DNA in the Criminal Justice System: The DNA Success Story in Perspective,

Current figures on the efficiency of DNA as an investigative tool in criminal investigations only tell part of the story. To get the DNA success story in the right perspective, we examined all forensic reports from serious (N = 116) and high‐volume crime cases (N = 2791) over the year 2011 from one police region in the Netherlands. These data show that 38% of analyzed serious crime traces (N = 384) and 17% of analyzed high‐volume crime traces (N = 386) did not result in a DNA profile. Turnaround times (from crime scene to DNA report) were 66 days for traces from serious crimes and 44 days for traces from high‐volume crimes. Suspects were truly identified through a match with the Offender DNA database of the Netherlands in 3% of the serious crime cases and in 1% of the high‐volume crime cases. These data are important for both the forensic laboratory and the professionals in the criminal justice system to further optimize forensic DNA testing as an investigative tool.     

The Value of CCTV Surveillance Cameras as an Investigative Tool: An Empirical Analysis

There has been extensive research on the value of closed-circuit television (CCTV) for preventing crime, but little on its value as an investigative tool. This study sought to establish how often CCTV provides useful evidence and how this is affected by circumstances, analysing 251,195 crimes recorded by British Transport Police that occurred on the British railway network between 2011 and 2015. CCTV was available to investigators in 45% of cases and judged to be useful in 29% (65% of cases in which it was available). Useful CCTV was associated with significantly increased chances of crimes being solved for all crime types except drugs/weapons possession and fraud. Images were more likely to be available for more-serious crimes, and less likely to be available for cases occurring at unknown times or in certain types of locations. Although this research was limited to offences on railways, it appears that CCTV is a powerful investigative tool for many types of crime. The usefulness of CCTV is limited by several factors, most notably the number of public areas not covered. Several recommendations for increasing the usefulness of CCTV are discussed.     

Environmental crime prosecutions in Ireland, 2004–2014

Despite increased interest in environmental crime and green criminology, few studies address the use of criminal penalties in response to environmental crimes. A handful of published examples employ data from the United States or the Flanders court system, and little is known about how other nations punish environmental violations. Addressing this issue, the current study examined the use of criminal environmental penalties in Ireland from 2004 to 2014. Few criminal environmental cases (N = 147) and few environmental offenders (N = 154) were represented in these data over time. Consistent with the expectations of green/environmental crime researchers, mean penalties for environmental violations, which in Ireland only include fines and investigative cost recovery penalties, were rather small. Unlike in the US or Flanders, the majority of offenders were corporate offenders as opposed to individuals. Contextual factors related to Ireland’s economy, history and use of criminal sanctions should be used to interpret these factors, and prevent generalising from these data.     

From devil’s advocate to crime fighter: confirmation bias and debiasing techniques in prosecutorial decision-making

ABSTRACT

This research examines the role of confirmation bias in prosecutorial decisions before, during and after the prosecution. It also evaluates whether confirmation bias is reduced by changing the decision maker between arrest and prosecution. In Experiment 1, Swedish prosecutors (N?=?40) assessed 8 scenarios where they either decided themselves or were informed about a colleague’s decision to arrest or not arrest a suspect. Participants then rated how trustworthy the suspect’s statement was as well as the strength of new ambiguous evidence and the total evidence. They also decided whether to prosecute and what additional investigative measures to undertake. In Experiment 2 the same method was used with Law and Psychology students (N?=?60). Overall, prosecutors’ assessments before the prosecution indicated that they were able to act as their own devil’s advocate. Also, their assessments while deciding about whether to prosecute were reasonably balanced. However, after pressing charges, they displayed a more guilt-confirming mindset, suggesting they then took on the role as crime fighters. This differed from the student sample in which higher levels of guilt confirmation was displayed in relation to arrested suspects consistently before, during and after a prosecution decision. The role of prosecutors’ working experience is discussed.     

Unanalyzed evidence in law-enforcement agencies

Research Summary This study investigated forensic evidence processing in a nationally representative sample of state and local law-enforcement agencies (n = 3,153). For a 5-year period, agencies reported that 14% of all unsolved homicides (an estimated 3,975 cases) and 18% of all unsolved rapes (an estimated 27,595 cases) contained forensic evidence that had not been submitted to a forensic crime laboratory for analysis. Approximately 40% of these unanalyzed homicide and rape cases were reported to have contained DNA evidence. The lack of a suspect in the case was the most frequently cited reason for not submitting forensic evidence for analysis. Policy Implications Despite an increased diffusion of knowledge regarding the value of forensic evidence in the prosecution and defense of criminal cases, the investigative capabilities of forensic science are not being realized by law enforcement. Additional training for law enforcement on the use of forensic science to develop investigative leads is critical, as is the creation of departmental policies that prioritize and streamline the analysis of forensic evidence for homicide and rape cases—even in “no-suspect” cases. Ensuring adequate resources and information sharing for forensic processing especially of violent crimes, is also critical.     

