Assess the usefulness of investigative techniques in criminal investigations.
Surveillance techniques: The meaning of surveillance is being able to watch someone or
something from afar. Surveillance is commonly used for observation and monitoring for
criminal investigations to gather information to pursue an investigation.
Closed Circuit TV (CCTV): is useful for investigating crimes as it allows investigators to see a
permanent image of the crime and suspects. Modern, state-of-the-art technology allows
suspects to be traced by movement. This has a significant impact on criminal investigations.
CCTV is used every single day in everyday life; it's along streets, in shops and on public
transport. The average person is captured up to 70 times per day on CCTV cameras, this
shows how effective the use of CCTV can be on the public.
Strengths and weaknesses of CCTV: There are many strengths of using CCTV one strength
being that it’s usually the first thing that is looked for in an investigation as it is useful to
identify suspects and their whereabouts. A second strength is that CCTV can be used as a
deterrent, meaning that when individuals can see that there is a camera watching them,
they are less likely to commit offences. Additionally, a last strength of CCTV is that it can be
significantly effective in areas where crime is frequently happening as soon as people notice
that they are potentially being caught on CCTV they are less likely to commit crimes. On the
other hand, there are weaknesses of using CCTV. One weakness being that individuals can
be hard to identify on CCTV for example, if they are covered by hoods or masks they are
unable to be identified which limits an investigation. A second weakness is that CCTV is often
vandalised as people cover the camera and hit the cameras causing them to fall. For
example, in 2016 a riot at High Down prison a prisoner covered the CCTV camera and
proceeded to threaten police officers. Furthermore, a last weakness of CCTV is that
whoever owns the cameras can delete footage purposely or by accident. For example, if
your involved in a robbery outside of your own shop with CCTV you can delete that footage,
so it is unable to be given in evidence.
Which criminal investigations is CCTV useful for?
CCTV is useful for solving crimes like robbery in busy areas like towns and cities. This is
because cities and towns are covered by CCTV cameras making it hard to avoid being caught
on a camera. This makes it extremely useful for criminal investigations as suspects can
usually be identified by a CCTV camera. A second crime that CCTV is useful for is shoplifting.
This is also based on the fact that the majority of shops have CCTV cameras inside and
outside of the shops, making it hard to not be seen on a camera. However, this does not
stop criminals completely, individuals wearing masks and hoods are hard to identify.
Case study to effectiveness of CCTV: A case study that can be used to support the use of
CCTV is the case of Jamie Bulger. Jamie Bulger was a two-year-old young boy who was
brutally murdered by two 10-year-old boys – Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. The
abducted him from his mother, tortured and beat him to death before tying him to railway
tracks. Bulger was dropped on his head, punched, kicked and when his body was found he
, had been stripped from the waist down and was covered in paint. Jon Venables and Robert
Thompson were both found guilty of the murder or Jamie Bulger in November 1993. CCTV
captured Venables and Thompson at Bootles Strand Centre at the time Jamie was abducted
from his mother in a shop. CCTV pictures were released by the police so the public could
appeal if they had seen Jamie Bulger. The also released a photo of Jamie holding the hands
of Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. CCTV also allowed the police to release what Jamie
Bulger was wearing at the time to help with the investigation.
Case study that shows ineffectiveness off CCTV:
A case that shows the ineffectiveness is the riots at High Down prison in 2016. A prisoner
covered the CCTV camera at the prison then proceeded to hold a police officer hostage with
a razor blade. This is an example to show how CCTV can be ineffective within criminal
investigations.
Covert Surveillance: is pre-planned surveillance on a suspect often observing an individual
without them knowing. It is extremely intelligent and can be used to gasp into suspects
phones and even befriend a suspect to gather information about a crime for a criminal
investigation.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Covert surveillance: There are many strengths of using Covert
surveillance to investigate crime. One strength being that it is a planned process, this allows
a more controlled and strategic approach for monitoring criminal behaviour. This leads to an
effective and less intrusive way of gathering information. A second strength is that it has
privacy protection meaning that it operated in a way that avoids discovery and protects the
privacy of people being monitored. This can be crucial in cases that are extremely sensitive
or if it involves public figures etc. A last strength is that Covert surveillance is extremely
flexible, this is useful as it allows it to be adapted to various circumstances. However, there
are weaknesses alongside Covert surveillance. One weakness of Covert surveillance is that it
is argued that it is unethical. Civil liberty organisations argue that covert surveillance is
unethical as it uses false identity to involve yourself in a certain individual's life to receive
information. Additionally, a second weakness is that it has been highly criticised due to
certain situations. One example of this being that undercover police officers have used
names of dead babies for false identity which is awful for parents to find out. A last
weakness of Covert Surveillance is that undercover police officers have gone too far which
has resulted in undercover police officers having sexual relationships with a person being
observed. This is highly inappropriate. A case that shows the ineffectiveness and weaknesses
of covert surveillance is Kate Wilson v The Commissioner of Police
Case study to show the effectiveness of Covert surveillance: A case study that can be used
to support the use of Covert surveillance is the case of Rhys Jones. In August 2007 11-year-
old Rhys Jones was shot and killed in Liverpool while he was walking home from football. 16-
year-old Sean Mercer was found guilty of the murder of Rhys Jones. He was sentenced to life
in prison serving a minimum of 22 years. Covert Surveillance was used by Merseyside police
Surveillance techniques: The meaning of surveillance is being able to watch someone or
something from afar. Surveillance is commonly used for observation and monitoring for
criminal investigations to gather information to pursue an investigation.
