Investigation plan

The Investigation Plan:

This stage of the investigation process determines the appropriate lines of inquiry. An objective of the crime will be made as part of this stage as to why these lines of inquiries are being investigated. The investigation team will access the plan that has been made as to if the objectives of the lines of inquiries are necessary and will be achieved. The investigation team will look at the necessary lines of inquiry and organised different resources according to these. As part of this investigation, evidence is important because if there is no evidence then no lines or further lines of inquiries can be made which may result in the case being closed because the investigators have no inquiries. Another important part of this stage is the community involvement and the impact they will have on the case. This is important because the community can be helpful and provide more evidence for inquiries and investigation; however they can also get in the way by disrupting the case and misleading the case. The investigation team as part of the plan will make the decision if they will benefit from the community input and support.

This stage is important because important leads have to be identified from the start of the investigation to allow the investigation to start and progress. This stage is also important because the investigation plan is looked at in court. If the investigation plan is successful, this can lead to a prosecution of the crime being made.

In the Madeleine McCann case, this stage was very important. This investigation plan looked at the different factors that could have resulted in Madeleine’s disappearance. These factors included Madeleine being kidnapped, but also Madeleine having the ability to wonder off somewhere. From making these enquiries the investigation team would start looking at suspects, and also look at routes Madeleine could have wandered down herself. In the investigation plan, the investigation team made the decision to involve the community for their help and support. The community helped by searching for Madeleine by calling her name and looking all over the resort. 

This stage of the investigation was successful to an extent. This stage was successful in involving the whole community getting involved and helping search and look for Madeleine. This investigation plan was also successful to the investigation team in looking into the main factors of what could have happened to her and what they had to then look into. This was the theory of Madeleine being kidnapped, wondering off by her self, or the involvement with her parents.