still there to protect the victims. Police officers are apart of every crime whether it be a small crime or major crime, if not then crime wouldn't be controlled and wouldnt be recorded in able to solve a solve.
 In my case the police where apparent throughout the whole case. The police are the ones that initially arrested two suspects which where Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr, this was passed on to the detectives which led to the bodies of the two girls being found. However Ian Huntley had previous convictions of sexual assault which the police had not passed on to schools when he got the caretaker job. the police helped to offer support to the young girls family and looked after the familys throughout the case to make them feel safe.

FAO – first attending officers

An FAO is the first attending officer at the crime scene. They are the first person to arrive at the crime scene. There first responsibility to do is cordon off the crime scene and make it secure so that nobody can get it to tamper with evidence, the scene can be cordoned off by using crime scene tape and a tent if necessary. They cordon off the scene so that no one can walk through it and also if the weather is bad to stop evidence being destroyed. The FAO also have the responsibility to interview and question any witnesses or anybody that was near the scene to see if they saw or knew anything. The jobs of the FAO are very similar to that of the police officers as the FAO could be the police and first one to the scene. The main job of the FAO is to protect and cordon off the scene. The roles of the FAO would vary depending on the crime, the next step would be for the investigation team to get involved and this will be determined by the FAO and if they have found the criminal or not.if the crime was something like a burglary and the police caught the suspect at the time of the crime being done then the FAO would be the person to arrest the offender whereas if it was something like a murder or sexual crime then the FAO would pass the case on and all the information to an investigation team which would into the case more to solve it.  In my case the FAO where not really apparent for the initially response as there wasn't a crime scene at first as the girls were reported missing when the search began however when the body’s where found they were there to cordon off the scene and protect it, but because it was an unsolved case and there was no suspect there at the time, the FAO no longer was needed and the investigation team then took over.

SOCO – scenes of crime officer

SOCO stands for the scenes of crime officer. They are called after the FAO have checked the scene. The scenes of crime officers have similar roles to that of the FAO and police officers however they do further analysis into the case. They will cordon off the scene even more to protect it to a greater level. The SOCO would then analyse the case and the scene and identify what type of evidence needs to be collected ready for the forensic scientists to collect the evidence. By the SOCO helping in doing this it prevents anything being missed and anything wrong, it also prevents an overlook of any evidence. By the SOCO analysing the scene it will make the case a much quicker process in collecting the evidence. The SOCO also have the responsibility of taking pictures at the scene and recording it so it can be used in court. Pictures are taken of the crime scene in case the scene needs to be rein acted which can help with finding more evidence. Another responsibility is to identify and analyse any footprints, fingerprints etc. that can be linked to the crime, by doing this they can help towards finding the criminal. This evidence is vital for when the evidence is presented in court as this type of evidence is unique to only one person so it’s very reliable. The other role of the SOCO team is to place any evidence they found in certain packaging and the correct packaging for that type of evidence such as if semen was found you would place it in a plastic bad not a paper bag as the liquid will leak through the bag. the SOCO officers job would vary depending on the crime if the criminal was already there and the evidence had already been found then the SOCO officer wouldn't really be needed however if it was a case of for e.g. a missing child however there wasn't a body then the SOCO would help in look for the correct type of evidence. there job would also vary on the crime commited for e.g. if it was a sexual assualt crime then they would look for evidence such as semen or something to signify an assault however if it was a burglary then they would be looking for forced entry or items missing and even CCTV.
In my case the scenes of crimes officers searched a bungalow in which was 4 miles from where the girl’s body’s where found, they found bits of evidence which linked the murders to Ian Huntley. Shoes and petrol can where found in Huntleys car. The man united shirts where found cut and charred in a bin with fibres o Huntleys clothes on. So much evidence was found of Huntley trying to cover his tracks this linked him straight to the murders.