人权保障理念下职务犯罪侦查模式的转变——以新刑诉法实施后职务犯罪侦查为视角

职务犯罪侦查模式关系到对侦查权力的限制和对犯罪嫌疑人人权的保障。西方法治国家职务犯罪侦查模式通过合理规制犯罪控制程序来促使保障人权的做法，值得我们深思和借鉴。在新刑事诉讼法的框架下，检察机关应立足本土实际，以强化人权保障、有效打击犯罪为出发点，结合当前我国职务犯罪侦查模式的现状及问题，针对人权保障理念下如何实现职务犯罪侦查模式的转变，努力完善职务犯罪的侦查模式。     

How long does it take? An exploration of the time between case assignment and a detective’s first investigative activity

Citizens and victims perceive the criminal justice system to be protracted. Blame for lengthy delays has disproportionately fallen on detective work. To that end, these analyses explore how long it took 184 detectives to work index crimes. Data suggest that more serious crimes, cases with a known suspect, and offenses that did not result in an arrest are most likely to be investigated and worked more promptly by detectives. Detectives, however, continue to exercise a great deal of discretion in if and when cases are worked once they are assigned. These findings are discussed as they relate to police performance indicators, the allocation of departmental resources, issues of crime control, and citizen satisfaction with the police.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Random Activities Theory</Emphasis>: The Case for ‘Black Swan’ Criminology

In the United States, infamous crimes against innocent victims—especially children—have repeatedly been regarded as justice system “failures” and resulted in reactionary legislation enacted without regard to prospective negative consequences. This pattern in part results when ‘memorial crime control’ advocates implicitly but inappropriately apply the tenets of routine activities theory, wherein crime prevention is presumed to be achievable by hardening likely targets, increasing the costs associated with crime commission, and removing criminal opportunity. In response, the authors argue that academic and public policy discourse will benefit from the inclusion of a new criminological perspective called random activities theory, in which tragic crimes are framed as rare but statistically inevitable ‘Black Swans’ instead of justice system failures. Potential objections and implications for public policy are discussed at length.     

网络犯罪的特点及提高侦查能力的途径

网络在为人们提供方便和便捷的同时,也给网络犯罪提供了一个低成本、高效率的作案平台,利用网络实施的网络犯罪已涉及绝大部分社会犯罪现象,给互联网安全和社会稳定带来了很大冲击,成为了一个不容忽视的社会问题。应该弄清当前网络犯罪的特点、原因,公安机关提高侦查、打击网络犯罪的能力,以有效遏制网络犯罪,使互联网能更好的服务大众、服务社会发展。     

"Biological identikit": Development of a SNPs-panel for the analysis of forensic DNA phenotyping and ancestry

Personal identification in mass disasters and in crimes is essential for humanitarian, ethical and legal reasons. In these contexts, when individuals cannot be identified by standard forensic DNA analysis, the Forensic DNA Phenotyping and the analysis of the biogeographical ancestry could help. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of a new panel of 891 SNPs in predicting phenotypic traits and biogeographical origin to create a “biological identikit”. In addition to fresh biological material, old evidence found at the crime scene or extracted and long-term stored DNA were tested with 41 SNPs for phenotyping and 850 SNPs for ancestry. All the SNPs were successfully incorporated into a single two-step multiplex PCR reaction using the IonAmpliSeq ™ Library Plus and applied for massive parallel sequencing with the Ion S5 platform using up to 0.05 ng/µL of DNA. The analysis of the results was carried out with an in-house predictive algorithm and consulting 20 population databases. By comparing the results obtained with identikit or video-photographic surveys, it was possible to predict phenotype and ancestry with an accuracy greater than 90%. While these new markers cannot identify a specific individual, they can be a valuable investigative tool.     

