Researching and Analysing Intelligence Systems

When investigating a crime it is important that there is sufficient Intelligence about the case for the police to research and analyse. This intelligence is crucial is finding the perpetrator of the crime, as any information could lead the police to them. An example of the intelligence would be when investigating a crime scene, determining the manner in which the crime has been committed, or the time of death. If the time of death can be established, either based on the breaking of a watch or a confirmed sighting just beforehand, then we can narrow down the suspects to those without an alibi at that point in time. Another line of intelligence which can be researched is to why the crime was committed; for example if the property of the victim has been clearly robbed, then the crime is likely to be a robbery gone wrong.

One of the most important pieces of intelligence that can be determined is the statistics on crime within the area that the crime has been committed, as these could lead to a strong investigation lead. For example, if there has been a number of gang crimes in the area in which the crime was committed, and the victim has been killed in a similar manner to the others killed by the gang, then the gang are certainly worth investigating.

Another aspect of this part of the investigation is psychological profiling, which can be done by analysing the crime and gaining a profile of the culprit based on their action during the crime, a criminal profiler can look at the number of stab wounds a victim received and determine whether the assailant knew the victim or not, and therefore narrow down the suspect list significantly. 

This stage of the investigation can in some cases lead to finding the culprit for the crime being investigated, as the analysis of the intelligence could lead directly to a specific suspect, especially concerning criminal profiling, as the technique can be very precise. 


OJ Simpson Case


While investigating the murders of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman, it became clear that these murders were not a robbery gone wrong, as the door showed no sign of forced entry, and there was nothing missing from the house. Not only was there nothing missing but based on the pathology reports, these murders appeared to be very personal. Nicole Brown Simpson was stabbed more than 10 times, many after she had already died. She also had a number of defense wounds, though not as many as would be expected, as the pathology report shows that she suffered a potentially concussing blow to the head before being fatally stabbed in the neck, a wound which cut all the way to the bone. Alongside all of these wound, she suffered a stab wound to the top of her cranium. Ron Goldman was also killed by a stab wound to the neck, however was then in tern stabbed multiple times in the chest, back, face and thigh. There was also evidence of defensive wounds to the scalp, hands and arms.
Based on the clear 'overkill' of these crimes, there is an indication than these crimes were highly personal, according to the criminal profiles working on the case. 

This intelligence was researched and analysed, producing the information that OJ Simpson was known for being very jealous, and vicious; proven by his repeated beating of Nicole. He also obviously knew Nicole accounting for the clear personal nature of the murder. 

This stage of the investigation led to the arrest of OJ Simpson, therefore making this stage a very effective part of this investigation; however the information was provided poorly within the courtroom, therefore leading to the acquittal of Simpson.