Crime Classification Manual Introduction 9

A STANDARD SYSTEM FOR INVESTIGATING AND CLASSIFYING VIOLENT CRIMES

SECOND EDITION

 

John E. Douglas, Ann W. Burgess, Allen G. Burgess, and Robert K. Ressler,

Editors

 

 

How Many Offenders? The answer to this question will help the investiga- tor determine whether to place the offense into the criminal enterprise cate- gory or the group cause category. The motive in criminal enterprise murders is for profit. The motive in group cause is based on ideology. The offenses included in both groupings involve multiple offenders.

 

Organized or Disorganized, Physical Evidence, and Weapon. The gen- eral condition of the crime scene is important in classifying a crime. Is it like a group excitement killing: spontaneous and disarrayed with a great deal of physical evidence at the scene? Or does the crime scene reflect a methodi- cal, well-organized subject who did not leave a single print or piece of phys- ical evidence behind? The latter may be seen with an organized crime hit, as in the criminal competition category.

The amount of organization or disorganization at the crime scene will tell much about the offender’s level of criminal sophistication. It will also demonstrate how well the offender was able to control the victim and how much premeditation was involved with the crime. It should be emphasized that the crime scene will rarely be completely organized or disorganized. It is more likely to be somewhere on a continuum between the two extremes of the orderly, neat crime scene and the disarrayed, sloppy one.

Another aspect of crime scene examination concerns the weapon. Ques- tions the investigator needs to answer about the weapon include the follow- ing: Was it a weapon of choice, brought to the crime scene by the offender? Or was it a weapon of opportunity acquired at the scene? (With arson, did the fire start from materials at hand, or did the offender bring accelerants to the scene?) Is the weapon absent from the crime scene, or has it been left be- hind? Was there evidence of multiple weapons and ammunition? Multiple weaponry does not always signify multiple offenders. Authority killing and nonspecific motive killing are examples of offenses that often involve the use of multiple firearms and ammunition by a lone offender.

Body Disposition. Was the body openly displayed or otherwise placed in a deliberate manner to ensure discovery? Or was the body concealed or buried to prevent discovery? Did the offender seem to have no concern as to whether the body would be discovered? These are some questions whose an- swers will aid the classification of a homicide. Certain homicides (disorgan- ized sexual homicide, for example) may involve the intentional arranging of the body in an unnatural or unusual position. In some homicides, like cult murder or drug murder, the body may be left in a degrading position or in a location to convey a message.

Items Left or Missing. The addition or absence of items at the crime scene often assists the investigator in classifying the offense. The presence of un- usual artifacts, drawings, graffiti, or other items may be seen with offenses such as extremist murder or street gang murder. Offender communication (such as a ransom demand or extortion note) frequently is associated with the crime scene of a kidnap murder or product tampering.

Items taken from the scene as a crime scene indicator is found in felony murder, breaking and entering, arson for crime concealment, and felony sex- ual assault. A victim’s personal belongings may be taken from the scene of a sexual homicide. These so-called souvenirs (photos, a driver’s license, or costume jewelry, for example, all belonging to victim) often may not be monetarily valuable.

 

Other Crime Scene Indicators. There are other crime scene indicators common to certain offenses that help investigators classify crimes and motives. Examples are wounded victims, no escape plan, and the probabil- ity of witnesses. The nature of the confrontation between the victim and of- fender is also important in determining the motive and classification. How did the offender control the victim? Are restraints present at the scene, or did the offender immediately blitz and incapacitate the victim?

 

Staging

Staging is the purposeful alteration of a crime scene. For example, clothing on a victim may be arranged to make it appear to be a sexual assault. The de- tection and characteristics of staging are covered in Chapter Two.