TRENDS IN VIOLENT CRIME AMONG EX-MENTAL PATIENTS

A central component of the public's conception of the mentally ill is that they are dangerous. This belief receives support from recent studies of the arrest rates of ex-mental patients which suggest that arrests for violent crimes have increased. In order to investigate this issue, samples were taken at two points in time. Analysis of arrest rates revealed that very few ex-mental patients were subsequently arrested for violent crimes, although these rates were higher and increasing faster than these of the general population. Mast significant were the findings that subsequent arrests were best explained by the number of prior arrests and that the percentage of patients with a history of criminal behavior has increased dramatically over time. The implications of these trends in violent crime among ex-mental patients for the perceived link between mental illness and violence and for the social control functions of society are discussed.     

Logical evaluation of evidence when a person is suspected of committing two separate offences.

We consider the problem of drawing inferences within a legal framework when a person is a suspect for two separate offences. Although we are primarily concerned with scientific evidence the issue inevitably arises as to how that evidence interacts with other, non-scientific evidence. We show that, in this particular context, the evidence can be conveniently classified into three categories that concern, respectively: the first crime only; the second crime only; and evidence that relates to similarities between the two crimes. Two case examples are considered and we consider DNA, fibres and eyewitness evidence. These are viewed from the perspective of a prosecutor who has to decide whether or not to charge a suspect with one or both crimes. Graphical sensivity analyses are presented which have features that are not intuitively obvious.     

论律师伪证罪与他罪竞合情形下的处理

律师伪证罪与众多证据犯罪具有相似之处,在一些特定情况下,客观行为的相似性会导致在司法实践中出现交叉与竞合的问题,在定罪以及量刑上可能会出现模棱两可的情况。律师伪证罪主观意图是通过毁灭、伪造证据等行为,达到有利于犯罪嫌疑人、被告人的结果,其可能触犯他罪,属于法条竞合关系。由于律师伪证罪与其他的证据犯罪的轻罪、重罪关系并不明显,一般都按照律师伪证罪处理。律师伪证罪本身存在多种问题。需要不断加以完善。     

Use of DNA profiles for investigation using a simulated national DNA database: Part II. Statistical and ethical considerations on familial searching

Familial searching consists of searching for a full profile left at a crime scene in a National DNA Database (NDNAD). In this paper we are interested in the circumstance where no full match is returned, but a partial match is found between a database member's profile and the crime stain. Because close relatives share more of their DNA than unrelated persons, this partial match may indicate that the crime stain was left by a close relative of the person with whom the partial match was found. This approach has successfully solved important crimes in the UK and the USA. In a previous paper, a model, which takes into account substructure and siblings, was used to simulate a NDNAD [1]. In this paper, we have used this model to test the usefulness of familial searching and offer guidelines for pre-assessment of the cases based on the likelihood ratio. Siblings of “persons” present in the simulated Swiss NDNAD were created. These profiles (N = 10,000) were used as traces and were then compared to the whole database (N = 100,000). The statistical results obtained show that the technique has great potential confirming the findings of previous studies. However, effectiveness of the technique is only one part of the story. Familial searching has juridical and ethical aspects that should not be ignored. In Switzerland for example, there are no specific guidelines to the legality or otherwise of familial searching. This article both presents statistical results, and addresses criminological and civil liberties aspects to take into account risks and benefits of familial searching.     

科学发展观与职务犯罪侦查阶段犯罪嫌疑人的人权保障

在职务犯罪的侦查阶段,由于侦查机关掌握法律赋予的广泛而强大的权力,而犯罪嫌疑人只是消极的被追诉方,双方的力量相差悬殊,因此,侦查机关的侦查活动必然涉及到对犯罪嫌疑人人身自由、个人隐私以及各种财产权利的限制与剥夺,两者的权利必然发生碰撞,犯罪嫌疑人的个人权利必然会受到侵犯。检察工作必须始终贯彻科学发展观,落实到职务犯罪侦查中,就是要正确处理好惩治犯罪与保障人权的关系。结合现行法律和司法实践,笔者封存在侵犯犯罪嫌疑人人权的问题以及原因进行分析。同时。笔者认为应从法律本土化、地方性知识的角度出发,从转变侦查观念、完善立法、转变侦查模式、强化监督四个方面入手,对职务犯罪侦查阶段犯罪嫌疑人的人权进行保障。     

A longitudinal analysis of the arrest-crime relationship: A further examination of the tipping effect

This study examines the contextual effect of arrest clearance rates, over time, on the arrest-crime relationship. The bivariate autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) analyses of monthly crime and arrest data for seven Pennsylvania cities for robbery, burglary, larceny, and auto theft suggest that the deterrent effect of arrests on crime is probably limited to smaller cities whose police department are able to clear an appreciable proportion of crimes over time, through arrests.     

