Good Practice Solving Factors

Abstract

The chapter illustrates the significance of the Senior Investigating Officers (SIOs) decision-making and management style. It identifies the key variables that solved the murder cases within the 166 cases researched. The seven broad solving themes and 41 solving factors help to explain how these major cases are dealt with. It highlights the importance of what the police do and how crucial the management of witnesses is to the success of inquiries. The selection of the correct solving factor for the inquiry being investigated is a crucial element to success. The positive and negative pressures within the separate investigations are identified. The SIOs management style was an important factor in the decision-making process and the inclusive approach was used by successful SIOs. The less successful SIOs had a more reactive style responding to events rather that anticipating them. The inclusive style and the prioritisation of lines of enquiry were significant inter-related with Holmes activity. The inclusive style encouraged the team to participate. The author explored how the type of case under investigation can influence the outcome of an investigation. Hostile witnesses, lack of forensic opportunities and lack of passive data can all contribute to difficulties in a particular case. All of these can be outside the SIOs control. The SIO can only deal with the “witnesses they are given.”