Welcome to Eight Skills Welcome to Eight Skills for the Effective Online for the Effective Online

Paralegal Student!!Paralegal Student!!

Unit 2 Seminar: Time Management

What we will cover tonight

• Questions from last week• Sonia – Balancing priorities• Time Management• SMART Goals• Final Project

Sonia’s Scenario• Sonia’s now working with her insurance

company, in addition to all of her other responsibilities (job, family, etc…)

• What can she do to better manage her time?

Time is a valuable commodity!

Take control of your time and yourself.

Time is valuable not only in “the business world” but everywhere.

Time Management

• Time management is really managing yourself.

Some important things to remember:

• Don’t procrastinate

• Myths of multitasking

• Do take breaks!

Why do we Procrastinate?

• Superhuman expectations

• Whining

• Fear of failing

• Emotional blocks

Ways to avoid Procrastination:1. Face up to the results of procrastination – and focus on the

rewards of managing yourself and your time. 2. Break up big tasks into small ones. 3. Set a regular schedule (with time limits) and stick with it. 4. Establish study habits, which set reasonable, concrete

goals. 5. Get help from your instructor. 6. Practice your new study habits for 21 days..7. Actually reward yourself when you have accomplished an

important body of work. 8. Force yourself to jump into a project.

Ways to avoid Procrastination: (continued)

1. Start on the difficult, most or boring tasks first. 2. Practice “do it now.”3. Find a quiet place to study and concentrate. 4. Gain the support of your family and/or friends. 5. Prepare to be successful by getting ready the evening

before.

Suggestions for good time management skills• To Do lists.

• Organize yourself at home and work similarly.

• Make notebook of repetitive tasks.

• Keep a calendar.

• Take breaks.

• Plan time carefully on large projects, particularly where working with others.

Organize yourself at home• Show others in your household how to organize their

work. • If you are a perfectionist and want everything in your

home to be perfect, get over it! • Establish a time for study hall in your home. • Put a message board in a convenient place for

everyone to use.• Delegate, delegate, delegate! • Schedule at least one hour alone with each of your

children each week. • Make meals happy, relaxed times.• Plan special times with your spouse or partner.• Post a family calendar where everyone can see it.

Be careful of finances

Book gives lots of suggestions for managing your finances. Review them.

A big issue to remember: Identity theft. Need to be careful to shred all papers and documents leaving your house that may contain sensitive information.

WRITING AND ACHIEVING GOALS...

SMART• Specific• Measurable• Actionable/Attainable• Responsible Parties• Time bound

Start with Long Term Goals

• Start with life goals• Evaluate what you need to do to get there • Start setting intermediate and short term

goals to achieve these long term goals• Develop daily, weekly and monthly goals that

will get you to your target.

Example: I want to become judge.• Trial lawyer for a number of years; well

respected; probably involved in local/state politics

• Go to law school; do well; pass the bar• Complete AS and/or BS• Perhaps work in the field during

undergraduate studies

Evaluate your goals regularly.• Are they too easily achievable?• Are they taking too long?• Are you feeling discouraged?• Are you not sure that you’re moving forward?• Are you rewarding yourself for achieving your

goals?

Final ProjectInterviewing legal professional.• Unit 5 Proposal: 1 candidate, 1 back up,

contact info on each, and areas of practice; also need your list of questions.

• Unit 9 Final Project: Brief summary of interview (two paragraphs); rest of the project is going to be a reflection on the interview and how it impacted you.

Final Project(Continued)

• Questions to consider:• Do you have a personal interest in the career of the

person you interviewed? • If so, has your Interest changed due to your interview? • What lessons did you learn or information did you gather

from the legal professional that may be valuable to you in your own career?

• Can you picture yourself as a legal professional in the near future? If so, describe what you see? If not, why not?

• Appendix: • List of questions asked and notes of their answers.

Questions?

• Please ask any questions you may have about this course.

Processing the Crime Processing the Crime SceneScene

Chapter 2

Introduction

The actions taken by patrol and investigative personnel at a crime scene often determine the success or failure of a criminal investigation.