The impact of deposition area and time on Touch DNA collected from fabric

Touched items at crime scenes are frequently analysed to help link suspects to crimes, for example, Touch DNA is collected from victims’ clothes in cases such as sexual assault, homicide, theft etc. Tape lifting is the preferred collection method of choice for trace DNA from clothes, fabric items and porous surfaces such as paper, therefore this study investigated the impact of deposition area and time on Touch DNA collected from fabric using minitapes. The amount of Touch DNA collected from the fabric was significantly affected by deposition area (p < 0.05), time (p < 0.05) and the interaction between the deposition area and time (p < 0.05), with the quantity of DNA collected decreasing over time. Also, the buttocks area of the trouser compared to the chest area is more prone to friction from an activity like repeatedly sitting on different surfaces which reduces the amount of Touch DNA available. In conclusion, it is more effective to collect trace DNA from victim clothes as soon as possible after the crime is committed.     

THE PROCESS OF LEGALIZING SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES IN CHINA

Compared with conventional investigation methods, special investigative techniques are specific investigation measures that are conducted without informing the parties being investigated. Although these measures are effective means for fighting crimes, they can also easily violate human rights. Before the modification of the Criminal Procedure Law of China in 2012, only the State Security Law of the People’s Republic of China, the People’s Police Law of the People’s Republic of China, and the departmental rules enacted by the Ministry of Public Security contained provisions on special investigative techniques. However, in practice, special investigative techniques have been widely employed to investigate hidden crimes or major complex crimes, such as crimes endangering state security, organized crimes, and drug-related crimes. To standardize the use of special investigative techniques, the Criminal Procedure Law of China has included a new paragraph about special investigative techniques, including technical investigation measures, hidden identity investigation, and controlled delivery. And the Procedure Rules for Public Security Organs Handling Criminal Cases (2012) and the Tentative Rules for Criminal Procedure of People’s Procuratorate (2012) provide some supplemental provisions. Although the importance of special investigative techniques stipulated in the Criminal Procedure Law should be affirmed and approved, the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law and the relevant interpretations are too simple and too principled, which will likely lead to the improper application or abuse of special investigative techniques. Rules regarding which types of cases and under which conditions special investigative techniques are appropriate, the necessary approval procedures, and the legal consequences and relief mechanisms for illegal special investigative techniques should be clarified or added to promote the legalization of special investigative techniques — by striking a balance between power authorization and power control as well as between the values of crime control and human rights protection.     

Post-motivational Progression and the Possibility of Aborting Protracted Crime

The idea for this article emerged from a cursory examination of the National Crime Victimization Survey (US Department of Justice, 1997–2004). Unbeknownst to the authors (and possibly to most of the readers) is a trend confirming that about 2/3 of all violent crimes in the United States end up as attempted crimes, as opposed to completed crimes. Equally intriguing is that international crime figures confirm, almost exactly, the US Survey statistics. If these figures are accurate, then criminologists and crime control agents should ask the question: if 2/3 of all violent crimes fail to materialize—for whatever reason—under their own weight, why cannot criminologists and crime control agents in the future develop a clinical competency that can exploit this failure and further reduce the completion rate of violent crime to technically zero? If that can be accomplished, then violent crimes can theoretically be aborted. Such a futuristic design should not be considered farfetched in light of the current advancements in today’s technology, including the military practice of laser-bombing a car speeding on the road several miles below, or the on going military testing of “shooting a missile with a missile”. This article focuses on the undiscovered, yet enormous, role of post-motivational criminology, which—when the desired clinical competency is developed—can literally change the trajectory of violent crimes and possibly abort them in progress. While this article cannot promise answers for the next decades, it can, at least, stimulate the criminological community to think beyond its traditional boundaries and to engage in quantum research consortiums that can study the dynamics of post-motivational progressions and eventually resolve why some bullets miss or can intentionally be made not to hit.     

DNA鉴定技术及其在刑事侦查中的应用

DNA鉴定技术自产生以来,在国内外有了一定的发展。就其在刑事侦查中的价值而言,它能够起到锁定犯罪嫌疑人、进行尸源认定、为串并案件提供依据、排除犯罪嫌疑等作用。DNA鉴定技术并非绝对可靠,尚有一些问题值得我们注意。