Forensic Archaeology and Undetected Homicide Cases

The request was successful.

Dear Northumbria Police,

I am a MSc student studying Forensic Science and Criminal Justice with the University of Leicester. I am currently completing my dissertation which seeks to look at the impact Forensic Archaeology has on unsolved homicide cases within the UK. I would be grateful if the following questions could be answered as outlined in the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Definition of terms for clarity:

Homicide – The unlawful killing of a person, to include murder and all categories of manslaughter.
Detected homicide case – a solved homicide case whereby a person(s) has been charged or has died prior to charges being brought.
Undetected homicide case – a currently unsolved homicide case.
Undetected homicide case review – the review of all evidence in relation to an undetected homicide case.

Freedom of Information Questions:

Q1. How many reported undetected homicide cases are there within your jurisdiction currently?
Q2. Do you currently have a team solely responsible for the review of undetected homicides?
Q3. What is the current standard undetected homicide case review frequency within your jurisdiction?
Q4. During the years 2011 – 2014 (inclusive), how many undetected homicide cases were reviewed within your jurisdiction?
Q5. During the years 2011 – 2014 (inclusive), how many undetected homicide cases were detected within your jurisdiction?
Q6. Does your jurisdiction currently have a Forensic Archaeologist to be called upon as required?
Q7. During the years 2011 – 2014 (inclusive), how many undetected homicide case reviews utilised Forensic Archaeology?
Q8. During the years 2011 – 2014 (inclusive), how many undetected homicide cases were detected as a result of Forensic Archaeology?
I would like to thank you in advance for taking the time to answer these questions. Should you require me to refine or clarify any part of my request, please do not hesitate to contact me under your section 16 duty.

Kindest regards

Charlotte Jones
BHSPT, Nat.Cert.Sci, BSc(hons)

Freedom of Information Mailbox, Northumbria Police

Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA)

 

Thank you for your email received today in which you make a request for
information that Northumbria Police may hold in accordance with the
Freedom of Information Act 2000

 

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Yours sincerely

 

Information Management Unit

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Freedom of Information Mailbox, Northumbria Police

1 Attachment

Provision of information held by Northumbria Police made under the Freedom
of Information Act 2000 (the 'Act')

 

Thank you for your email dated 9 September 2019 in which you made a
request for access to certain information which may be held by Northumbria
Police.

 

As you may be aware the purpose of the Act is to allow a general right of
access to information held at the time of a request, by a Public Authority
(including the Police), subject to certain limitations and exemptions.

 

You asked:

 

1.     How many reported undetected homicide cases are there within your
jurisdiction currently?

2.     Do you currently have a team solely responsible for the review of
undetected homicides?

3.     What is the current standard undetected homicide case review
frequency within your jurisdiction?

4.     During the years 2011 - 2014 (inclusive), how many undetected
homicide cases were reviewed within your jurisdiction?

5.     During the years 2011 - 2014 (inclusive), how many undetected
homicide cases were detected within your jurisdiction?

6.     Does your jurisdiction currently have a Forensic Archaeologist to
be called upon as required?

7.     During the years 2011 - 2014 (inclusive), how many undetected
homicide case reviews utilised Forensic Archaeology?

8.     During the years 2011 - 2014 (inclusive), how many undetected
homicide cases were detected as a result of Forensic Archaeology?

 

Definition of terms for clarity:

 

Homicide - The unlawful killing of a person, to include murder and all
categories of manslaughter.

Detected homicide case - a solved homicide case whereby a person(s) has
been charged or has died prior to charges being brought.

Undetected homicide case - a currently unsolved homicide case.

Undetected homicide case review - the review of all evidence in relation
to an undetected homicide case.

 

We have now had the opportunity to fully consider your request and I
provide a response for your attention.

 

Following receipt of your request, searches were conducted with the Crime
Department of Northumbria Police.  I can confirm that the information you
have requested is held, in part, by Northumbria Police.

 

I am able to disclose the located information to you as follows.

 

1.     42, with the oldest undetected homicide case going back to 1919.

 

2.     No.

 

3.     There is not a formal current standard undetected homicide case
review frequency protocol within Northumbria Police.

