Text in English / The research attempts to establish the significance of bank records analysis as a technique in tracing fraud suspects. The purposes of conducting this research was to establish the current approach by the investigators of the SAPS in respect of bank records analysis in tracing fraud suspects; to explore and report on the findings of national and international literature in an attempt to find new information thereby improving the current method of bank records analysis and its specific use in tracing fraud suspects; and to make new information, in the form of written articles and this dissertation, available to the SAPS to be considered for inclusion in the training curriculum for their investigators. In collecting data, the researcher used literature study, interviews with individual participants and case dockets analysis. Essentially, the recommendations were drawn from the conclusions of the data obtained. These recommendations may offer solutions to the problem identified. / Criminology and Security Science / M. Tech. (Forensic Investigation)

The research study covers the following topic “Vetting as a Technique to Investigate Employment Fraud in the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan”. The researcher intends to evaluate the current procedures which are used in the process of forensic vetting as employment fraud investigation method in CoJ. Furthermore, to build the ground work for potential future innovation, problem solving, decision making and proper planning of the use of forensic vetting as employment fraud investigation method. The researcher applied the qualitative approach throughout the research because qualitative involves interaction between the researcher and the subject that was identified as a problem that concerned CoJ The researcher had selected ten (10) forensic investigators to partake in this study. The total population to be interviewed and collect data from was considerable and appropriate for evaluating forensic vetting as an employment fraud investigation method. The researcher used purposive sampling to choose the participants for this research. It was found that every individual within an organ of the State must be subjected to the vetting process. It was further found that the institutions in governmental, organs of the State and private spheres must adopt the forensic vetting practice to minimize fraudulent activities in their organizations. / Department of Police Practice / M. Tech. (Forensic Investigation)

This research investigates the communication abilities of children who are exposed to criminal investigations because a crime was committed against them or they have witnessed a crime happening to another person. The study also determines how crime detectives can maximise their efforts in obtaining evidence from such children with the help of an interview as a technique to elicit information. The aim of the research was to understand the behaviour of children, so that more effective investigative interviews can be undertaken with child victims. The researcher wanted to identify the communication challenges associated with obtaining information from child victims and possible ways to overcome such challenges. It was found that the developmental stages of children, the manner in which interviewers/investigators conduct themselves during child interviews and the amount of knowledge possessed by interviewers to elicit information in a legally defensible manner are central to child victim interviews. / Criminology and Security Science / M. Tech. (Forensic Investigation)

Kommuner har en unik position i säkerhetsarbetet genom att vara nära både medborgarna och de olyckor och skador som drabbar befolkningen. Trots långtgående framsteg inom teknologi och ett etablerat välfärdssamhälle utgör personskador till följd av olyckor ett betydande folkhälsoproblem i Sverige liksom i övriga nordiska länder. De svenska kommunerna har ålagts ett vidsträckt ansvar och förväntas vidta åtgärder inom flera samhällsområden för att värna människornas trygghet och säkerhet. De senaste två decennierna har utvecklingen i allt högre grad inneburit olika former av systematiskt och tvärsektoriellt säkerhetsarbete i kommunerna. I detta arbete används olika verktyg och metoder som hjälpmedel och stöd. Vissa verktyg är obligatoriska att använda enligt lagstiftning medan andra är frivilliga. Denna uppsats syftar till att kartlägga kommunernas användning av några av dessa säkerhetsverktyg, samt att för ett av verktygen – olycksutredning – undersöka i vilken utsträckning några särskilda utredningsmetoder förmår stödja den samlade praktiska hantering som en olycksutredning innebär. Uppsatsen bygger på två delarbeten, varav det ena är publicerat i en internationell vetenskaplig tidskrift och det andra är inskickat för bedömning till en annan tidskrift. Artikel I bygger på en enkätstudie till 1283 tjänstemän i 73 kommuner. En fråga handlade om användningen av 16 olika säkerhetsverktyg. Denna fråga besvarades av 50 % av de tillfrågade personerna. Resultaten tyder på att verktygen skyddsrond, riskanalys och riskinventering hade utbredd användning i samtliga sektorer medan övriga verktyg användes begränsat inom vissa sektorer eller nästan inte alls. Artikel II studerar hur olika olycksutredningsmetoder stödjer den praktiska utredningsprocessen. Analysen grundas i en processmodell särskilt framtagen för utvärdering av metoderna. Slutsatserna stöds av data från 114 tester av sådana metoder i kursen Kvalificerad olycksutredningsmetodik vid Karlstads universitet. Över 170 kursdeltagare från olika branscher har medverkat i testerna, som en del i undervisningen. Resultaten visar att bland de bedömda metoderna så är det endast metoderna Avvikelseutredning och STEP som ger ett bra stöd i hela utredningsprocessen. Övriga metoder stödjer huvudsakligen endast själva analysdelen i en olycksutredning. De sammanfattande slutsatserna visar att kommunerna använder sig av verktyg i sitt säkerhetsarbete, men att endast ett fåtal av verktygen används brett i alla kommunsektorer. Bland de undersökta metoderna för verktyget olycksutredning konstateras att det finns stora skillnader i hur dessa stödjer utredningsprocessen. Flera metoder borde kanske snarare benämnas olycksanalysmetoder, istället för olycksutredningsmetoder, då de främst ger stöd för själva analysdelen i utredningsarbetet. / Municipalities have a unique position in safety work by being close to both the citizens and the accidents and injuries that affect the population. Despite far-reaching advances in technology and an established welfare state, injuries resulting from accidents constitute a significant public health problem in Sweden as well as in other Nordic countries. Swedish municipalities are subjected to wide-ranging responsibilities and are expected to take action in a number of societal areas to safeguard people's safety and security. The last two decades are increasingly characterized by systematic and cross-sectorial safety work of various forms in municipalities. In this endeavor a variety of tools and methods intended to aid and support safety work have been introduced. Some tools are required by law while others are optional. This thesis aims to identify to what extent local authorities utilize a number of these safety tools, and secondly to examine whether a set of particular methods aimed to guide one of the tools – accident investigation – are actually supportive to the entire practical investigative process. The thesis is based on two papers, the first of which has been published in an international scientific journal, and the second has been submitted to another journal. Article I is based on a survey targeting 1283 officials in 73 municipalities. One question was about the use of 16 different safety tools. This question was answered by 50 % of the officials. The results show that safety round, risk analysis and risk inventory were reported to be used frequently in all sectors while other tools were used only in certain sectors or virtually not at all. Article II analyzes how different accident investigation methods support the practical investigative process. The evaluation is based on a process model intended to illustrate this process. The analysis comprises data from 114 tests of nine selected methods taught in a recurrent course entitled Advanced Accident Investigation Methodology at Karlstad University. More than 170 participants representing various industries and sectors were involved in the tests. The results show that among the nine assessed methods, only Deviation Analysis and STEP gives good support throughout the entire investigative process. Other methods provide support primarily during the analysis phase of an accident investigation. In summary, our findings show that local authorities make use of safety tools, but only a few of the tools are broadly used across all municipal sectors. Regarding the assessed methods of the tool accident investigation it can be concluded that there are major differences in their way to support throughout the investigative process. It is suggested that several methods should rather be described as accident analysis methods instead of accident investigation methods since they provide support mainly for the analysis step.

