The POIPAT Method and Its Usefulness in Cold-Case Investigations
Purpose:
The purpose of this paper is to present an elimination method called the POIPAT and demonstrate its usefulness in eliminating suspects in cold-case investigations.
Design/Methods/Approach:
The paper presents a SWOT analysis of the POIPAT method that considers the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats connected to cold-case investigations.
Findings:
The POIPAT is mostly used in cold homicide cases to, with the help of a compiled questionnaire, assist investigators eliminate suspects by evaluating and arranging them on levels of importance. The more points a suspect gathers, the more likely they are the perpetrator. The method’s advantages include the effective use of resources, the focus on the most likely perpetrators, and the questionnaire’s objectivity. The biggest deficiencies are possible subjectivity in determining the importance of the elements and lack of knowledge of the method, together with the use of a questionnaire that is not adapted to the Slovenian situation. While the method is promising and useful, it only holds heuristic value.
Research Limitations / Implications:
The limitations mainly lie in the lack of literature that might facilitate a better SWOT analysis of POIPAT. In the future, it would be useful to perform a study to determine the cognitive value of the analysed POIPAT.
Practical Implications:
The paper’s findings enable an insight into POIPAT’s usefulness as one of the methods available for cold-case investigations.
Originality/Value:
This paper is one of just a few to mention the POIPAT method. It is intended for anyone interested in this subject, with police officers and criminal investigators being particularly in mind.
UDC: 343.98
Keywords: cold cases, investigation, persons of interest priority assessment tool, POIPAT, profiling, SWOT analysis