Explain how social media and texts from the girl’s phone were used to make this determination

BCJ 3701, Criminal Investigation 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit V Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

3. Outline the process for obtaining information in a criminal investigation. 3.1 Identify various methods law enforcement can use to obtain information from the public.

Course/Unit Learning Outcomes

Learning Activity

3.1

Unit Lesson Chapter 9, pp. 236–256 Article: “Engage in Social Media for Overall Crime Prevention: Social Media

Helps Agencies Connect With Their Communities and in Some Cases Has Aided in Reducing Crime”

Unit V PowerPoint Presentation

Required Unit Resources Chapter 9: Information From the Public, Social Media, Information Networks, Digital Devices, and Other Sources, pp. 236–256 In order to access the following resource, click the link below. Perin, M. (2017, November). Engage in social media for overall crime prevention: Social media helps

agencies connect with their communities and in some cases has aided in reducing crime. Law Enforcement Technology, 44(11), 14–18. Retrieved from http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A515578854/PPCJ?u=oran95108&sid=PPCJ&xid=556049a8

Unit Lesson Many investigations simply would not be able to go any further without witnesses coming forward, as in the investigation of the Boston Marathon bombing. However, not all witnesses are aware that they have valuable information about a crime. Investigators have various strategies to reach out to potential witnesses who normally would not come forward. Moreover, law enforcement agencies reach out to each other for help in the identification of perpetrators and witnesses of crimes that cross jurisdictional boundaries. Information sharing is therefore essential to the investigative process. In this unit, you will learn the various methods used to obtain crime information from the public, social media, information networks, digital devices, and other sources. Tip Lines and Television Shows Citizens may have information about criminal activities and may not even know that their observations are related to crimes. To obtain information from citizens, law enforcement agencies can use several strategies such as tip lines, television shows, and special alerts to apprehend suspects (Brandl, 2019). Tip lines are an informal and useful way for citizens to share information with law enforcement agencies through the use of phones (Brandl, 2019). Crime Stoppers is an excellent example of a tip line. For example, in Houston citizens can call 713-222-TIPS, use their mobile app, or make a report online to report persons involved in criminal activities.

UNIT V STUDY GUIDE

Gathering Information

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Law enforcement agencies also use television shows like America’s Most Wanted to broadcast facts about unsolved crimes so that the public can share information with the police. Suspects shown on television are fugitives, and the police need additional information from citizens to locate these individuals. Feel free to visit the Crime Stoppers and America’s Most Wanted websites to learn more about how many cases have been solved as a result of their work. AMBER and Code Adam Alerts What technologies can police agencies use to help people find missing children? One of these technologies is called AMBER, which stands for America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response. AMBER alerts, which you have probably seen on your mobile device, are used to broadcast information about child abductions to solicit citizens’ help in finding children swiftly and without harm. According to Brandl (2019), the following criteria must be met to initiate an AMBER alert:

 There should be proof that a child abduction has occurred.

 The originator of the AMBER alert must believe that the child is in danger.

 There should be enough trustworthy information about the specifics of the case, such as a description of the child and the automobile used in the abduction.

 The child must be 17 years old and younger.

 The child’s information must be typed into the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) National Crime Information Center as quickly as possible. This is based on the assumption that children are harmed within the first 3 hours after they are abducted.

The theory behind AMBER alerts is that children who are abducted by strangers often are harmed quickly; therefore, the public’s help is needed to quickly and safely bring an abducted child home. There are limitations to AMBER alerts (Brandl, 2019). AMBER alerts are designed for stranger abduction cases, which are infrequent. Most AMBER alert cases result in a child recovery, though the alert is not the reason for the recovery. According to Brandl (2019), AMBER alerts involving a stranger abduction are less likely to result in the recovery of the child. In cases in which there was a child recovery, only 17% were within 6 hours of the abduction (again a child is usually harmed within the first 3 hours). There are also other methods to solicit information from the public. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regularly sends “Have you seen me?” mailings of photos of missing people (Brandl, 2019). Individual police agencies will have their own “most wanted” lists that they disseminate to the public through crime alerts, media, billboards, and “Face Crook” (computer application available to inmates). What type of technology exists to help find children who are lost, but it is not known if they were abducted? Many businesses in the United States use a Code Adam alert system to locate missing children on their property (Brandl, 2019). When a Code Adam is initiated, all employees stop working and start searching for the missing child. If the child is not located after 10 minutes, a manager calls the police. Gangs Another source of information law enforcement agencies can use is gang intelligence, which is the collection of information about gangs and their criminal activities (Brandl, 2019). It is not an easy task to provide a single definition of gang intelligence because of the diverse nature of gangs. For example, some gangs have a very clear and organized chain of command, while others are very loosely organized. However, there are several common features between the different types of organizational structures such as the use of symbols, forms of communication, street organization, and involvement in crime. One type of gang is a street gang. According to the National Gang Threat Assessment released by the National Gang Intelligence Center (NGIC), street gangs are formed and operate in specific neighborhoods in the United States (Brandl, 2019). They are oriented towards violent crimes such as assault, drug trafficking, home invasions, homicide, intimidation, threats, weapons trafficking, and sex trafficking. Street gangs are becoming bolder in both their threats and actions toward law enforcement officers (Brandl, 2019). Street gangs are increasingly using technology and social media. Gangs vary by city, state, geographical region, race, or members’ country of origin. Street gang members can be identified based on clothing color, tattoos, and other things. They form hybrid gangs to avoid police scrutiny.