Syftet med studien är att, utifrån en kritisk-saklig utredningsmetodik, granska hur familjerättssekreterare presenterar och bedömer barnets bästa och våld i nära relationer i 16 vårdnads-, boende- och umgängesutredningar. Utredningarna är gjorda av familjerätten i Örebro kommun. För att besvara studiens syfte och frågeställningar har den kvalitativa metoden dokumentgranskning använts i kombination med en semistrukturerad intervju. Studien visar att barn under nio år regelmässigt fråntas rätten att göra sin röst hörd samt att ett vuxet barnperspektiv genomsyrar utredningstexterna. Konsekvensen blir att barnets perspektiv osynliggörs och utelämnas. Språket har en avgörande betydelse för hur våldsproblematik hanteras, våldet tenderar att tonas ner eller ignoreras helt i bedömningen. Våld i nära relationer relateras inte till barnets mående, anknytning eller föräldraförmåga. Det är inte heller något som diskuteras eller tas hänsyn till i bedömningen. Den kritiskt-sakliga utredningsmetodiken har genom sina teoretiska begrepp varit ett grundläggande verktyg i studiens analys och diskussion. Detta har kombinerats med den lagstiftning som reglerar familjerättens uppdrag samt anknytningsteori och barnets bästa. Studien ämnar bidra till reflektion, inspiration och upplysning rörande barnets bästa och våld i nära relationer i vårdnads-, boende- och umgängesutredningar. Förhoppningsvis kan studien även bidra till att öka barnens inflytande i vårdnadstvister, stärka deras ställning och göra deras röster hörda. / The aim of the thesis is to examine, based on critical-factual investigation methodology, how family law secretary’s presents and assess “child’s best” and domestic violence in 16 custody-residence- and contact investigations. The investigations are made by family law in Örebro. To reach the aim of the study and the research questions the qualitative method document review was used in combination with a semi-structured interview. The results of the study showed that children younger than nine years routinely were denied the right to have their voices heard and also that an adult child’s perspective permeates the investigations. The consequence is that the child's perspective became ​​invisible or omitted. Language has an important part in how violence is handled, it tends to be grayed or ignored in the assessment. Domestic violence is not either related to the child’s wellbeing, attachment theory or parenting skills. That is also something that is not discussed or taken into consideration in the assessment. The critical-factual investigation methodology through its theoretical concepts has been a fundamental tool in the analysis and discussion. This has been combined with the law that regulates the family law assignment, attachment and “child´s best”. The study intends to contribute to a reflection, inspiration and enlightenment concerning “child´s best” and domestic violence in custody-, residence- and contact investigations. Hopefully, the study also helps to increase the children's interests in custody disputes, strengthen their position and to make the children´s voices heard.