 

4.     No information held.  We do not have a record of how many
undetected homicide reviews were conducted during the years 2011 to 2014.

 

5.     There is one record of an undetected homicide committed pre 2011
having been detected between 2011 and 2014.

 

6.     There is a National Injuries Database managed by the National Crime
Agency (NCA).  The services of a Forensic Archaeologist would be appointed
following consultation with the NCA.  Northumbria Police does retain the
exclusive services of a Forensic Archaeologist.

 

7.     No information held.  We do have a record of how many undetected
homicide reviews were conducted during the years 2011 to 2014 with the
assistance of a Forensic Archaeologist.

 

8.     No information held.  We do not have a record of any undetected
homicides detected during the years 2011 to 2014 with the assistance of a
Forensic Archaeologist.

 

Due to the different methods of recording information across 43 forces, a
specific response from one constabulary should not be seen as an
indication of what information could be supplied (within cost) by another.
Systems used for recording these figures are not generic, nor are the
procedures used locally in capturing the data. For this reason responses
between forces may differ, and should not be used for comparative
purposes.

 

The information we have supplied to you is likely to contain intellectual
property rights of Northumbria Police. Your use of the information must be
strictly in accordance with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as
amended) or such other applicable legislation. In particular, you must not
re-use this information for any commercial purpose.

 

You may be interested to know that Northumbria Police routinely publish
information via the Disclosure Log. The aim of the Disclosure Log is to
promote openness and transparency by voluntarily placing information into
the public arena.

 

The Disclosure Log contains copies of some of the information that has
been disclosed by Northumbria Police in response to requests made under
the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

 

Whilst it is not possible to publish all responses we will endeavour to
publish those where we feel that the information disclosed is in the wider
public interest.

 

The Disclosure Log will be updated once responses have been sent to the
requester.

 

I have provided the relevant link below.

 

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If you are still unhappy after we have investigated your complaint and
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Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Michael Cleugh

Data Protection and Disclosure Advisor

 

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'Northumbria Police will be outstanding in the service we provide'

'We will do this through protecting the Vulnerable, delivering quality
Investigations and applying Problem solving to everything we do to protect
the communities we serve.'

NORTHUMBRIA POLICE PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE The information
contained in this message and any attachment(s) is confidential and
intended only for the attention of the named organisation or individual to
whom it is addressed. The message may contain information that is covered
by legal, professional or other privilege. No mistake in transmission is
intended to waive or compromise any such privilege. This message has been
sent over public networks and the sender cannot be held responsible for
its integrity. If you are not the intended recipient be aware that any
disclosure, copying, distribution or action taken in reliance of the
information contained herein is strictly prohibited, and is contrary to
the provisions of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act, 1988 and of the
Data Protection Act, 2018. Any views expressed are those of the sender
and, unless specifically stated, do not necessarily represent the view of
Northumbria Police. We cannot accept any liability for any loss or damage
sustained as a result of software viruses. It is your responsibility to
carry out such virus checking as is necessary. If you have received this
message in error, please notify the sender by e-mail at once and delete
the message immediately. For more information about Northumbria Police
please visit our website - http://www.northumbria.police.uk

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Dear Freedom of Information Mailbox,

Many thanks for your response. Based on your response I would just like to clarify two points as follows:

Response to Q6 - Northumbria Police retains exclusive services of a Forensic Archaeologist.

Response to Q7 - You do have a record of the number of reviews conducted.

Yours sincerely,

Charlotte Jones

Freedom of Information Mailbox, Northumbria Police

Charlotte

Your request at point 6 and 7 is amended as below.

6. There is a National Injuries Database managed by the National Crime Agency (NCA). The services of a Forensic Archaeologist would be appointed following consultation with the NCA. Northumbria Police does NOT retain the exclusive services of a Forensic Archaeologist.

7. No information held. We do NOT have a record of how many undetected homicide reviews were conducted during the years 2011 to 2014 with the assistance of a Forensic Archaeologist.

Apologies for this oversight.

Regards
FOI team

www.northumbria.police.uk

'Northumbria Police will be outstanding in the service we provide'

'We will do this through protecting the Vulnerable, delivering quality Investigations and applying Problem solving to everything we do to protect the communities we serve.'

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