Frank Horvath

Crime-victim evaluation of police investigative performance

The purpose of this study was to determine whether demographic characteristics of victims and the nature of the police investigative response were related to victim satisfaction. The data were obtained through self-administered questionnaires completed by a random sample of 436/685 (64 percent) crime victims in a medium-sized midwestern city. Respondents were victims of personal (N=79), serious property (N=165), and minor property crimes (N=192). Analysis showed that the education, gender, and income of the victims were not related to satisfaction for any of the crime-victim categories. Younger victims were less likely to be satisfied than older victims but only in the case of serious property crimes. Expectation of response time was most strongly related to victim satisfaction in serious (personal and property) offenses; victims who reported a faster than expected response time were more likely to be satisfied than those who reported a slower than expected response time. When there was a high degree of investigative effort, victims in both property-crime categories were more likely to be satisfied than when the effort was minimal. Police professionalism had the greatest effect on victim satisfaction; a high degree of professionalism was positively related with satisfaction for all crime types. The findings generally show that the type of criminal victimization is an important consideration in victim evaluation research.

THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION PROCESS AND THE ROLE OF FORENSIC EVIDENCE : A REVIEW OF EMPIRICAL FINDINGS

Highlights from the major empirical studies on the criminal investigation process, and the role played by physical evidence in that process, are reviewed in light of findings from empirical studies on the effects of forensic analyses on criminal cases. The review reveals that most criminal cases do not involve the use of any physical evidence and that such evidence, even when available, is seldom seen by police detectives as having any intrinsic value. Detectives use physical evidence primarily to strengthen their position vis a vis the suspects for the purpose of clearing cases by confession. Nevertheless, some research shows that physical evidence improves clearances and convictions in burglary and robbery cases, which traditionally have low case resolution rates. Enhancement of the use and value of physical evidence to investigators, crime laboratory specialists, and others involved in criminal processing requires improved communication and collaborative efforts. Training of police and prosecutors should be particularly emphasized because they have the most to say about whether and how physical evidence is used in the investigation of criminal cases.

Detecting deception: the promise and the reality of voice stress analysis.

Within the past decade a number of so-called voice stress analyzers have been marketed for law enforcement and forensic science purposes. These devices are said to extract from the vocal spectrum a subaudible microtremor signal that is useful in detecting stress in a speakers voice; thus, it is claimed these devices have great utility as lie detectors and are as accurate as the traditional polygraph instrument. A review of the evidence now accumulated about these devices shows that the evidence for the existence of a microtremor in the voice is problematic and that the capability of these devices in detecting stress is equally questionable. Without exception, however, the scientific evidence reported to date shows that voice stress analyzers are not effective in detecting deception; none of these devices has yet been shown to yield detection rates above chance levels in controlled situations. A brief comparison of voice stress analysis and polygraphic testing as methods of lie detection is made.

The Behavioural Analysis Interview: Clarifying the Practice, Theory and Understanding of its Use and Effectiveness

The Behavioural Analysis Interview (BAI) is the only questioning method that has been developed specifically to help investigators sort those who are likely to be ‘guilty’ from those who are not. In its typical application the BAI is a pre-interrogation interview that is used to focus interrogational effort; however, it also can be used independently in order to circumscribe investigative efforts in those cases in which there is a fixed and relatively large number of ‘suspects’. In this paper an overview of the BAI process is provided and the findings and limitations of the extant bodies of field and laboratory research on the BAI are discussed. The paper concludes with suggestions to guide future research on the BAI.

A Content Analysis of Textbooks on Criminal Investigation: An Evaluative Comparison to Empirical Research Findings on the Investigative Process and the Role of Forensic Evidence

A content analysis of textbooks on criminal investigation was carried out to determine the degree to which their coverage corresponded to empirical findings on the investigative process and the role of forensic evidence. The results showed that the texts overemphasize forensic evidence relative to its actual use. They underemphasize the role of patrol officers, detective post-arrest activities and the importance of interpersonal communication in investigations. Moreover, the texts are virtually silent on a number of key points such as detective evidence collection activities and how detectives use and give meaning to physical evidence. An analysis of material in newer texts, those available after research findings became widely known, showed little changed in emphasis from older volumes. The findings are discussed in relation to training needs for those in the justice system who collect, use and make practical and policy decisions about forensic evidence and investigative outcomes.

A national survey of comparative criminal justice courses in universities in the United States

In recent years there has been growing interest in comparative/international criminal justice issues. Consequently, a number of scholars and professional organizations have encouraged course offerings in these areas. In this article, results are reported from a national survey carried out to determine the prevalence of courses addressing comparative criminal justice and the course content, structure and the characteristics of faculty who teach them. A questionnaire was mailed to 381 heads of four-year criminal justice programs in the United States; 169 (44%) usable returns were received from four-year institutions. The results indicated that 58 (34%) of the criminal justice programs provide some comparative/international courses. Faculty who are actively involved in these are usually at the upper ranks and have primary interests in England and Japan. Analysis of course content revealed that most emphasize writing skills and critical thinking about comparative issues, and that there appears to be a developing consensus on certain core concepts involved in the teaching of such topics.

Review of: Lizzie Didn't Do It

The title of this volume is, of course, a dead give away. Lizzie Borden, accused of and tried for the gruesome “axe” murder of her mother and father, is, in fact, innocent. Even though she was legally acquitted of the two murders, there was and still is considerable speculation about her true status. This, even though the murders were committed in 1892. The still well-known quatrain, “Lizzie Borden took an axe …”, perhaps reveals more than anything else that this is a case—and a police investigation—that endures in the annals of crime.

Range of Fire Estimates from Shotgun Pellet Patterns: The Effect of Shell and Barrel Temperature

The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of range-of-fire estimates in shotgun pellet patterns at fixed intervals. It was also of interest to investigate the effect of barrel and shell temperature changes on the diameter of pellet patterns. One hundred shots were fired from a .12 gauge shotgun though a series of 5 in-line paper targets positioned at 5-foot intervals between 15 and 35 feet from the muzzle. A series of confidence intervals was calculated to determine the error in range-of-fire estimates. Statistical analysis of the data revealed that shell but not barrel temperature significantly reduced pattern diameter.