Closed Circuit TV (CCTV): is useful for investigating crimes as it allows investigators to see a
permanent image of the crime and suspects. Modern, state-of-the-art technology allows
suspects to be traced by movement. This has a significant impact on criminal investigations.
CCTV is used every single day in everyday life; it's along streets, in shops and on public
transport. The average person is captured up to 70 times per day on CCTV cameras, this
shows how effective the use of CCTV can be on the public.
Strengths and weaknesses of CCTV: There are many strengths of using CCTV one strength
being that it’s usually the first thing that is looked for in an investigation as it is useful to
identify suspects and their whereabouts. A second strength is that CCTV can be used as a
deterrent, meaning that when individuals can see that there is a camera watching them,
they are less likely to commit offences. Additionally, a last strength of CCTV is that it can be
significantly effective in areas where crime is frequently happening as soon as people notice
that they are potentially being caught on CCTV they are less likely to commit crimes. On the
other hand, there are weaknesses of using CCTV. One weakness being that individuals can
be hard to identify on CCTV for example, if they are covered by hoods or masks they are
unable to be identified which limits an investigation. A second weakness is that CCTV is often
vandalised as people cover the camera and hit the cameras causing them to fall. For
example, in 2016 a riot at High Down prison a prisoner covered the CCTV camera and
proceeded to threaten police officers. Furthermore, a last weakness of CCTV is that
whoever owns the cameras can delete footage purposely or by accident. For example, if
your involved in a robbery outside of your own shop with CCTV you can delete that footage,
so it is unable to be given in evidence.
Which criminal investigations is CCTV useful for?
CCTV is useful for solving crimes like robbery in busy areas like towns and cities. This is
because cities and towns are covered by CCTV cameras making it hard to avoid being caught
on a camera. This makes it extremely useful for criminal investigations as suspects can
usually be identified by a CCTV camera. A second crime that CCTV is useful for is shoplifting.
This is also based on the fact that the majority of shops have CCTV cameras inside and
outside of the shops, making it hard to not be seen on a camera. However, this does not
stop criminals completely, individuals wearing masks and hoods are hard to identify.
Case study to effectiveness of CCTV: A case study that can be used to support the use of
CCTV is the case of Jamie Bulger. Jamie Bulger was a two-year-old young boy who was
brutally murdered by two 10-year-old boys – Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. The
abducted him from his mother, tortured and beat him to death before tying him to railway
tracks. Bulger was dropped on his head, punched, kicked and when his body was found he
, had been stripped from the waist down and was covered in paint. Jon Venables and Robert
Thompson were both found guilty of the murder or Jamie Bulger in November 1993. CCTV
captured Venables and Thompson at Bootles Strand Centre at the time Jamie was abducted
from his mother in a shop. CCTV pictures were released by the police so the public could
appeal if they had seen Jamie Bulger. The also released a photo of Jamie holding the hands
of Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. CCTV also allowed the police to release what Jamie
Bulger was wearing at the time to help with the investigation.
Case study that shows ineffectiveness off CCTV:
A case that shows the ineffectiveness is the riots at High Down prison in 2016. A prisoner
covered the CCTV camera at the prison then proceeded to hold a police officer hostage with
a razor blade. This is an example to show how CCTV can be ineffective within criminal
investigations.
Covert Surveillance: is pre-planned surveillance on a suspect often observing an individual
without them knowing. It is extremely intelligent and can be used to gasp into suspects
phones and even befriend a suspect to gather information about a crime for a criminal
investigation.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Covert surveillance: There are many strengths of using Covert
surveillance to investigate crime. One strength being that it is a planned process, this allows
a more controlled and strategic approach for monitoring criminal behaviour. This leads to an
effective and less intrusive way of gathering information. A second strength is that it has
privacy protection meaning that it operated in a way that avoids discovery and protects the
privacy of people being monitored. This can be crucial in cases that are extremely sensitive
or if it involves public figures etc. A last strength is that Covert surveillance is extremely
flexible, this is useful as it allows it to be adapted to various circumstances. However, there
are weaknesses alongside Covert surveillance. One weakness of Covert surveillance is that it
is argued that it is unethical. Civil liberty organisations argue that covert surveillance is
unethical as it uses false identity to involve yourself in a certain individual's life to receive
information. Additionally, a second weakness is that it has been highly criticised due to
certain situations. One example of this being that undercover police officers have used
names of dead babies for false identity which is awful for parents to find out. A last
weakness of Covert Surveillance is that undercover police officers have gone too far which
has resulted in undercover police officers having sexual relationships with a person being
observed. This is highly inappropriate. A case that shows the ineffectiveness and weaknesses
of covert surveillance is Kate Wilson v The Commissioner of Police
Case study to show the effectiveness of Covert surveillance: A case study that can be used
to support the use of Covert surveillance is the case of Rhys Jones. In August 2007 11-year-
old Rhys Jones was shot and killed in Liverpool while he was walking home from football. 16-
year-old Sean Mercer was found guilty of the murder of Rhys Jones. He was sentenced to life
in prison serving a minimum of 22 years. Covert Surveillance was used by Merseyside police