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Another type of gangs are outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs). According to the NGIC, OMGs are ongoing organizations of three or more people with a common interest or activity characterized by the commission of, or involvement in, a pattern of criminal conduct (Brandl, 2019). The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, Pagans, Vagos, Sons of Silence, Outlaws, Bandidos, and Mongols are the largest OMGs (Brandl, 2019). They engage primarily in violent crimes such as assault, robbery, and homicide. Based on the high involvement of gangs in violent crimes, it is important for investigators to understand the operations and workings of gangs in their communities (Brandl, 2019). Many large police departments have gang units. Gang databases are designed to compile, store, categorize, and retrieve information on suspected gang members. One example is CalGang, operated by the State of California. It contains information on tattoos, criminal activities, gang members, and associates and friends of gang members (Brandl, 2019). One issue is that it is hard to define a gang and, therefore, to say who is a gang member and what could be considered a gang-related crime. Social Media Now, many law enforcement agencies are using social media websites in their criminal investigations. Law enforcement agencies can use social media websites to broadcast information and request information from the public about crimes (Brandl, 2019). Did you know that a police officer can go undercover on a social media website to catch criminals? This can be accomplished by anonymously searching for people to gather information, creating an account under a fake name in order to obtain access to content and associations, and issuing subpoenas or warrants to gain access to private social media content (Brandl, 2019). A review of an individual’s social media account or telephone text message can also be used to determine what may have happened to a child or even an adult who goes missing without a trace. Click the link below to read an article about how social media is being used to reduce crime within communities. Perin, M. (2017, November). Engage in social media for overall crime prevention: Social media helps

agencies connect with their communities and in some cases has aided in reducing crime. Law Enforcement Technology, 44(11), 14–18. Retrieved from http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A515578854/PPCJ?u=oran95108&sid=PPCJ&xid=556049a8

Confidential Informants Confidential informants are criminals who actively assist and work for law enforcement agencies to catch other criminals (Brandl, 2019). For example, a person is arrested for the possession of drugs with the intent to sell. The police ask the arrestee to become a confidential informant to catch the person who distributed the drugs to him or her in exchange for having his or her charges reduced or dropped for successful work. Keep in mind that confidential informants are paid for their services.

If criminals realize that a person is a confidential informant, they will make sure that the person receives repercussions in the form of bodily harm for informing the police. According to Brandl (2019), there are four categories of confidential informants: Confidential informant programs are not always effective. For example, every time an investigator meets with an informant, he or she can put the informant at risk of being physically harmed.

Hammered Informant

• Individual is intimidated by police to provide information.

Mercenary Informant

• Individual is motivated by money to provide information to the police.

Vengeful Informant

• Individual is motivated by revenge against others.

Police Buff Informant

• Individual is a fan of the police and wants to obtain information for them.

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In addition, it should never be assumed that confidential informants will provide investigators with good information. In fact, confidential informants may sometimes provide the police department with bad information. Finally, confidential informants have sometimes used investigators to eliminate their criminal competitors. Click the link below to view a video that describes a case in which the FBI failed in its use of confidential informants. The transcript for this video can be found by clicking the “Transcript” tab to the right of the video in the Films on Demand database. Center for Investigative Reporting (Producer). (2006). FBI: Informants commit crimes (Segment 11) [Video

file]. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=37241&loid=50479

Reference

Brandl, S. G. (2019). Criminal investigation (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.