Upon reviewing the crime scene information provided, students are expected to write a 12-page research paper where they will address the following questions• Who was the offender (i.e., criminal career)?
This should be answered in the first two pages of the manuscript. Students should identify the possible suspect/offender while relying on circumstantial evidence provided in the selected crime scene. Further, they should mention the particular criminal career that was most likely followed by the suspect/offender.
Why did the offender commit this particular crime?
This is perhaps one of the most important questions to be addressed in this exercise. Students will answer it while relying on the criminological theories. Answering "why" someone engaged in a particular act almost requires the use/implementation of some of the numerous theoretical explanations.
While implementing these theories, students are to suggest the weaknesses and strengths each of them offers in the overall explanation of a particular crime. This component should represent the core of this exercise; therefore, it should be covered in at least eight pages.
Which theories of crime do not explain this criminal act?
After outlining the theories that help explain the crime scene of choice, it is imperative that students outline and discuss (in approximately two pages) the "major" theories of crime that are not appropriate/relevant to the explanation provided earlier. While providing this information, students are asked to explain why these particular theories are not important in the overall discussion of the crime scene of their choice.
As you examine the following crime scene, keep these three questions in mind:
1. Who could have committed this crime? Identify the criminal career associated with the particular criminal incident.
2. Why did the person commit this crime?
3. What theories of crime could help us explain this particular incident?
It is Friday night at around 9:00 p.m., and you are almost on the way out your front door when the telephone rings. It is the NYPD Homicide office asking you to assist them on a homicide that took place at a local bar. They need you to show up at a bar located on the south side of the Bronx. You agree even though, unfortunately, you will have to miss your best friend’s surprise birthday party. You will have much explaining to do to your friends. Surely they will understand that, as a criminologist, you are never really “off” from work.
As soon as you arrive at the crime scene, one of the homicide detectives briefs you, and this is what you learn:
About the Victim:
???The victim is a male in his mid 20s, single, and with no children.
???He was wearing slacks and a long sleeve dress shirt (no tie).
???He was known to be shy and kept to himself most of the time.
???While frequenting this local bar over the past few months, he had come across a few people who had expressed their dislike for him. These people clearly did not like him, but they were not very vocal about it.
???He had recently graduated with a degree in psychology at a local university and was seeking admission into a clinical psychology graduate program.
???He was employed at a local hospital, assisting psychologists in the treatment of clinically depressed patients.
???The bar where his body was found had been the source of much local attention due to the frequent incidents of violence that have been taking place there recently on Friday and Saturday evenings. These incidents of bar fights or assaults are not common to this bar.
???The restroom attendant was due to arrive at work an hour after the crime was committed.
???A garbage search did not reveal anything related to crime.
???The body was found in the gentleman’s restroom of the bar, behind the door on the floor.
???The victim had been shot several times: one shot to the head and two to the body.
???There were three shell casings on the floor, next to the body.
???The coroner tells you that the areas of penetration of the bullets suggest all the shots were made at a short range.
???The weapon used was a .22 caliber.
???All the victim’s personal items appear to be intact, including his wallet.
???The body was discovered by one of the bar patrons. As he tried to enter the restroom, he noticed the door seemed “stuck.” After pushing it several times, he noticed that it was hard to open because a body was in the way.
???Blood is on the walls and in puddles on the floor of the restroom.
???The body was there only a few minutes before the customer found it, in the opinion of the coroner.
???The bar had no surveillance cameras.
???The victim was alone in the bar, so no one seemed to have any information about his recent whereabouts.
???There are no witnesses of this crime.
???No one heard anything. Normally the music in the bar is very loud.
