CRJ320 Criminal Investigation - Homicide Investigations

Homicide Investigations

CRJ-320 Criminal Investigation

you must analyze a closed homicide case in your community or as close to your community as possible. You should have selected a case from Nexis Uni in the Assignment Preparation activity last week. If you have not completed that activity, go back and complete it before continuing with this assignment. 

In 3–4 pages, summarize the investigation into your selected case. Your analysis should:

• Describe the circumstances surrounding the case.
• Summarize the key factors that may have been used to classify the type of death and the finding.
  • Analyze the ways that various environmental factors may have influenced the medical examination and autopsy in this investigation.
• Identify the forensic methods that were reported in the investigation and their findings.
  • This may include methods like DNA, toxicology, hair and fiber evidence, fingerprints, or any other methods which contributed to the investigation. 
• Recommend one way that the investigators or forensic team could have strengthened their case based on your understanding of it.
• Cite three references.
  • One of your references will be the case record that you found from Nexis Uni.
•  Determine the procedures for conducting a preliminary death investigation 

Part one: Classification of Homicides

Homicide is best described as the killing of one person by another through both legal and non-legal means. They are more or less treated the same as murder and manslaughter

Classification of Homicides           Definition            Example

Murder (First, Second, or Third Degree)                Murder is pre-planned, and execution of killing of a person by another.                Plotting a plan and killing your enemy

Manslaughter (Voluntary or Involuntary)              Unintended killing of a person through influence or reckless actions.     A drunk driver running over a pedestrian and killing them, it is a crime but was not intended or planned 

Noncriminal (Non-Felonious)     This is justified murder, one that can be excused in the court of law       Represented when someone is killed by police officers in pursuit of a criminal

Excusable Homicide        Are also justified killings with the killer no having intent of murder          An example is when someone kills out of self defense

Justifiable Homicide        These are instances in which killing is considered lawful.               Example is when someone is killed by accident.