The generation of forensic intelligence from crime scenes

1. Introduction
2. Methodology
Forensic Intelligence Themes
*Within Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) a Crime Scene Examiners
*The participants for this experiment consisted of 4 operational
(CSEs) role during the attendance of volume crime scenes is mainly
CSEs and 2 training CSEs.
Theme
Contextual Meaning
associated with the collection of forensic intelligence (HMIC 2000).
Physical evidence which can be used to
*The CSEs were asked to visually examine two mock crime scenes.
Explicit
link crime scenes and identify an offender.
*The literature and training programmes for CSI tend to construe
Both scenes replicated a residential burglary. The CSEs were fitted
forensic intelligence as scientific evidence. However there is no
with a head-mounted eye-tracker system and an audio recorder.
Indirect intelligence that requires
Implicit
guarantee that scientific evidence is going to be present at a scene.
Each CSE had voiced their thoughts whilst examining the scenes.
interpretation. i.e. an offenders M.O.
Physical evidence that can provide
*Intelligence analysts use an offender's modus operandi or other
*Four forensic intelligence themes were formulated. This being;
Descriptive
several sources of forensic intelligence by
sources of information for crime pattern analysis (Margot et al 2006).
Explicit, Implicit, Evaluative and Descriptive.
description. i.e. Brand of a cigarette end.
Physical evidence that requires appraisal
*Therefore this research has established four forensic intelligence
*The voice recordings were transcribed and analysed through the
Evaluative
in order to determine whether it can be
themes. This is to determine whether novice and expert CSEs
method of verbal protocol analysis. The transcripts were divided into
used as forensic intelligence. i.e. A hair
generate intelligence from a multitude of sources.
segments and then attached to the appropriate theme.
strand with a root.
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusion and Recommendations
*The expert CSEs were highly proficient in identifying physical
*It is evident that CSEs collect intelligence from crime scenes
16.0
evidence. In contrast, the novices took a greater length of time to
however, this is limited to a small number of sources.
14.0
find the physical evidence.
*
12.0
Experience amongst CSEs has shown to be insufficient in fully
*Both expert and novices demonstrated that they can identify
utilising the proposed forensic intelligence themes.
10.0
CSE1
simplistic forms of an offender's actions. However, neither
8.0
CSE2
groups made any complex interpretations.
*Training CSEs focus on gathering explicit and implicit intelligence.
CSE3
6.0
Frequency
CSE4
*The descriptive theme was only exercised by the experts. The
R1:For CSEs to become established investigators they must
4.0
Tr/CSE1
theme was used in an implicit and explicit format. i.e. It was
interpret their observations alongside other information.
2.0
Tr/CSE2
described as it was seen or it was described by interpretation.
0.0
R2:Intelligence analysts should collaborate with CSEs to develop
Explicit
Implicit
Descriptive Evaluative
*The evaluative theme was only present amongst the experts.
an effective means intelligence gathering.
Forensic Intelligence Theme
All four used the theme to select a suitable substrate that would
yield good quality fingermarks. Only one used it for other items.
R3:A broader concept of forensic intelligence must be recognised.

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