Measuring team skills in crime scene investigation: exploring ad hoc teams

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to measure the team skills of operational crime scene examiners (CSEs). The techniques used were based on established methods and helped to gain a greater understanding of the domain of forensic investigation. The research begins with a hierarchical task analysis and then adapts pre-established methods for measuring the performance of CSEs in four UK Police Forces. The process supports comparison between prescribed methods of ‘good practice’ and real world practice. This has allowed the identification of the distributed skills and tasks of the CSE. Using Annett et al.'s HTA(T), crime scene examination can be categorised and the communications and coordination structures occurring between teams investigating a burglary considered. This makes it possible to generalise the method to situations involving ad hoc teams.