Discussion 12 Violent Crimes In The First Required

Discussion 12 Violent Crimesdiscussionin The First Required Readin

Discussion 12 - Violent Crimes . Discussion: In the first required reading "Crime in the United States, 2018 - Violent Crime", the FBI includes four general offense types grouped together as part of its Uniform Crime Report (UCR) Program to collect data that it classified overall as violent crime. Also included in the readings are FBI summaries of each of those four offense types that include the general elements of the offense as well as some statistics regarding those offenses. For your initial discussions post: (1) pick ONE (1) of those four offenses and generally describe the elements of the offense; (2) describe what you believe your biggest challenge as an investigator would be proving all of those elements of the offense; and (3) identify AT LEAST ONE investigative tool or technique that you think would be critical to solving that case and explain why it is important.

For example, of you pick murder as your topic, you will need to explain what the general elements of that offense are and then identify what you which element you think is the biggest challenge to prove (is it the willful intent, showing how the crime occurred in the case of a found body with no witnesses, etc), and then identify an investigative technique or service that will be critical (is it polygraphs, ballistic evidence, interviewing, crime scene management, etc). Requirements: your initial post should be a minimum of words. . All initial posts should reference the textbook or at least one outside source. All sources must be cited using APA guidelines. Course Resources Course readings imbedded into the course.

Paper For Above instruction

Violent crimes constitute a significant portion of the incidents documented in the FBI's Uniform Crime Report (UCR), including offenses such as murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. For this discussion, I will focus on murder, examining its elements, the challenges in proving these elements, and the investigative tools essential for solving such cases.

The general elements of murder involve the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought. As outlined in the FBI's summaries, these elements include an unlawful act (the killing), intent or premeditation (malice aforethought), and causation—that the defendant's actions directly caused the death (FBI, 2018). Establishing these elements requires the prosecution to demonstrate that the defendant intentionally caused death under circumstances implying malice, which can be particularly challenging if the evidence is circumstantial or if the act was not witnessed directly.

One of the most significant challenges in prosecuting murder is proving intent or premeditation, especially in cases where the victim's death was not witnessed, or the evidence is ambiguous. Without direct evidence such as confession or eyewitness testimony, establishing that the accused acted with malice requires careful analysis of circumstantial evidence, such as motive, opportunity, prior threats, or forensic evidence indicating deliberation (Schmalleger, 2018). The burden is on the investigator and prosecutor to build a case that convincingly links the defendant to the intent to kill, which can often involve extensive investigation and reconstruction of the timeline leading to the murder.

In terms of investigative tools, ballistic evidence analysis plays a crucial role in murder investigations, especially in cases involving firearms. Ballistics testing can link a bullet or cartridge case found at the scene to a specific firearm, establishing a connection between the weapon and the crime (Thompson & Tunstall, 2019). This science-based technique not only helps confirm the presence of a firearm used in the crime but also can connect the weapon to suspect or victim, thereby strengthening the case. Moreover, interviews and forensic analysis of weapon residue and bloodstain pattern analysis can provide critical insights into the sequence of events during the murder (Hickman, 2020). Such techniques are vital in establishing causation, intent, and the perpetrator's identity, leading to a successful prosecution.

In conclusion, murder, as a serious and complex criminal offense, requires careful case building that addresses all its elements. The biggest challenge often lies in proving malicious intent, especially in circumstantial cases. Forensic tools like ballistic analysis, complemented by thorough interviews and scientific evidence, are indispensable in solving murders and ensuring justice is served.

References

• FBI. (2018). Crime in the United States, 2018 - Violent Crime. Federal Bureau of Investigation. https://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/crime-in-the-u.s/2018/crime-in-the-u.s.-2018
• Hickman, L. (2020). Forensic Science and the Investigation of Violent Crimes. Journal of Criminal Investigation, 34(2), 123-135.
• Schmalleger, F. (2018). Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st Century. Pearson.
• Thompson, R. K., & Tunstall, T. (2019). Forensic Ballistics: A Comprehensive Review. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 64(3), 768-776.