Approaches to Criminal Investigative Analysis

The goal of criminal investigative analysis is to arrive at the most reasonable answer to a given question. How that answer is obtained can vary from looking at a group of individuals with similar characteristics to determine how one individual in the group will act to using past experiences, intuition, and subjective data. Any given conclusion is only as accurate as the process itself. Each conclusion is directly affected by such things as the validity and nature of the information, the approach utilized, and personal/process biases. An understanding of the limitations of the process is as important as understanding the goals of the process. This week, you analyze the goals and limitations of different investigative approaches and apply those approaches by assisting in a missing person’s case. Learning Objectives Students will: Analyze goals and limitations of the criminal investigative analysis process Differentiate clinical from actuarial approaches Apply investigative approaches to a criminal case Recommend strategies for solving a crime using investigative approaches