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Writing a Victimology Report

In: Other Topics

Submitted By bigwhite61
Words 986
Pages 4
Its never easy on anyone when the call is made that somebody has been murdered. For one, the family is mourning over the loss of a relative. But what not many people actually think about is the hard work and process of locating the suspect. An investigator's job is very difficult, trying to find individuals willing to cooperate and give important information and learning everything about the victim would have to be some of the toughest parts of the job. Even if there is a suspect that is captured, there is still work to be done. Some would assume that the presence or proof against a suspect about the crime would be sufficient to prosecute them for the crime, however this is usually wrong. The investigators job isn't done after acquiring evidence against the suspect, a thorough report, known as the Victimology report, must be written with every detail possible about the victim.
A vast amount of times while investigating a homicide, the investigator must first be able to identify the victim and provide his basic characteristics such as age, ethnicity and general state of health. Any scars or tattoos should be noted with their origins, this could point to any gang affiliation or something that could raise a red flag. After this task is complete, though sometimes very difficult, they move on to tracing the last steps of the victim, focusing on who the last person to see and speak with them were. In many cases, the last person to be seen with the victim, has something to do with the crime that occurred. This information can help investigators reach a possible time of death which can shorten the list of potential suspects. If the crime that occurred took place in a crowded area or at a special event, then there should be multiple witnesses who can explain what happened. In cases like these, figuring out what the victims recent activities were would be easy to retrieve

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