The aim of this descriptive research was to determine the methods of case linkage (methods to link murder cases to each other as well as to link the murder series to one offender) employed by the South African Police Service (SAPS) to investigate serial murder in South Africa and to comprehensively explain them. A qualitative approach was employed with a multi-method data collection process which included case study, interviews and literature review in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the subject. The methods of case linkage are explained within three phases of a serial murder investigation: the identification phase, the investigation and apprehension phase, and the trial and sentencing phase. The main findings of the study revealed the need for further training of the SAPS members and the need for a Standing Operating Procedure to be implemented to specifically govern the system of investigation for a serial murder case. / Criminology and Security Science / M.A. (Criminology)

This research investigates the communication abilities of children who are exposed to criminal investigations because a crime was committed against them or they have witnessed a crime happening to another person. The study also determines how crime detectives can maximise their efforts in obtaining evidence from such children with the help of an interview as a technique to elicit information. The aim of the research was to understand the behaviour of children, so that more effective investigative interviews can be undertaken with child victims. The researcher wanted to identify the communication challenges associated with obtaining information from child victims and possible ways to overcome such challenges. It was found that the developmental stages of children, the manner in which interviewers/investigators conduct themselves during child interviews and the amount of knowledge possessed by interviewers to elicit information in a legally defensible manner are central to child victim interviews. / Criminology and Security Science / M. Tech. (Forensic Investigation)

The research attempts to review the significance of personal description in the investigation of armed robbery cases in the Paarl policing cluster and to explore the value of identifying armed robbery suspects. The purposes of conducting this research were to evaluate the existing procedures that investigators use regarding personal description of armed robbery suspects with the intention of determining its strengths and weaknesses as well as by looking at how this procedure can be improved. Also, this research explored how investigators utilised the personal description as a technique in identifying the armed robbery suspects internationally, thereby establishing the best practices. Moreover, to recommend new procedures in obtaining a personal description of armed robbery suspects. Furthermore, to empower the South African investigators and other investigators in terms of how personal description can be recorded accurately in the case dockets and be effectively used in tracing the suspects of armed robbery cases. / Criminology and Security Science / M.A. (Criminal Justice)

The aim of this paper is to research how advanced accounting software can be used by police detectives, financial risk specialists and forensic investigation specialists, who are responsible for the investigation and tracing of the reintegration of proceeds of crime, from underground banking into formal banking system (pro active and reactive money laundering investigation) with a view on criminal prosecution. The research started of by looking at the basic ways how proceeds of crime are smuggled before it is integrated into the formal banking system. In that context, the phenomenon of Underground banking was researched. Currency smuggling, Hawala currency transfer schemes and the way in which it is used to move proceeds of crime were discussed in detail. Thereafter Formal banking and the way in which proceeds of crime is reintegrated from underground banking structures into formal banking systems were discussed. The use of advanced accounting software to trace the point where proceeds of crime are reintegrated into formal banking were researched extensively. Accounting software and investigative techniques on how to trace financial transactions which might be tainted with proceeds of crime were discussed. Accounting software which can be used on office computers such as laptops were discussed and more advanced automated systems which can be used to trace proceeds of crime transactions in the formal banking systems were also discussed. In specific, the investigative techniques on how to use these systems as investigative tools were discussed in great detail. This research paper gives a truly unique perspective on the financial investigative and analytical angle on proceeds of crime and money laundering detection. / Criminal Justice / M.Tech. (Forensic Investigation)

The aim of this paper is to research how advanced accounting software can be used by police detectives, financial risk specialists and forensic investigation specialists, who are responsible for the investigation and tracing of the reintegration of proceeds of crime, from underground banking into formal banking system (pro active and reactive money laundering investigation) with a view on criminal prosecution. The research started of by looking at the basic ways how proceeds of crime are smuggled before it is integrated into the formal banking system. In that context, the phenomenon of Underground banking was researched. Currency smuggling, Hawala currency transfer schemes and the way in which it is used to move proceeds of crime were discussed in detail. Thereafter Formal banking and the way in which proceeds of crime is reintegrated from underground banking structures into formal banking systems were discussed. The use of advanced accounting software to trace the point where proceeds of crime are reintegrated into formal banking were researched extensively. Accounting software and investigative techniques on how to trace financial transactions which might be tainted with proceeds of crime were discussed. Accounting software which can be used on office computers such as laptops were discussed and more advanced automated systems which can be used to trace proceeds of crime transactions in the formal banking systems were also discussed. In specific, the investigative techniques on how to use these systems as investigative tools were discussed in great detail. This research paper gives a truly unique perspective on the financial investigative and analytical angle on proceeds of crime and money laundering detection. / Criminal Justice / M.Tech. (Forensic Investigation)