What makes a case Major Case?

[Patcat]

The last three episodes (DEATH ROE, SHIBBOLETH, THE GOOD CHILD) have all raised questions regarding why they were assigned to Major Case. Now the answer actually lies in a comment Jamey Sheridan makes on one of the extras on the Season One DVD collection--the cases are Major Case because LOCI's writers and producers say they are--but I wonder if there aren't legitimate reasons that might work in the real world.

Many of these might relate to the high profile of the case--DEATH ROE begins with the murder of a high profile food critic found wearing men's clothing; SHIBBOLETH began with a murder in an apartment building used by politicians to house their lovers; THE GOOD CHILD involved the FBI. LOCI even frequently addresses this question--in SHIBBOLETH, a detective tells Eames about the apartment building's residents and adds something along the lines, "That's why you were called."

So, are the creators of the show really stretching the boundaries of what a Major Case case is?

Patcat

[js]

On the NYPD website, the Major Case link lists the reasons that Major Case is called.

Quoting:

SPECIAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION

Major Case Equad

Investigates:

Kidnappings as directed by the Chief of Detectives.

Thefts of art objects from museums or galleries.

Turck hijackings and burglaries or larcenies from trucks in exess of $100,000.

Commericial burglaries in excess of $100,000.

Bankd robberies and larcenies by extortion.

Burglaries involving safes or vaults.

Illegal construction coalition activity.

End quote


The site goes on to list other special investigation sections:

SPECIAL FRAUDS SQUAD

MISSING PERSONS SQUAD

ARSON/EXPLOSION

and so forth.

I've had fun trying to decide/hear why Major Case is called, especially when that isn't specifically stated in the show.

ONE- bank/jewel heist - vault broken into

ART - art fraud

HOMO HOMINI LUPUS - kidnapping

SEMI-PROFESSIONAL - judge's mistress killed. involvement of govt. official isn't listed on NYPD site, but I think that reason is given in the episode - literary license?

BADGE - city auditor and family killed

TUXEDO HILL - stock fraud

BEST DEFENSE - D.A.'s life is threatened

THE PILGRIM and MAGNIFICAT - possible terrorist activity
( there is really a separate terrorist task force listed
on the site)

That's a start.

js

[Criminal Mastermind]

"I've had fun trying to decide/hear why Major Case is called, especially when that isn't specifically stated in the show."

Me too

Stray: cop killings

[jethro]

ZOONOTIC: Also a cop killing

And anything else the Chief of Detectives wants to be dealt by the MCS!?

[Patcat]

Re the terrorist squad: THE NEW YORK TIMES recently reported that the NYPD squad had more Arab language speakers and experts in Arab culture and religion than the FBI.

Patcat

[LOCIfan]

jethro said:

And anything else the Chief of Detectives wants to be dealt by the MCS!?

Essentially, yes. At least that was the case back when I was an ADA in Manhattan (I left the office in 2003). In fact, Major Case was known as the "press squad" because they handled high profile homicides. Clearly, LOCI takes liberties with what constitutes a case that would be handled by Major Case. As does SVU. Regarding the last few episodes, it seems that folks have been not only interested in where these cases would "really" be referred for investigation, but just as interested in why Criminal Intent told the stories instead of SVU. They're related, but different, questions.

The Sex Crimes Unit (as it's called in Manhattan -- it's called Special Victims Unit in Brooklyn) only exists as a division of the DA's office. ADAs who prosecute sex crimes are assigned to a special unit, and they have MSWs/social workers who're trained to deal with victims of sex crimes as well as to coordinate social services for them, and assist them in preparing to testify, etc... The NYPD doesn't have a separate "unit" or "division" that deals only with sex crimes. There IS a "Special Victims Liaison Unit" which is made up of female detectives who volunteer to man a sex crimes reporting hotline (but those detectives do not investigate the crimes reported). The NYPD's primary divisions are geographic, according to police precincts. NYPD does have specialized investigative divisions within the Detectives Bureau -- Investigation and Resource, Forensic, Fugitive & Special Investigations Unit (the Major Case Squad falls in this category). But sex crimes ain't one of them. Nor are "crimes against children".

The Sex Crimes Unit of the DA's Office in Manhattan IS comprised of ADAs who do nothing but prosecute sex crimes. However, they NEVER, EVER, EVER prosecute homicides or kidnappings or non-sex crimes against children or anything else. Homicides are prosecuted by the ADAs in the Homicide Unit, and investigated by the Homicide Detectives assigned to the precinct in whose jurisdiction the homicide occured, UNLESS the Chief of Detectives assigns the case to Major Case. As far as "crimes against children" are concerned -- again, there is a separate unit in the DA's office that deals exclusively with such cases. It's called the Child Abuse Unit (and, like Sex Crimes, the Child Abuse Unit is staffed with social workers in addition to ADAs whose job it is to coordinate social services for the victims and parents/foster parents/guardians of the victims of these crimes, and to ensure that any needed testimony is procured by the ADAs. But the NYPD doesn't have a separate squad or investigative unit solely devoted to crimes against children.

Homicides investigated by the Major Case Squad would not be prosecuted by any special unit within the ADA's Office. The cases would simply go to the Homicide Unit for prosecution. The exception is capital cases, which are very, very rare in NYC -- much rarer than Carver would have us believe. Within the Homicide Unit is what's known as the "Death Squad" made up of ADAs who've volunteered to become certified to try capital cases. There are so few capital cases charged and tried that this is just basically individual ADAs within the Homicide Unit who are willing, and certified, to try capital cases, should the need arise.

