Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy (NVCJA) Practice Exam

Which of the following factors is useful in establishing a suspect's Modus Operandi?

1. Victim's credibility

2. Time of the day

3. Victims selected based on age

4. All of the above

The correct answer is: All of the above

Establishing a suspect's Modus Operandi (MO) involves understanding the patterns and characteristics of their criminal behavior. Each of the options listed contributes valuable information that can help in identifying a suspect’s approach to committing crimes. Victim's credibility is important in assessing the reliability of the information provided during investigations. Credible victims can provide insights into the suspect's behavior, which may align with established patterns of previous crime scenes. The time of day is a significant factor in understanding a suspect's MO because it can reveal their preference for certain circumstances. For instance, a suspect who commits crimes during nighttime hours may be doing so to avoid detection, which is a habitual trait. Victims selected based on age indicates a specific targeting pattern that can be highly revealing about a suspect's motivations and methods. Knowing that a suspect consistently chooses victims within a particular age range can help law enforcement allocate resources more effectively and predict potential future behaviors. Thus, all of these factors collectively assist in outlining the modus operandi of a suspect, making the choice that includes all of the above elements the most comprehensive and useful in the context of criminal investigation.