Finding a way to communicate would ensure that time is not wasted during the follow-up investigation. .
A sex related crime, such as rape, and a crime of arson would have some similarities and differences in the way that they are reported. They both would need to be investigated fully with the preliminary process being followed to gather the evidence and information needed to solve the cases. A rape would be different from an arson investigation in that the victim may know the person that they were attacked by since they were in close proximity, and they would need to be treated like a piece of evidence themselves by having a rape kit completed by medical professionals. They may be able to give some information about the perpetrator, even if the person had tried to hide their identity. This would be different because it is a crime that was committed against a person where they have been physically harmed, but arson may have a victim who owned the property, they may not have been harmed if they were not home at the time. An arson case would also be different in that there may not be any witnesses to the crime that occurred since it was a property crime rather than a crime against a person.
The three most important characteristics of an effective criminal investigator are being knowledgeable, patient and persistent. An investigator should be knowledgeable about a variety of topics, especially those that pertain to the types of crimes that they investigate. This could mean that they are knowledgeable about types of weapons, how to trace money or other investigative information that could help them to identify the suspect of the crime. An investigator should also be patient. They need to be able to be patient with interviewing witnesses and victims because they may have a hard time talking with the investigator, and if the investigator tries to rush the person vital facts that the person knows may be missed.
