Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The strategies of novice and expert crime scene examiners were compared in searching crime scenes.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have demonstrated that experts frame a scene through reconstructing the likely actions of a criminal and use contextual cues to develop hypotheses that guide subsequent search for evidence.
METHOD
Novice (first-year undergraduate students of forensic sciences) and expert (experienced crime scene examiners) examined two "simulated" crime scenes. Performance was captured through a combination of concurrent verbal protocol and own-point recording, using head-mounted cameras.
RESULTS
Although both groups paid attention to the likely modus operandi of the perpetrator (in terms of possible actions taken), the novices paid more attention to individual objects, whereas the experts paid more attention to objects with "evidential value." Novices explore the scene in terms of the objects that it contains, whereas experts consider the evidence analysis that can be performed as a consequence of the examination.
CONCLUSION
The suggestion is that the novices are putting effort into detailing the scene in terms of its features, whereas the experts are putting effort into the likely actions that can be performed as a consequence of the examination.
APPLICATION
The findings have helped in developing the expertise of novice crime scene examiners and approaches to training of expertise within this population.

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Aggregator Full Text

Authors

Baber C, Butler M

Institution

School of Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom. c.baber@bham.ac.uk

Source

Human factors 54:3 2012 Jun pg 413-24

MeSH

Adult
Crime
Criminology
Cues
Female
Humans
Male
Professional Competence

Pub Type(s)

Comparative Study
Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22768643