Your responses to others’ postings should contain meaningful and substantial analysis. Questions 5-6 only need 3-5 sentences. no word min or max.

1.

• I chose to do the internet activity from chapter three question one and it is information on who and what happens during a “Crime Scene Response”. The purpose of performing a crime scene investigation is to the help tell the story of what happened at the crime scene. The collecting of evidence needs to be done very precise and correctly to be sure to help solve the crime and prosecute the one who committed the crime. When it comes to investigating a crime scene there needs to be no bias and the investigator has to keep and open mind to what might have happen and not jump to conclusions. Anything can almost be physical evidence from the typical fingers prints to a single matchstick. It is very important to collect all possible evidence and in a timely manner. When it comes to collecting evidence like bodily fluids it needs to be done as quick as possible as it has a “short shelf life”. The type of personnel that could be apart of the crime scene is a Team Leader, Photographer/Log recorder, Sketch Preparer, Evidence Recorder, and a Specialist. Each employer has a specific job or responsibly in making sure the crime scene is secured and all evidenced is properly collected. The Team leader will take control of the scene and ensure all safety of personnel and security. They will also do the initial walk- through and record a narrative of the scene. The Photographer will take pictures of the entire area before it is entered by any other personnel. They also take pictures of the evidence anywhere from the victim to any evidence of items being moved. All pictures are taken from an overall view, medium and close up range. Sketch Preparer will draw a diagram of the whole area using a sketch to show what is in the crime scene and the surrounding area. They will also set forth major items of evidence in a sketch as well. The Evidence Recorder is in charge of making sure that important evidence is photographed before collection and describes all evidence and its original location. Lastly there will be a few different Specialists that could be at the crime scene, which could include any personnel from a Anthropologist to a Bomb Technician. All persons and evidence is very crucial to solving a crime and trying to bring justice for the victim or victims.

2.

• The requirements for the legal issuance of a search warrant in California start with having grounds for a search warrant. Grounds for a search warrant would include searching for alleged stolen property, property that was allegedly used to commit a felony, evidence to a felony or other crimes, child pornography, if an arrest warrant has already been issued, etc. Before a judge issues a search warrant he/she must have probable cause. Probable cause means to have a reasonable belief that criminal activity is taking place. To decide if probable cause is present the judge may question people involved like the officer, the prosecutor, the state investigator, or witnesses. In a California search warrant, everything must be typed concisely or with reasonable particularity. This means that the warrant should be so clear that it should leave nothing to the discretion of the searching officer(s). In California, a search warrant must be executed within 10 days of issuance. If the warrant has not been executed in that time, the warrant is void. The requirements for a search warrant in the state of Nevada are the same.

3.

• Compare and contrast ethical issues and ethical dilemmas. Provide an example of each. Ethical Issue –the term ethics refers to the study and analysis of what constitutes good or bad conduct (Barry, 1985: 5; Sherman, 1981: 8). Some of the several branches of ethics include. Meta – ethics, Normative ethics, Applied ethics and Professional ethics. The connection of the application is to try to determine what is right, or rather, what is wrong and deemed worthy of prohibition. Professionals in the criminal justice system have unique powers and, therefore, unique ethical issues that they must be sensitive to in order to understand their ethical obligations and duties.Ethical dilemma – is when an individual is faced with at least two courses of action and the decision is difficult. When analyzing ethical dilemmas, identify thefacts, the relevant values and concepts, all possible dilemmas and then decide what is the most immediate dilemma, and decide what is the most immediate moral or ethical issue facing the individual. A frequent ethical questions amongst families having a family members on life support system knowing that in that environment they will have no quality of life, is pulling the plug an ethical dilemma. Integrity as is define in our Saint Leo University core values is the commitment to excellence demands that its members live its mission and deliver on its promise. The faculty, staff, and students pledge to be honest, just, and consistent in word and deed. Law enforcement should clearly live and operate by this concept of integrity on and off duty. Law enforcement should exemplify and emphasize the “protect and serve” motto.

4.

• The four branches of ethics that are presented in the textbook are meta-ethics, normative ethics, applied ethics and professional ethics.Meta-ethics questions the meaning of the whole ethical system. Meta-ethics is used as a way to try and help figure out whether a behavior is okay in certain areas or if it is okay worldwide or if they are bound by social standards or independent of humans. Such as taking care of a baby, almost everyone believes that taking care of a baby is the right thing to do and it is good. Humans are not the only ones who take care of a baby and it is a world wide standard that is set. Meta-ethics is the breakdown of how the ethical situation came to be.Normative ethics is what determines what is right and what is wrong morally. It follows the old saying “do onto others as you would like done onto you”.Applied ethics pertains to specific situations and takes a scenario and attempts to determine what the ethical answer is for it. One situation that is currently in the news is do we as a nation have a moral obligation to assist the people attempting to cross the border. If we allow them what are we morally obligated to supply them with? These are very difficult situations that there are many answers, and everyone has different opinions on.Professional ethics is ethics that relate to the workplace or in certain professions. An example of this is me being in the military. I am expected to carry myself in a positive manner and be courteous and respectfully while I am wearing the uniform. This is because while wearing the uniform I am representing the entire military.The Saint Leo value of community would best fit the branches of ethics. If our communities as a whole treated everyone with respect and people are morally and ethically fair to one another we would not have much violence and hate in our world.

5.

• I interpret the law as a set of principles and guidelines used to in order to establish peace and to avoid chaos. It helps us to shape our behaviors and mindset as well as learning what is right and wrong. The laws may not always be so transparent where having an understanding of what some of the gray areas are when interpreting the laws. As citizens we’re all afforded equal protection under the laws that are set forth; at times we may not always agree on the laws or rulings but it’s what we have to maintain a civilized society.In my opinion, the laws mean that we are a society that allows many of the freedoms that are afforded to us but in a way that is reasonable and just. Laws help to protect a persons rights, interests and their overall well-being. I expect to have an better understanding of the course material itself; knowledge that I have gained in the past may have changed or was modified in some way. I’m not a lawyer nor will I ever say that I am an expert in law no matter how many non fiction legal dramas that I read but I do enjoy and appreciate learning the many different aspects that fall within the judicial system.Criminal law has always been the area of law that I find to be the most fascinating. Why do offenders do what they do? What happens when they’re caught? After they’re caught? Does the punishment fit the crime or was the offender let off easy? Criminal law is also the ugliest of laws because you see things you wish that you could un-see especially crimes against those who can’t help themselves. A case in the media that has recently caught my attention is the Central Park 5/Central Park Jogger case in NYC; there are so many layers to these cases and I’d be looking at it with a different perspective as an adult then when I was a teenager back then.

6.

• My interpretation of the law is that it is put in place to protect everyone. Whether that happens or not can be debated.To me, the law is like integrity – doing the right thing even when no one is watching (for example, speeding past the limit).In this course I expect to learn about the legal system and the political and ethics behind it. I took an Ethics in Law Enforcement class before and enjoyed it, politics, not so much (haha).A law I find interesting is that in Virginia it is illegal to swear in public – VA Code § 18.2-388 and it is illegal to wander around a cemetery at night – VA Code § 18.2-125. Both are a Class 4 misdemeanor