Promotional exams and assessments for this
topic are the toughest detective, corporal, sergeant and lieutenant exams out there.
Here are the textbooks you should use to prepare for your
assignment or promotion to
detective or investigator in a police
or sheriff's department. Police promotion exams with up to 500+ questions, from over
100 great textbooks, are now available.
What are the best textbooks to study TODAY for your
future Criminal Investigation, Detective or Investigator exam?
"I also spent 7 years as commander of my agency's CID -
criminal investigation Division.
And - yes - it is true
that assignment as a detective, detective sergeant or detective
lieutenant are the 3 best positions in law enforcement."
- Lt. Paul Patti (ret)
The field of criminal investigation is such a technology-dependent and
progress-intensive topic in law enforcement today that the body if
knowledge is constantly changing, and the textbooks and the
promotion exams and test questions from those textbooks MUST be
constantly updated.
Promotional Exams for Criminal
Investigation and other police promotion textbooks can be taken by
you to use as study material within the Advanced Police Promotional
Testing Course.
Try a
few short, sample exams and online flashcards - at no
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minutes. Then
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There is the immense VOLUME of
information in criminal investigation, more than any other police
promotion topic. These are HUGE textbooks, many of them over 600
pages. I often have to write over 400 questions just to touch on all
the important concepts in the textbook.
My BEST piece of
advice on this page? If you believe you are taking a detective
exam at any time in the future, you need to own and
constantly read the material in the below four textbooks. The
current edition of each of these four textbooks represent nearly a
total body of professional knowledge on the topic of criminal
investigation.
Going back to the 1980's and 1990's there were
just two or three comprehensive and widely respected textbooks in
the area of law enforcement general criminal investigation. Truth
is, they were such classics, they were seldom updated or revised.
When the storm of DNA advancements and crime scene investigation
technology hit (not to mention the CSI TV shows!) many of these
classic textbooks could not be updated with new editions quick
enough to keep up. Many new textbooks were written, diving deeply
into the groundbreaking areas of DNA analysis, biometrics and all
the technology advances.
There have been dozens of books written about
criminal investigation standards and techniques, but my favorite
ones that appear in many
detective
exams (not in any order) are;
Criminal
Investigation - the Art and the Science 9th Edition by Michael D. Lyman.
This CI textbook is unique in that it explores the past experience
of investigators as well as new and emerging techniques in forensic
science. The author focuses on the steps and considerations involved
in actual criminal investigations, and examines the many external
variables than can influence an investigator’s success in the field.
The new 9th Edition includes an extensive new chapter focising on
the Investigation of Officer-Involved Shootings.
Visit us for the
Criminal Investigation - the Art and the Science exam, test
questions, study guide and flashcards.
Criminal
Investigation by Michael D. Lyman.
An affordable, thought-provoking look at criminal
investigations, focusing on core concepts. Lyman presents
information that parallels the steps and considerations observed in
an actual criminal investigation, blending scientific theories of
crime detection with a practical approach to criminal investigation.
Visit us for the
Criminal
Investigation exam, test questions, study guide and flashcards.
Fundamentals
of the Reid Technique - Interrogation and Confessions 2E
Practiced worldwide, the Reid Technique® is the leading approach to
interview and interrogation practices. Since 1962, hundreds of
thousands of investigators have received training in the Reid
Technique through Criminal Interrogation and Confessions.
The updated, abridged version of this best-seller is now available
in a new 2nd edition from the experts at John E. Reid and
Associates, Inc. Criminal Interrogation and Confessions teaches
readers how to identify and interpret verbal and nonverbal behaviors
of both deceptive and truthful people, and how to move toward
obtaining solid confessions from guilty persons. The Reid Technique
is built around basic psychological principles and presents
interrogation as an easily understood nine-step process. Separated
into two parts, What You Need to Know About Interrogation and
Employing the Reid Nine Steps of Interrogation, this book will help
readers understand the effective and proper way that a suspect
should be interrogated and the safeguards that should be in place to
ensure the integrity of the confession. Fundamentals of
the Reid Technique - Interrogation and Confessions 2E - exam, test
questions, study guide and flashcards
O'Hara's
Fundamentals of Criminal Investigation has served as the 'Bible'
of criminal investigation for many years. The author of this new
9th edition has prepared this text for a new generation of criminal
investigators in such a way that they will learn what is meant by a
complete investigation and acquaint themselves with the proofs of
the most important crimes. In addition, they will become familiar
with the employment of technical methods and services that are
available. The tools of the investigator are referred to as the
three 'I's,' namely, 'Information,' 'Interrogation,' and
'Instrumentation.' In view of this factor, the technological
advancements in forensic science, practices of criminalistics,
computerization, electronic databases, and the Internet are
presented, including the time honored methods of collecting
information that are still effective and utilized.
