Cold Case Investigation Resource

February 19, 2008 8:09 PM

I am currently working on a murder investigation ("cold case") for a journalism project that I am working on. I have access to a lot of witnesses and evidence. I am looking for the best resource (treatise, primer, etc.) to use in conducting the investigation.
posted by gm2007 to grab bag (5 comments total)

Vernon Gerbeth's books on Homicide investigation are considered the bibles of the business. Practical Homicide Investigation and Sex-Related Homicide and Death Investigation. They are expensive, but they're worth it. If you'd like to borrow my copy of Practical Homicide Investigation, MeMail me with your info.
posted by headspace at 8:19 PM on February 19 [2 favorites]

Do you mean the best journalism primer - a how-to about gathering information from sources and records, and writing the story of the investigation? Or a homicide / police work primer?

If it's the former, I have a sort of a sideways answer.

I can't recommend a particular text, because, to be honest, all the ones I've read haven't been very helpful. Just lots of ''use google'' or ''keep all your sources in a database'' and ''be methodical'' kind of tips, which, well, I think you could probably figure out for yourself.

(Maybe I've been looking in the wrong places, and if someone recommends an awesome book, I'd love to read it too!)

What I *did* find helpful was asking other journalists how they'd approach things. Sort of using someone as a human primer.

You call the story you're working on a project, so that makes me think you're at college, or uni. Could one of your profs point you toward someone who's worked as an investigative journalist, maybe retired now, with crime expertise, who could help you out? I used to always feel like I was imposing massively when I'd ask people how they'd go about something, but no-one ever seemed to mind.

Oh, also: the primer at your local newsstand. Immerse yourself in loads of cold-case and true-crime stories. You don't want to copy what other people have done, but you'll get an idea of what bases to cover. Stories written by amazing journalists are the best text of all. Plus heaps more interesting than a manual.

And if it's a police thing... sorry that won't have been much help!
posted by t0astie at 12:44 AM on February 20

If this is a journalism project, then you should conduct it like a journalist. Lay out the story as it is now. If it helps, put it in outline form, timelines, etc. Then, look for the holes in the story. Some will jump out right away, others will be pieced together eventually. Match those holes with the list of resources you have and then start setting up interviews with the people involved. Your best resource is always going to be people over books in this situation.
You'll eventually find that you have one "go to" person, a person who will seemingly remember every, little person involved and you'll keep going back to him or her to ask questions, which will lead you to other questions, and eventually, your answers. I hope that sentence didn't sound snarky. Journalism is just not one of those things that lends itself to "treatises" and stuff, IMHO. It's about people and events.
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 7:44 AM on February 20

Shoot...at work. That should read "I hope that first sentence ..."
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 7:45 AM on February 20

And remember that while this is just a project for you, but it is literally life and death for the affected parties.

You might see what the texts are for the Criminal Justice program at your school, or a nearby school.
posted by gjc at 3:51 PM on February 20