title: The polymorphism of crime scene investigation: An exploratory analysis of the influence of crime and forensic intelligence on decisions made by crime scene examiners.
abstract: A growing body of scientific literature recurrently indicates that crime and forensic intelligence influence how crime scene investigators make decisions in their practices. This study scrutinises further this intelligence-led crime scene examination view. It analyses results obtained from two questionnaires. Data have been collected from nine chiefs of Intelligence Units (IUs) and 73 Crime Scene Examiners (CSEs) working in forensic science units (FSUs) in the French speaking part of Switzerland (six cantonal police agencies). Four salient elements emerged: (1) the actual existence of communication channels between IUs and FSUs across the police agencies under consideration; (2) most CSEs take into account crime intelligence disseminated; (3) a differentiated, but significant use by CSEs in their daily practice of this kind of intelligence; (4) a probable deep influence of this kind of intelligence on the most concerned CSEs, specially in the selection of the type of material/trace to detect, collect, analyse and exploit. These results contribute to decipher the subtle dialectic articulating crime intelligence and crime scene investigation, and to express further the polymorph role of CSEs, beyond their most recognised input to the justice system. Indeed, they appear to be central, but implicit, stakeholders in intelligence-led style of policing.
authors.affiliation: Ecole des sciences criminelles, Faculty of Law, Criminal Justice, and Public Administration, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Resnikoff
authors.affiliation: Ecole des sciences criminelles, Faculty of Law, Criminal Justice, and Public Administration, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: olivier.ribaux@unil.ch.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ribaux
authors.affiliation: Ecole des sciences criminelles, Faculty of Law, Criminal Justice, and Public Administration, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Amélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baylon
authors.affiliation: Ecole des sciences criminelles, Faculty of Law, Criminal Justice, and Public Administration, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Manon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jendly
authors.affiliation: Ecole des sciences criminelles, Faculty of Law, Criminal Justice, and Public Administration, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Quentin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Rossy
keywords: Crime analysis; Crime scene investigation; Forensic intelligence; Intelligence-led policing; Repetitive crimes; Scene of crime officers