So, both SVU and LOCI take their liberties... LOCI has more lee-way, because theoretically at least, the Chief of Detectives can assign whatever cases he wants to MCS. SVU, on the other hand, is predicated on the notion that ALL the cases handled by Benson and Stabler happen in their precinct, and that they're Homicide, Forensic, Kidnapping, etc... Detectives. No such animal exists. At least not in the NYPD. Oh well, that's why it's fiction. But it does strike me as rather funny when people suggest that LOCI's the least "realistic" of all the L&O's.

None of them are realistic. And not just in terms of the technicalities of jurisdiction (anybody ever notice that no matter which borough the crime happens in, Carver's always on the scene ready to prosecute?! In real life the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island DAs would have something to say about that...) or the bureaucracies of both the NYPD and DA's Office, but in the overall portrayal of how the criminal justice system operates and what it's like to be a part of that system in New York City. All the L&O shows are very clean, very romanticized, very upper middle class, VERY unrealistic portraits of both law and order in gotham. Obviously, that doesn't impede my ability to enjoy the shows, but I enjoy them as pure fiction.

Currently, the cop shows that most accurately reflect the reality of my experiences are THE SHIELD and THE WIRE (not sure if that show's still on the air). They're so realistic, in fact, that I have no interest in watching them. Bochco had a series a long while back called BROOKLYN SOUTH. It didn't last long, maybe only one season. THAT show was, hands down, the most realistic cop/law show I've ever seen. Apparently too real to appeal to viewers.

[js]

Thanks LOCIfan! So much better to hear from someone who really knows!

Given the cut and dried list of Major Case responsibilities in NYPD, one does have to squeeze a bit to fit LOCI cases into a category, but that's part of the fun for me.

js

[Shadow]

Thank you LOCIfan for that wonderful, and informative post. Good to hear it from someone who really knows what is going on. Someone like myself could never come up with all the answers you have just provided. That must have been an interesting part of your life, and I envy all the knowledge you bring to the table.

Obviously, If LOCI played straight by the rules, we may not even like the show anymore. Thanks for the insight LOCIfan.

Shadow

[Patcat]

Yes, LOCIfan, I appreciate and value your take on this. It's great to have a view from the real world.

I find it interesting that the work of the social workers is almost completely ignored in SVU, but social workers tend to be treated negatively in the L&O world.

A question--do detectives tend to find themselves working with the same ADA, or group of ADAs, over and over?

Patcat

[LOCIfan]

No, it's not common to repeatedly work with the same officers or detectives on numerous cases. Of course, over a period of several years, you may cross paths with various officers/detectives more than once. The NYPD is divided geographically, by police precinct whereas the Manhattan DA's Office is divided into specialized practice areas (Homicides, Sex Crimes, etc...). That further cuts against repeatedly working with the same cops over and over again.

[nic]

I have wondered why some particular cases end up with MCS as well.

I think the LOCI writers know when they are stretching the boundaries of what is a 'major case' because they feel the need to explain it, usually by a comment by one of the uniformed cops at the scene to Goren and Eames.

For example I think it is mentioned in the season 2 episode where the baggage handler is killed (I think it's called baggage) that the victim's father is a former cop who pulled some strings to get major case in.

That was also the case in The Pilgrim because the detectives were unaware of the terrrorist plot at the beginning of the episode, they were simply investigating the disappearance of Lesley.

It often seems to happen that the 'high profile' links that warrant the involvement of the major case squad in the beginning are tenous, but as the episode develops it ends up being something worthy of major case treatment (as in The Pilgrim and also Dead, where they are presumably called in because of the way the body is ritualistically posed; but end up uncovering a field of bodies used by a hitman as a DNA farm).

[js]

I do agree that the limits of Major Case are stretched to accomodate the story lines, but that does help make the stories interesting. In BAGGAGE, I think that Major Case was called because Jennie, the victim, previously dated a cop. When she got her promotion, he wanted her to quit. She didn't and broke off with him. However, he still called her. Thinking that a cop might have had something to do with her murder, Major Case was called.

When I look at the actual list of what NYPD Major Case covers, I do have to "moosh" the story line to fit that listing, but it is fun, I must admit.

js

[Patcat]

Isn't there a sign in Major Case calling the cops there the best cops in the world? I imagine they're placed on some cases simply because of the reputations of the detectives.

Patcat

[LOCIfan]

Patcat,

Every NYPD precinct/squadroom I've ever been in has a sign up calling the cops/detectives there the best in the world. It's a morale thing as much as anything. The Homicide Detectives, though, might not agree that Major Case has the "best" homicide detectives on the force.

I agree that the show needs to take liberties with the cases Goren and Eames take on, and don't mean to suggest it interferes with my enjoyment of the show. All I look for is internal logic. As long as the stories make sense within the fictional world the show has set up for itself, I'm a happy LOCIfan. I just never think of LOCI, SVU or any of the L&O's as realistic.

[Stephanie]

Sorry to kinda switch the subject but I really wanted to comment on what LOCIfan said:

LOCIfan said:

I just never think of LOCI, SVU or any of the L&O's as realistic.

I really have to say that my area of studies has really 'soured' - for lack of a better word - my enjoyment on these types of shows. Especially CSI - forensics being my area of speciality. As I began learning interviewing/interrogating techniques, things cops are and are not allowed to do, and testifying the more I saw how unrealistic these shows really were.

At first, it made me mad, and I actually stopped watching them for a while. But then I got over it and now take the same approach as LOCIfan. ;D