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Criminal Investigation
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Criminal Investigation

Fifth Edition
Available with:


January 2021 | 576 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
Criminal Investigation, Fifth Edition offers a comprehensive and engaging examination of the criminal investigation process and the vital role criminal evidence plays. Written in a straightforward manner, the text focuses on the five critical areas essential to understanding criminal investigations: background and contextual issues, criminal evidence, legal procedures, evidence collection procedures, and forensic science. In the new edition of this bestseller, author Steve Brandl goes beyond a simple how-to on investigative procedures and draws from fascinating modern research, actual investigative cases, and real crime scene photos to give students practical insights into the field of criminal investigation today.

This title is accompanied by a complete teaching and learning package. Contact your SAGE representative to request a demo.
  • Digital Option / Courseware
    SAGE Vantage is an intuitive digital platform that delivers this text’s content and course materials in a learning experience that offers auto-graded assignments and interactive multimedia tools, all carefully designed to ignite student engagement and drive critical thinking. Built with you and your students in mind, it offers simple course set-up and enables students to better prepare for class.
    • Assignable Video with Assessment
      Assignable video (available with SAGE Vantage) is tied to learning objectives and curated exclusively for this text to bring concepts to life. Watch a sample video now.

  • LMS Cartridge: Import this title’s instructor resources into your school’s learning management system (LMS) and save time. Don’t use an LMS? You can still access all of the same online resources for this title via the password-protected Instructor Resource Site. Learn more.

 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Author
 
Chapter 1. THE INVESTIGATION OF CRIME
Criminal Investigation, Criminal Evidence, and Forensic Science Defined

 
Types of Criminal Investigations

 
Perspectives on the Criminal Investigation Process

 
Mental Mistakes in Criminal Investigations

 
Criminal Investigation and the Criminal Justice System

 
 
Chapter 2. THE HISTORY OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
The Evolution of the Investigative Task: English Developments

 
American Developments: The First Police Departments and Detectives

 
American Developments: The Rise of the Professional Police Detective

 
American Developments: Community Support, Science, and Criminal Investigations

 
 
Chapter 3. THE ROLE AND DOCUMENTATION OF EVIDENCE IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS
The Basics of Criminal Evidence

 
Types of Evidence

 
The Functions of Evidence

 
Documenting Evidence: The Value and Importance of Investigative Reports

 
 
Chapter 4. THE LAW AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS
Basic Legal Terminology

 
The Rules and Admissibility of Evidence

 
Constitutional Requirements for the Collection of Evidence: Search and Seizure

 
Constitutional Requirements for the Collection of Evidence: The Exclusionary Rule

 
Constitutional Requirements for the Collection of Evidence: Self-Incrimination

 
 
Chapter 5. THE CRIME SCENE, FORENSIC EVIDENCE, AND DNA
The Role of Physical Evidence in Criminal Investigations

 
The Crime Scene and Its Management

 
DNA

 
The Collection of DNA

 
The Science of DNA

 
The Applications of DNA in Criminal Investigations

 
Biological Evidence and DNA

 
Other Types of Forensic Evidence

 
The Role of Crime Laboratories in Criminal Investigations

 
 
Chapter 6. INTERVIEWS AND EYEWITNESS IDENTIFICATIONS
Investigative Interviews

 
Eyewitness Identifications as Evidence

 
The Memory Process and the Identification Task

 
Guidelines for the Collection of Eyewitness Evidence

 
Investigative Tools in Interviewing

 
 
Chapter 7. INTERROGATIONS AND CONFESSIONS
Investigative Interrogations

 
Prerequisites for Productive Interrogations

 
Approaches to Investigative Interrogations Explained

 
Police Deception in Reid Technique Interrogations

 
Why Do Suspects Confess, or Falsely Confess?

 
Investigative Tools in Recognizing Suspects’ Deception

 
 
Chapter 8. BEHAVIORAL EVIDENCE AND CRIME ANALYSIS
Behavioral Evidence Analysis and Criminal Profiling Defined

 
Criminal Profiling: The Basics

 
Criminal Profiling: The Details

 
Geographic Profiling

 
Psycholinguistics

 
Crime Analysis

 
 
Chapter 9. DIGITAL EVIDENCE
Digital Evidence Defined

 
Evidence From Smartphones

 
Evidence From Other Electronic Devices

 
Issues in the Collection of Digital Evidence

 
 
Chapter 10. INFORMATION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, THE PUBLIC, VIDEO, INFORMATION NETWORKS, AND OTHER SOURCES
Information From the Public in Criminal Investigations

 
Video as Evidence in Criminal Investigations

 
Social Media as a Source of Evidence in Criminal Investigations

 
Confidential Informants as a Source of Evidence in Criminal Investigations

 
Gang Intelligence in Criminal Investigations

 
Electronic Networks as a Source of Evidence in Criminal Investigations

 
Psychics

 
 
Chapter 11. DEATH INVESTIGATION
Issues in the Investigation of Death: Manner of Death

 
Patterns and Characteristics of Homicide

 
Investigative Considerations With Death and Homicide

 
Major Challenges in Homicide Investigations

 
 
Chapter 12. THE INVESTIGATION OF SEX CRIMES, ASSAULT, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND CHILD ABUSE
Varieties and Characteristics of Rape and Other Sexual Assaults

 
Investigative Considerations With Rape and Other Sexual Assaults

 
Varieties and Characteristics of Other Assaults

 
Investigative Considerations With Other Assaults

 
Domestic Violence and Child Abuse

 
 
Chapter 13. THE INVESTIGATION OF ROBBERY
Varieties and Characteristics of Robbery