Preliminary investigation

The precursory investigative phase• Activities include:

• Securing the crime scene• Considering the possible arrest of a suspect• Locating and questioning witnesses and victims• Documenting the crime scene• Identifying and collecting evidence

The Role of Evidence at the Crime Scene • Transfer of evidence theory• Must protect evidence from contamination• The value of physical evidence:

• Prove elements of a crime• Place suspect at scene• Eliminate innocents• Suspects will frequently confess when confronted

with it• Can support witness testimony• Powerful and positive impact on juries

Types of Evidence• Corpus delicti

• establishes that a crime has been committed• Associative evidence

• Links a suspect with a crime• Physical evidence

• Is self-explanatory in nature• Can be “gross” or “trace” amounts

• Trace evidence• Minute or even microscopic bits of matter that are

not immediately apparent to the naked eye

• Direct or prima facie evidence• Evidence which at face value proves a fact in

dispute• Indirect or circumstantial evidence

• Tends to incriminate without conclusive proof• Testimonial evidence

• Verbal statement offered by a witness while under oath or affirmation

• Demonstrative evidence• Used to demonstrate or clarify an issue rather than

to prove something

Legal Considerations

• “Evidence custodians” must have good working knowledge of the law, especially:• Search warrants are particularly important • Each jurisdiction may have specific laws for:• Continuity of evidence

• Document “chain of custody”• Custody and disposition• Records maintenance

The First Officer’s Responsibilities• Actions en route• Initial actions upon arrival at the scene• Assistance and protection of witnesses and

bystanders• Separation of witnesses• Res geste evidence

• Spontaneous, unplanned remarks made at the crime scene

• Arrest perpetrator (if possible) • Follow-up communications• ID (and separate) witnesses and vehicles• Brief superiors

Electronic Evidence

• Increasingly important to cases• Has special characteristics

• Latent• Easily transcends national and state jurisdictions• Fragile, easily altered• May not be time sensitive

• Requires special skills and equipment to analyze• Similar to DNA and fingerprints

Broadcasting a Flash Description

• BOLO—“be on the lookout”• Type of crime, location, and time• Number of suspects• Physical description of those involved• Weapons used• Direction in which suspect was last seen proceeding

and how long ago• Means of escape• If anyone was wounded• Vehicle used

CYMBL Rule

• For broadcasting flash descriptions of vehicles:• C: color• Y: year• M: make, model• B: body style• L: license number

Managing Emergency Situations

• Attend to any injured party• Unless a life-threatening or exigent circumstance

exists• Simply put: human life is fundamental

• Takes priority over apprehension of suspect

Securing the Scene

• Fundamental—cases have been lost due to poor scene management resulting in contaminated evidence

• Unnecessary and improper entry to a scene:• Destroy or contaminate evidence• Introduce substances that may mislead

investigators• Provides defense attorneys a window of opportunity

to discredit what otherwise may be a good “collar”

Principles of Scene Management

• Determine if it is a scene of a crime• Aid victims• Apprehend perps (if possible)• Secure scene

Actions to Be Taken at Scene

• Declare and define scene• Request back-up• Interior should be cleared• Record actions taken • Restrict access and control onlookers

Handling Special Situations at the Scene• Dead body

• Precursory determination of cause of death or injury• Hanging victim

• Careful attention to protect the knot on the noose• Firearms, casings, etc.

• Remain untouched• Biohazardous materials• Chemicals and other materials

Assessing the Scene1. Evaluate measures and steps2. Conduct walk-through3. Determine if a search warrant is required4. Develop a plan for working within the scene5. ID individuals responsible for evidence

collection and documentation6. ID protective equipment needed7. ID staging area for equipment and personnel8. Assign officer with primary responsibility9. Determine evidence search method10.Develop collection plan

Collecting Evidence

• Responding officers typically are not responsible for collecting evidence, except:• Exigent circumstances• Under direction by OIC of the crime scene

Interviewing Witnesses• Possible witnesses or informants should be ID’d• Officers should attempt to obtain information from

them• When possible, efforts should be made to

“canvass” surrounding area:• Not just focused on residents but also:

• Employees of local businesses• Delivery and utility personnel• Bus and taxi drivers• Others

Contacting the Medical Examiner

• Standard operating procedure of each law enforcement agency is different.

• Some wait to call the medical examiner until after the crime scene technicians have conducted preliminary investigation.

Crime Scene Reports• Typically contain:

• Data, time of arrival, and relevant conditions at scene

• How was crime discovered/reported• ID of other officers/officials present• Physical evidence collected• Full ID information of witnesses• The results of witness interviews• Diagrams, sketches, and other pertinent visual or

audio materials may be prepared

Performing the Follow-Up Investigation• Analyzing reports of officers conducting the

preliminary phases of the investigation• Reviewing official departmental records and

MO files• Gathering information on friends and

associates of suspects• Examining the victim’s background• Checking police intelligence files to develop

potential suspects • Organizing police actions, such as canvassing,

raids, and search warrants