[email protected] How to identify and employ top performing crime-scene examiners (and why it matters in criminal justice) Dr. Sally Kelty & Assoc.Prof. Roberta Julian Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia Applied Research in Crime and Justice Conference, Sydney 27-28 February 2013
[email protected] How to identify and employ top performing crime-scene examiners (and why it matters in criminal justice) Dr. Sally Kelty & Assoc.Prof.
Mar 29, 2015
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How to identify and employ top performing crime-scene examiners
(and why it matters in criminal justice)
Dr. Sally Kelty
&
Assoc.Prof. Roberta Julian
Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies,
University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
Applied Research in Crime and Justice Conference, Sydney
27-28 February 2013
What was Known About Top Performance in Crime Scene Examination (CSE)
• Poor crime scene work is one contributory factor to miscarriages of justice and ineffective police investigations.
• In the UK – 25% of CSEs collect higher quality evidence as compared to their peers (2007 SWIM report findings)
• In US – 2009 National Academy of Science (NAS) report noted wide variance in performance of CSEs.
• We were interested in who good CSEs were and why some out perform their peers.
– The SWIM report did not provide details on why some CSEs excel – Was it their training? Their previous work experience?
Their motivation/commitment to the job?
Methods Used to Identify Top CSEs
Between groups design – 4 groups across 5 state jurisdictions
• CSE and forensic scientists (colleagues/peers)
• Senior detectives from volume and serious crime
• The top performing CSEs from each of the States
• Supervisors
Established job analytical techniques (mixed method approach)
• Focus groups/interviews
• Repertory grid
• Psychometric test battery
Triangulation of methods to increase validity/reliability of results
• Data and investigator triangulation
• Theoretical and methodological triangulation
Data Analysis & Results
Two step analysis
• Qualitative sequential content and cluster analysis
• Quantitative analysis using SPSS
Results
• A critical skill-set was clearly identified
• The skills clustered into seven discrete groupings.
• Psychometric profile showed distinct differences between top CSEs and general population samples.
Using clustering we found 7 key attributes that differentiated top CSEs from their peers.
•Knowledge Base
•Experience
•Cognitive Abilities
•Work Orientation
•Approach to Life
•Communication Skills
•Professional demeanour & emotional management
The 7 key Attributes
Knowledge Base• University degree (not necessarily sciences/ forensic science)• Legal, policing and investigation (holistic) knowledge• Knowledge of scientific principles
Experience• Community policing crime scene to court or• Service industry or critical incidents (‘rea’l life experience)• Maturity (not age, but lived experiences, not closeted)
Cognitive Abilities• Lateral thinker, curious, open to new ideas• Objective, considered and consequential decision making • Good multi-tasking and short and long term planning skills
Approach to life• Fitness/health orientation and positive about life• Clear life/work separation with social/family support
The 7 key Attributes
Work Orientation• Good time-management• Dedication to role (goes beyond job description)• Self-motivated, persistent and patient, results driven
Communication skills• Active listener. Good negotiation/ assertive interpersonal skills • Inclusive and team orientated (teacher/trainers and mentors)• High level written and verbal skills
Professional demeanour & emotional management• Ignores pettiness & internal politics, respected among peers• Willing to defend decisions • Admits errors and learns from mistakes• Not judgemental, not easily influenced by other factors/people • Consistent, grounded and stress resilient
The 7 key Attributes
• The Action Control Scale (ACS-90; Diefendorff, Hall, Lord & Strean, 2000) is a 22-item self-report scale that assesses an individual’s ability to make timely decisions, commit to a course of action, avoid procrastination, persist in tasks despite setbacks and handle multiple competing demands. Evaluation of the ACS = 205 Marketing post-graduate students.
• The General Self-Efficacy Scale Revised (GSE; Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 1995) Evaluation of the GSE in a pooled sample of over 18,000 adults = a stable sense of personal competence and mastery to deal effectively with a variety of stressful situations.
• The Connor-Davidson Resilience scale (CD-RISC; Connor & Davidson, 2003) Evaluation of the CD-RISC in a sample of 577 adults = measures resilience to negative situations and successful stress-coping ability.
• The DASS-21 (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995) Evaluation of each of the DASS scales in a sample of 307 adults = Higher scores on the stress subscale are indicative of symptoms such as being tense, irritable, easily emotionally disturbed..
Psychometric Tests used
Psychometric Profile of Top CSEs
Table 2. Means and differences between top CSEs and Normative Samples.
Variable GSE CD-RISC
DASS Stress Scale
ACS-90 Precoccupation
Scale
ACS-90 Hesitation
Scale
ACS-90 Volatility
Scale Present Sample: High-performing CSEs
33.39* 81.28* 8.22* 7.77* 9.33* 9.78*
Normative samples:
Community sample
29.48* 80.4 10.11*
Clinical outpatients
71.8*
Police recruits/officers
29.02* 4.74*
University students
2.28* 2.37* 2.30*
Notes: * difference between CSE and normative sample, all differences p <.05
Why policing / other agencies should invest in hiring high-calibre CSEs
Benefits of expanding resources into a targeted recruitment package – four distinct benefits
• The potential to lower high attrition rates by hiring staff that are potentially more stress resilient
• Employing personnel with the scientific knowledge and ability to collect higher quality evidence from crime scenes that in turn will reduce the risk of miscarriages of justice
• Removing additional occupational stress for existing top performer CSEs
• Reducing potential for organisational liability for poor recruitment practices
Turning research into policy
Changes to Victoria Police recruitment practices • May 2012 an interactive workshop outlining the results was held at
Victoria Police (CSEs and senior management attended)• Amendments are being made to internal practices within VICPOL to
recruit new CSEs informed by the research and the 7 key attributes.