 
Eyewitness Identifications, Alarms, and Video Evidence

 
Modus Operandi

 
Physical and Digital Evidence

 
Other Evidence in Robbery Investigations

 
 
Chapter 14. THE INVESTIGATION OF BURGLARY, VEHICLE THEFT, ARSON, AND OTHER PROPERTY CRIMES
The Investigation of Burglary

 
Sources of Evidence in Burglary Investigations

 
The Investigation of Arson

 
The Investigation of Larceny

 
 
Chapter 15. THE INVESTIGATION OF FRAUD AND CYBERCRIME
Fraud and Its Investigation

 
Identity Theft

 
Check and Credit/Debit Card Fraud

 
Telephone Scams

 
Prescription Drug Fraud

 
Varieties of Cybercrimes and Their Investigation

 
Child Pornography

 
 
Chapter 16. THE PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCE
The Adversarial Process

 
Errors in Justice Outcomes

 
The Value and Importance of Investigative Testimony

 
The Cross-Examination

 
 
Chapter 17. TERRORISM, TECHNOLOGY, AND THE FUTURE OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
Varieties and Characteristics of Terrorism

 
Technology as a Demand on Law Enforcement

 
A New Approach to Criminal Investigations: Intelligence-Led Policing

 
The New Technology of Criminal Investigation

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Supplements

Instructor Resource Site

edge.sagepub.com/brandlci5e

For additional information, custom options, or to request a personalized walkthrough of these resources, please contact your sales representative.

LMS cartridge included with this title for use in Blackboard, Canvas, Brightspace by Desire2Learn (D2L), and Moodle

The LMS cartridge makes it easy to import this title’s instructor resources into your learning management system (LMS). These resources include:

  • Test banks
  • Editable chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides
  • Sample course syllabi
  • Lecture notes
  • All tables and figures from the textbook 
Don’t use an LMS platform?

You can still access all of the same online resources for this title via the password-protected Instructor Resource Site.

The open-access Student Study Site makes it easy for students to maximize their study time, anywhere, anytime. It offers flashcards that strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts, as well as learning objectives that reinforce the most important material.
Student Study Site
edge.sagepub.com/brandlci5e

The open-access Student Study Site makes it easy for students to maximize their study time, anywhere, anytime. It offers flashcards that strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts, as well as learning objectives that reinforce the most important material.

change of text from prior professor

Philip Smith
Criminal Justice Dept, PennWest Univ California
January 3, 2024

Were using prior edition so kept the new one

Professor Gary Will
Criminal Justice, Waldorf University
February 15, 2023

LOVE LOVE LOVE the online syncing of grades to Canvas and the video and knowledge checks!

Mrs Kimberly Brewster
Criminal Justice Dept, Valencia Cmty College-East
September 7, 2021

Outstanding textbook, updated, with excellent cases presentations, good definitions, easy to follow explanations, great statistical analysis, and "superb" thought provoking questions presented, glossary very good.

A resource students should retain as future criminal investigators. Wealth of knowledge contained in the textbook to prepare the student for future courtroom testimony as a lead case investigator.

James Acquarelli
Industry/Technology Division, El Camino College
October 4, 2021
Key features

NEW TO THIS EDITION:

  • The new edition is available as a digital option through SAGE Vantage, an intuitive digital platform that offers auto-graded assignments and interactive multimedia tools—including video—all designed to enable students to better prepare for class.
  • Analyze the Evidence video activities (Available only through Vantage) give criminal investigation students the opportunity to put what they've learned into practice by analyzing actual crime scene photos in an interactive video format.
  • A new chapter on evidence from electronic devices (Chapter 9) defines what is considered as digital evidence and explores evidence from smartphones and other electronic devices.
  • A new capstone case is provided in the appendix. This case allows students to apply what they have learned throughout the book to an actual investigation.
  • Seven new “From the Case File” chapter introductions and 14 new in-chapter “Case-in-Point” investigative case examples make it easier for students to connect the content to the real world.
  • More than 75 new photos, most of which are case photos from actual investigations, illustrate key concepts to help keep students engaged with the content.
  • New and updated statistical information, research findings, investigative procedures, and legal cases ensure students are learning about the most current research in the field.
KEY FEATURES:
  • A focus on evidence in criminal investigations provides increased coverage on the role and function of evidence, the collection of evidence, and legal procedures as they relate to evidence collection.
  • In-depth discussions on important topics: limitations of scientific evidence, the impact of the exclusionary rule, the use of social media in investigations, the effectiveness of the polygraph, the theory and effectiveness of psychological profiling, the complexities of false confessions and false convictions, the effectiveness of AMBER Alerts, crime pattern analysis and mapping, and the methods and motivations of offenders.
  • A multitude of case examples are provided in order to illustrate key points and as a basis for discussion about the proper conduct of criminal investigations.    
  • A comprehensive capstone case is presented in the appendix for students to analyze and apply the knowledge gained throughout the course.
  • Findings from contemporary research offer new insights on topics such as eyewitness identifications and human memory to help current and future investigators identify and recommend best practices and procedures in criminal investigations.
  • “From the Case File” case studies at the beginning of each chapter describe actual investigations as they were conducted.
  • At the conclusion of each case study are “Case Considerations and Points for Discussion” to help students apply the material.  
  • “Myths and Misconceptions” features directly address some of the false information that is provided by the media and other representations of criminal investigations
  • “A Question of Ethics” feature  requires students to think about the importance of ethical conduct in criminal investigations
  • Learning Objectives are presented at the beginning of each chapter to help students see the goals for what they will be studying
  • Full-color original photos of actual crime scenes bring students closer to real-life criminal investigations and investigative techniques.
Vantage Reference: 
Criminal Investigation - Vantage Learning Platform

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