Contemporary case handling

Contemporary case handling

1. In 1990's, New public management- focus on central government to be ruling at a distance, responsibility in the hands of local levels, steering individuals through targets, performance measurements, competitions, league tables, best value, financial.

   • in 2000, the Volume Crime Management (VCMM) became standard. VCMM being a crime management unit which handles calls, initial scene attendance, crime screening, foresnics, suspect handling and evidence review. Now there has been a move to have interforce specialist teams, rather than teams which covered an array of force areas.
     • National criminal intelligence unit and the national crime squad where both incorporated in the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) in 2005- New hybrid policing and intelligence agency. International and national level.

2. Before PACE (police and criminal evidence act, 1984, officers often managed to get offenders to admit to other offences, therefore increasing the clear up ratte- 40% of which were property crimes by this 'Taken into consideration manner'.

   • However PACE (1984) made this much harder to use manipulation and dubious ways of getting the offenders to admit to past offences. Only now 8% is cleared up in such manner.
     • However, with the implementation of performance targets etc, some have stated that it has resulted in book-cooking, changing figures etc to make it look better. Making more legit forces look bad in comparison
       • Home office has recently changed measurements to only focus on clear ups where there has been a formal sanction (walker et al 2009).

3. MOST CASES RELY ON NEITHER BEAUCRACTIC OR SUSPECION AS IDENIFIED IN THE OTHER MINDMAP, RATHER MOST ARE SELF CLEARING.

   • The dectectives are important and this doesn't mean they are useless, however what it does mean is that gathering evidence, locating suspects, interviewing witnesses etc. However the pressure for more clear ups all round but particularly on primary have resulted in more innovative methods to produce these clear ups- although can be identified as being ethically, legally and practically problematic. See other MINDMAP