Detectives

There are many different types of detectives for different types of crimes. There are homicide detectives, sex crimes detectives, terrorist detectives etc. a general detective is plain clothed police officers who specialise in investigating crimes, and they usually work within the criminal investigation department (CID). Detectives investigate crimes, arrest suspects, question them and prepare case files which are presented in court which they will attend to present this case file. Detectives are usually based in offices in police stations. They travel to crime scenes in unmarked cars and interview witnesses in police stations, at people’s homes, peoples work etc. some detectives are specialised to particular crimes however detectives are a very important part of the investigation and depending on how big the case is there may be more than 1 detective, which also depends on the type of crime committed and the size of the case. in a crime such as a terrorist attack there will be specialized detectives which investigate this case and it could be worldwide detectives working together. a crime such as a small burglary may only use one detective who isn't specialized in 1 area but is a detective in any crime.
In my case former detective superintendent Chris Stevenson and Brian Stevens where both involved in the soham murders and helping to solve the case, they were the ones that didn’t feel right about Ian Huntley and thought there was something strange about him and the way he was always around a bit to much and this is when they found the man united tops from the two girls which linked them straight to Ian Huntley and also Maxine carr. The detectives interviewed both Huntley and carr and helped to solve this case rather quickly.

lead investigator

Lead investigators in criminal cases collect information from both witnesses and suspects. They search the crime scene for potential clues, such as physical evidence, fingerprints, DNA and more. To document the scene they may take photos of the crime scene or rely on high-tech devices such as Leica scanners, which preserve the crime scene in a 3D way that captures every detail. lead investigators are only really needed in major cases such as a murder case. the lead investigator is apparent in major cases such as murder etc. in a terrorist case, the lead investigator would be a bit different, there wouldn't just be one and they would have to be on high alert.

Forensic scientists

The main job of the forensic scientist team is to analyse the crime scene and find any evidence to link someone to the crime. They will be looking for anything such as species of blood, the weapon if there is one, any fingerprints, footprints etc., this is all evidence that will be used in the presentation in court, the evidence also helps to identify the criminal and also exactly what happened at the scene. The most important roles of the forensic scientists is to use science to investigate the scene and come up with a conclusion what exactly happened. The forensic scientists can also use information from the police officers and FAO’s to recreate the crime scene so they can make sure no information is overlooked. Forensic scientists are very important and are used in most cases as they are the ones who collect and analyse the information. The forensic scientists only have one responsibility which is to collect and analyse evidence they don’t have any other job to do. although forensic scientists are used in most cases there main job does slightly vary depending on the crime, if it was a sexual assault crime then forensic scientists would be looking for things like semen and signs of assault however it it was a gun crime such as a shooting then they would be looking for things such as gun residue and a bullet wound so what the forensic scientists are looking for does vary depending on the crime. there job also varys depending on if the criminal was found or not. if the criminal hadn't been found then they would be looking for any type of evidence to get some DNA and then to further analyse it howver if the criminal was known then the forensic scientists would be looking for the correct type of evidence to prove the offender had done it in the presentation of evidence in court.
In my case initially forensic scientists weren't needed as there was no scene however the shirts of the young girls were found and the forensic scientists where used to analyse these, the forensic scientists also looked for any signs of sexual assault and anything to prove that what Huntley had said he had done was correct.

Pathologists

A pathologists analyses the deceased bodies so are only used if there is a death. By analyzing the body they can identify the body and this can be done in many ways such as fingerprints, dental records or a family member identifying the body. The body is analysed to see how the person was killed, from this they can identify whether it was a drug overdose, shooting, stab wound etc. from this they can analyse certain weapons or objects found at the crime scene which could be related to how the person was murdered. By doing an autopsy it gives more in depth information and evidence into the case and what happened which is useful when evidence is presented in court. An autopsy can be useful in investigating leads as forensic evidence can be linked to an autopsy. However an autopsy wouldn't be used in all crimes, it will only be used in a murder or death. An autopsy is a very in-depth process and can give a lot of evidence and information. A pathologist wouldn't be needed in every case for example if it was a mugging that had occurred then a pathologist wouldn't be needed at all as no one had died so there wouldn't be a body to analyse however if the crime committed was a murder and there was a deceased victim then a pathologist would be used and can help to explain the events that had occurred and how the victim had died. so pathologist would only be used in a case where a crime had been committed and there was a dead body, so if there was a theft or burglary then they wouldn't be needed.
In my case the autopsy of the two girls were able to show and make it clear that the girls had not been raped. However it did seem like Huntley meant to sexually proposition or abuse them as it later came clear that Huntley had previously been accused of sexual assault.