Changes to Australian Federal Police recruitment practices • November 2012 commenced a collaborative research project to develop a
multi-stage recruitment package based upon the 7 key attributes for recruitment of entry level CSEs
• Package to include interview, single and group tasks, medical, psychometric testing
• Currently trialling a psychometric battery including the Ravens Progressive Matrices and the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Assessment.
• Currently developing a virtual crime scene program as one of the interview assessment tasks (in collaboration with the National institute of Forensic Science, NIFS)
The Draft Recruitment Model
TABLE 1 - Critical Skills and Recruitment Strategy by Skill-Set Cluster for Top Performing CSEs Skill category a Critical skills b Recruitment Method
Cognitive Abilities
Lateral / critical/ creative thinking Multi-tasking abilities, short/long term planning skills High level consequential thinking
Psychometric assessment Psychometric assessment Psychometric assessment
Knowledge base University degree Legal, police culture/ investigation knowledge Sound knowledge of scientific principles
Essential Selection Criteria Essential Selection criteria Direct interview question
Experience Crime scene to court (policing/justice experience) Worked in highly charged situations Maturity and life experiences (not closeted)
Essential Selection criteria Essential Selection criteria Interview questions
Work orientation
Good time-management Genuine interest / dedication to role Self-motivated, persistent and results driven
Confirmed by referees Selection criteria / interview questions Psychometric assessment
Communication skills
Active listeners with good negotiation skills Inclusive and team orientated High level written and verbal skills
Confirmed by referees Confirmed prior employer Selection criteria/ Scoring of application
Professional demeanour (Leadership)
Unassuming and modest, respected Potential for leadership
Confirmed by referees Psychometric assessment
Approach to life
Fitness and health orientation Consistent and stress resilient
Medical assessment Psychometric assessment
Notes: a, b, Critical skills categories and skills by category as identified in Kelty, Julian and Robertson (2012).
Elements of The Draft Recruitment Model
Selection Criteria (examples, can be addressed in written format by applicants)
TABLE 2 – Essential and Desirable Selection Criteria for the Recruitment of Top Performing CSEs Selection Criteria no. Essential Desirable
1. Knowledge base a) A Bachelors degree (in science or related discipline,
or demonstrated scientific knowledge)
a) Forensic science or crime scene qualifications
2. Work Experience
a) Demonstrated policing and/or criminal justice experience)
b) Demonstrated knowledge of the investigative process
a) Police or emergency management background/experience in managing highly charged environments
3. Genuine interest in role
a) Knowledge of the role and detailed expectations of conditions and exposure to serious crime scenes
4. Communication skills
a) Demonstrated high level assertive abilities b) Demonstrated verbal and report writing abilities
a) High level negotiation skills b) Presentation of evidence in court
5. Stress management
a) Ability to deal with highly charged environments and extended hours (at crime scenes) when required.
a) Prior experience with shift-work
Where to from here?
Further interest in the recruitment research:
- UK - Keith Fryer, Head of Forensic Centre, National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) (now College of Policing)
- US – working with NIFS and NIJ to develop ‘After the Fact’ virtual crime scenes (for recruitment and training)
- the next pathway is into career progression- employing good people at entry levels does not mean they need less
training- there is a need for a focused career pathway to enhance these skills- we are working with AFP to follow this up
References
• Adderley, R., and J.W. Bond. 2008. The effects of deprivation on the time spent examining crime scenes and the recovery of DNA and fingerprints. Journal of Forensic Sciences 53(1): 178–182.
• Kelty, S.F. (2012). Professionalism in Crime Scene Examination: Recruitment strategies using the seven key attributes of top crime scene examiners. Forensic Science Policy and Management. 2(4): 198 - 204.
• Kelty, S.F, R. Julian, and J. Robertson. 2012. Professionalism in crime scene investigation: The seven key attributes of top performing crime scene examiners. Forensic Science Policy and Management 2(4): 175–186.
• National Academy of Sciences (NAS). 2009. Strengthening forensic science in the United States: A path forward. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
Acknowledgements and Thanks
We acknowledge the support of the Australian Research Council (LP0882797)
Thank you to Linkage Partners Victoria Police, ACT Policing, Australian Federal Police Forensic and Data Centres, the National Institute of Forensic Science and Forensic Foundations for funding this collaborative research project.
The research team for this project include social scientists from The Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies (TILES) and the University of Tasmania together with forensic science researchers from University of Technology, Sydney, University of Canberra and the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
For more information about the project please see:
The Effectiveness of Forensic Science in the Criminal Justice System”. http://www.utas.edu.au/tiles/research_projects/forensic_science_project.html
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