Assignment 2: Death Investigations
Due Week 7 and worth 200 points
Some people get confused with the terminology surrounding death investigations and their classification, such as natural death, accidental, suicide, and homicide. For this reason, criminal investigators must be well-versed in the various death classifications. Use your textbook, the Internet, and / or Strayer Library to research articles on death investigation.
Write a three to four (3-4) page paper in which you:
Compare and contrast the fundamental differences in natural death, accidental death, suicide, and homicide.
Select an article concerning a type of death of your choice and summarize the key factors that the police used to classify the type of death. Suggest one (1) additional factor that the police should collect for the death investigation.
Compare the fundamental differences in investigating a death case versus other types of crimes.
Determine the goal and the main procedure of a preliminary death investigation. Include one (1) example of a successful preliminary death investigation to support your response.
Analyze the main ways in which various environmental factors may influence the medical examination and autopsy in death investigations.
Use at least two (2) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar type Websites do not qualify as academic resources.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
Describe the major components of and responsiblities involved in the investigative process.
Recommend improvements to the criminal investigation process in selected areas.
Recommend effective ways to apply the investigative process to violent crimes.
Use technology and information resources to conduct research in the criminal investigation process.
Write clearly and concisely about the criminal investigation process using proper writing mechanics.
Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.
Click here to view the grading rubric for this assignment.
Points: 200
Assignment 2: Death Investigations
Criteria
Unacceptable
Below 60% F
Meets Minimum Expectations
60-69% D
Fair
70-79% C
Proficient
80-89% B
Exemplary
90-100% A
1. Compare and contrast the fundamental differences in natural death, accidental death, suicide, and homicide.
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely compared and contrasted the fundamental differences in natural death, accidental death, suicide, and homicide.
Insufficiently compared and contrasted the fundamental differences in natural death, accidental death, suicide, and homicide.
Partially compared and contrasted the fundamental differences in natural death, accidental death, suicide, and homicide.
Satisfactorily compared and contrasted the fundamental differences in natural death, accidental death, suicide, and homicide.
Thoroughly compared and contrasted the fundamental differences in natural death, accidental death, suicide, and homicide.
2. Select an article concerning a type of death of your choice and summarize the key factors that the police used to classify the type of death. Suggest one (1) additional factor that the police should collect for the death investigation.
Weight: 20%
Did not submit or incompletely selected an article concerning a type of death of your choice; did not submit or incompletely summarized the key factors that the police used to classify the type of death. Did not submit or incompletely suggested one (1) additional factor that the police should collect for the death investigation.
Insufficiently selected an article concerning a type of death of your choice; insufficiently summarized the key factors that the police used to classify the type of death. Insufficiently suggested one (1) additional factor that the police should collect for the death investigation.
Partially selected an article concerning a type of death of your choice; partially summarized the key factors that the police used to classify the type of death. Partially suggested one (1) additional factor that the police should collect for the death investigation.
Satisfactorily selected an article concerning a type of death of your choice; satisfactorily summarized the key factors that the police used to classify the type of death. Satisfactorily suggested one (1) additional factor that the police should collect for the death investigation.
Thoroughly selected an article concerning a type of death of your choice; thoroughly summarized the key factors that the police used to classify the type of death. Thoroughly suggested one (1) additional factor that the police should collect for the death investigation.
3. Compare the fundamental differences in investigating a death case versus other types of crimes.
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely compared the fundamental differences in investigating a death case versus other types of crimes.
Insufficiently compared the fundamental differences in investigating a death case versus other types of crimes.
Partially compared the fundamental differences in investigating a death case versus other types of crimes.
Satisfactorily compared the fundamental differences in investigating a death case versus other types of crimes.
Thoroughly compared the fundamental differences in investigating a death case versus other types of crimes.
4. Determine the goal and the main procedure of a preliminary death investigation. Include one (1) example of a successful preliminary death investigation to support your response.
Weight: 20%
Did not submit or incompletely determined the goal and the main procedure of a preliminary death investigation. Did not submit or incompletely included one (1) example of a successful preliminary death investigation to support your response.
Insufficiently determined the goal and the main procedure of a preliminary death investigation. Insufficiently included one (1) example of a successful preliminary death investigation to support your response.
Partially determined the goal and the main procedure of a preliminary death investigation. Partially included one (1) example of a successful preliminary death investigation to support your response.
Satisfactorily determined the goal and the main procedure of a preliminary death investigation. Satisfactorily included one (1) example of a successful preliminary death investigation to support your response.
Thoroughly determined the goal and the main procedure of a preliminary death investigation. Thoroughly included one (1) example of a successful preliminary death investigation to support your response.
5. Analyze the main ways in which various environmental factors may influence the medical examination and autopsy in death investigations.
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely analyzed the main ways in which various environmental factors may influence the medical examination and autopsy in death investigations.
Insufficiently analyzed the main ways in which various environmental factors may influence the medical examination and autopsy in death investigations.
Partially analyzed the main ways in which various environmental factors may influence the medical examination and autopsy in death investigations.
Satisfactorily analyzed the main ways in which various environmental factors may influence the medical examination and autopsy in death investigations.
Thoroughly analyzed the main ways in which various environmental factors may influence the medical examination and autopsy in death investigations.
6. 2 references
Weight: 5%
No references provided
Does not meet the required number of references; all references poor quality choices.
Does not meet the required number of references; some references poor quality choices.
Meets number of required references; all references high quality choices.
Exceeds number of required references; all references high quality choices.
6. Clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirements
Weight: 10%
More than 8 errors present
7-8 errors present
5-6 errors present
3-4 errors present
0-2 errors present