Lawyer

A lawyer is a very important person in a case, a lawyer can be someone who either helps to prove your innocence or prove you guilty. The main role of a lawyer is to assist people with their problems relating to the law. A lawyer is used in a crime case to talk and provide help to the victims being known as guilty or not guilty. Lawyers are the people who are responsible with helping people before going to court and help people prove their innocence. They go into depth into cases and gather as much as information as they can to help strengthen a person’s case, by doing this it can help a person be acquitted during the presentation of evidence in court. A lawyer’s job can be very difficult or take time depending on the case and the evidence that they have especially if there is a lot of evidence to make someone guilty but they are trying to make the suspect innocent. Lawyers have to wait for results back for the autopsy or forensic evidence so can be a slow process. lawyers jobs can vary a lot depending on the crime committed and the size of the case. if it was a burglary and the offender was already known and caught then the lawyers jobs would be very simple however if they were trying to prove that they where not guilty and there was evidence proving that they had then they would have a lot more work to do and would be in court for a lot longer making there job a bit different. in my case, Mrs Bastin was the lawyer who helped to find Huntley and carr guilty, she was later awarded an OBE for the work she did as the Ian Huntley case was one of the biggest cases that the CPS had ever handled. Huntley defence lawyer was named Stephen coward and he said that the girls died in the bathroom which Huntley invited them into because of a nosebleed, he didn’t win the case as Huntley was found guilty. Lawyer Ed FitzGerald QC was the lawyer which represented Maxine Carr and got her a new identity in which they helped tighten up the injunction banning publication of her new identity.

CPS – crown prosecution service

The CPS is an organisation of people who are there to prosecute criminals who have committed a crime. The CPS work with police is England and Wales to ensure that the correct people are prosecuted and that no-one is wrongly accused. The CPS’s main responsibility is to ensure that the correct evidence is taken to court and that the presentation of evidence in court is presented properly. Another responsibility is to make sure people understand the guidelines and rules when it comes to prosecuting someone. When a crime is committed there will be different prosecution services for different areas.so the role of the crime prosecution service does vary in different countries as there are different responsibilities in different countries and different guildlines however this art of the investigation does stay the same regardless of the crime as they have to use ethics and treat everyone the same however the seriousness of the crime does affect the punishment for the offender.
In my case the crown prosecution services worked hard to prosecute Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr, later on in the case Mrs Bastin who worked as part of the CPS was awarded an OBE for her work in this case.

The jury

The jury are a very important function to the legal system. Anybody without an offence can be picked to be a part of the jury. The jury consists of 12 members of the public who sit in a box to one side of the judge. One juror is selected as the foreman by the members of the jury before the case starts. He/she acts as an informal spokesperson for the jury. The jurors have the responsibility of deciding whether or not the facts of the case, a person is guilty of the offence or which they have been charged. The jury must reach a verdict by considering the evidence introduced in court. the jurys job is the same each time in court they are there to decide is someone is guilty or not however there role can be made more difficult depending on the crime committed for example if it was a murder and there wasnt a lot of evidence towards the offender then they have to really think about their verdict whereas if it was a theft and the offender had said he was guilty then there role would be a bit different as they wouldn't have to think hard about it.
In my case the jury consisted of 7 women and 5 men which deliberated on their verdicts for 17 hours and 32 minutes and finally rejected Huntleys claim that the young girls died at his home. Huntley was later charged with murder and found guilty with an 11-1 decision from the jury.

The judge

The judge is the person with the high status who is present in court during the prosecution. They are the main leader of the court case and have the responsibility to make the final decision of the result of the case. it is their responsibility to access the case that has been presented to them in the presentation of evidence to court stage of the investigation and come to a conclusion. The judge is the person who will decide if there is enough evidence to accuse someone of being guilty of the crime. They are fully in control of the courtroom and control when people talk or not. The judge ensures that the right decision is made. The judge’s role is very difficult because they decide if someone will serve life so they have to be fair but depending on the crime committed.a judges role would on really vary on the seriousness of the crime as the punishment they give would be different for example if they where sentencing someone who had murdered someone then it would be a greater punishment and they would have to think a lot more about their decision whereas if they were sentencing someone who had committed a small burglary then it would be a less of a punishment.
In my case judge Sir Alan Moses made the final decision and found Huntley guilty and was given two life sentences. Carr was also charged for helping Huntley with the murders. because of the seiousness of the case and the crime that had been committed the judge had to think more about his decision and the evidence that was given to him in order to prosecute Huntley but because of the crime Huntley was sentenced to life.