Modus Operandi, Law, and Solvability
The importance of Modus Operandi in investigating violent crimes and property crimes
Modus Operandi (MO) describes the pattern in which a crime was committed. It is used by the investigators to link criminal cases through understanding criminals learned MO behaviors, which gain sophistication through experience (Douglas et al., 1992). Law enforcement agencies analyze MO behaviors to investigate and link crimes to a particular offender or criminal hence helping solve a case.
Modus Operandi is essential in the investigation of violent crimes and property crimes. Investigators can connect different cases by use of the similarities of the methods used by a criminal. In violent crimes like burglary, some criminals use the same weapons to attack. Other criminals have the same way to invade a house. During the investigation of a property crime, investigators can use MO behavior to know the criminal who invaded a particular home or place to steal property (Douglas et al., 1992).
Solvability factors are not under the control of the investigators but can influence the course of the case. These factors prove that not all cases can be solved. Some important details of investigation like threats through emails can be deleted and thus destroying evidence. Solvability factors have a significant impact on an investigation as these significant details can help solve a case, or the loss of them before or during the investigation may make it difficult to solve a case; thus, investigators ought to use all case screening to get as much information as possible from the scene of the crime(Coupe et al.,2019).
References
Douglas, J. E., & Munn, C. (1992). Violent crime scene analysis: Modus operandi, signature, and staging. FBI L. Enforcement Bull., 61, 1.
Douglas, J. E., & Munn, C. (1992). Modus operandi and the signature aspects of violent crime. Crime classification manual, 259-268.
Coupe, R. T., Ariel, B., & Mueller-Johnson, K. (Eds.). (, 2019). Crime solvability factors: Police resources and crime detection. Springer Nature.