O'Hara's
Fundamentals of Criminal Investigation 9E 2019 - exam, test
questions, study guide and flashcards.
Criminal
Investigation - Basic Perspectives, by Lushbaugh and Weston.
This book is very concise and well-organized, it presents the most
recent investigative techniques and features real-life case studies
to develop an investigator's ability to analyze, evaluate, and
reason through a criminal investigation. Because of the
author’s 50+ years of experience, this comprehensive textbook gives
students a complete introduction to and understanding of the police
investigative process. Visit us for the
Criminal Investigation - Basic Perspectives exam, test questions,
study guide and flashcards.
Criminal
Investigation - Swanson, Chamelin, Territo and Taylor 13th Edition - This is
one of the most comprehensive textbooks in criminal investigation.
It is a practical, step-by-step introduction to criminal
investigation within a logical framework for understanding the
investigative process. Covers videotaping of crime scenes,
investigating street gangs, drug enforcement and dozens of other
important, current topics. Does a very good
job explaining the practical aspects of investigation in light of
the difficult scientific concepts. Visit us for the
Criminal Investigation - Swanson exam, test questions, study guide
and flashcards.
Criminal
Investigation - Hess and Orthmann 12th Edition - this textbook has a
practical, field-based approach to modern investigative principles
and practices. It introduces the latest innovations in technology
and science to give you a broad perspective of criminal
investigations as it is practiced today. There is a lot of great
detective
exam subject matter in the coverage of DNA, terrorism,
cybercrime, forensics, physical evidence, investigative photography
and sketching, identity theft, white-collar crime, ethics, and many
other current topics. Visit us for the
Criminal Investigation - Hess exam, test questions, study guide and
flashcards.
Some of the most important concepts you will need to know
for your detective promotion exam:
Having an in-depth knowledge of all these topics is crucial for a
career in criminal investigations. Also, each of these topics will
branch off into similar and related topics. Follow those branches!
Respond to this police detective,
corporal, sergeant or lieutenant oral board question:
How would YOU describe your knowledge
and experience in criminal investigation?"
"Ever since my first days in field training, and then
while on patrol on my own, I have excelled in report writing and
investigative techniques.
I pushed myself to learn all about physical evidence,
scientific methods of evidence collection, and all the latest
information on witness and suspect interrogation.
Most
important, if ever time permitted, I always followed up and took
an investigation as far as I could, a great many times making an
arrest on a case that normally would have been turned over to a
detective.
There is nothing I aspire to more than putting
all these talents to work in our agency's detective division."
Sign
up for our police promotion newsletters. You will be able to
take free promotion exams online to try out our system, including
questions from criminal investigation textbooks, and also receive
information on police oral boards, in-basket and assessment center
topics.
Send me Exam and Assessment questions you have faced
- one of the column features is that I will research and comment
on written exam or assessment center questions you have heard,
answered or encountered and that you are unsure or curious
about. We will be glad to give you our expert opinion on
questions you have seen asked on exams and exercises. Send your
questions to me directly -
Paul@PoliceCareer.com.
Criminal Investigation Test Questions that
typically appear in Det. Sgt. and Lt. promotion exams
When submitting documents for handwriting or paper
identification and comparison purposes, submit them in (A)
plastic bags (B) paper containers (C) airtight glass
containers (D) vacuum-sealed metal containers (E)
cellophane envelopes and an outside manila envelope (F) none
of the above
What type of light and/or substance should be used to detect
invisible laundry marks? (A) UV (B) IR (C) luminol
(D) ninhydrin
The interview style which is especially effective for obtaining
information from victims and witnesses who have difficulty
remembering an event is called the ____________ interview.
(A) Mnemonic (B) Hypnotic (C) Hypersensory (D) Focused
(E) Cognitive
In Geographic Profiling, investigators seek to take advantage of
the fact that the serial criminal operates within (A) a
comfort zone (B) a short distance from their home or place of
work (C) a geographic area that holds special meaning to them
(D) a geographic area where the past victims can help identify
future victims
Which of the below forms of homicide results from extreme
culpable negligence? (check all that apply): (A) involuntary
manslaughter (B) voluntary manslaughter (C) third-degree
murder (D) second-degree murderd