Overview#
When a body is discovered in a car park at 2 a.m. and the detective gets the call, the next 48 hours will largely determine whether the case ever reaches a courtroom. Leads go cold, witnesses disappear, and physical evidence degrades. Argus Homicide Investigation and Major Crimes gives detectives a single workspace that pulls together scene documentation, witness coordination, forensic lab results, and prosecution file preparation so that critical time is spent investigating, not chasing paperwork across four disconnected systems.
The module is built for homicide units, major crimes squads, and cold case teams at local and national police forces. It handles the sustained complexity of multi-jurisdictional cases that may take months or years to resolve, while remaining fast enough to keep pace with an active scene in the first hours.
Open Standards#
- W3C Verifiable Credentials Data Model v2.0: Evidence items and chain-of-custody transfers are issued as signed Verifiable Credentials (Ed25519/JWT serialisation) so that provenance can be verified independently of the platform at trial.
- STIX 2.1 / TAXII 2.1: Intelligence reports, indicators, and case artefacts can be exported as STIX 2.1 bundles with TLP object-marking references, and inbound threat intelligence is imported via the TAXII 2.1 polling connector.
- NIEM (National Information Exchange Model) JSON Specification v5.0: Case and entity data can be exported in NIEM-conformant JSON for interoperability with Records Management Systems and other criminal-justice information-exchange partners.
- Traffic Light Protocol (TLP): Information-sharing sensitivity is encoded using the FIRST TLP schema (TLP:CLEAR, TLP:GREEN, TLP:AMBER, TLP:RED) to govern what can be disclosed between agencies and jurisdictions.
- POLE data model (Person, Object, Location, Event): The AI-assisted entity extraction and link-analysis layer structures all case entities according to the POLE model used as the analytical foundation in UK and Irish policing intelligence practice.
- RFC 6962-style Merkle tree (SHA-256): A tamper-evident daily Merkle tree is built over the evidence audit log using pairwise SHA-256 concatenation, producing a root hash that can be presented to court as a mathematical integrity proof.
- ISO 3166-1 alpha-3: Three-letter country codes are used throughout suspect and person profiles to support multi-jurisdictional case management and cross-border intelligence sharing.
- GraphQL (June 2018 specification): All case management, evidence, witness, and prosecution-file operations are exposed through a typed GraphQL API, enabling structured queries and mutations from investigator workstations and integrated partner systems.
Last Reviewed: 2026-02-05 Last Updated: 2026-04-14
Key Features#
Case Management#
- Single source of truth for all case information, evidence, witnesses, and investigative actions
- Real-time multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional collaboration with role-based access controls
- Investigative task management with assignment, tracking, and deadline monitoring
- Case status tracking through the 21-stage configurable workflow engine, with milestone documentation and supervisory review
- Lead management with tracking, assignment, and disposition documentation
Timeline and Analysis#
- Visual timeline building with automatic synchronisation of events, evidence, and witness statements
- Cross-case pattern analysis to identify series crimes, common methods, and suspect patterns
- Geographic profiling tools for spatial analysis of crime scenes and related locations
- Behavioural analysis integration for profiling assistance on complex investigations
- Link analysis connecting persons, locations, vehicles, and communications across case evidence using the POLE model (Person, Organisation, Location, Object, Event)
Forensics and Evidence#
- Direct integration with crime labs, medical examiners, and forensic analysis systems
- Evidence chain of custody with complete tracking from collection through court presentation
- Forensic result management with automatic case notification when results are available
- DNA evidence tracking with database submission and hit notification management
- Digital evidence management for cell phone records, surveillance footage, and social media evidence
Witness and Family Management#
- Witness management with interview scheduling, statement tracking, and safety coordination
- Structured family liaison communication management with documentation and notification tracking
- Confidential informant management with source protection and intelligence integration
- Victim advocate coordination with service referral tracking and family communication logging
Cold Case and Prosecution#
- Specialised cold case workflows for re-examining unsolved cases with new technologies and techniques
- Automated prosecution package generation with evidence cataloguing and witness coordination
- Comprehensive audit trail documenting every investigative action for legal discovery
- Case handoff documentation for detective reassignment or jurisdiction transfer
- Court preparation tools with exhibit management and testimony scheduling, including Irish courts integration
- Media management tools for public information coordination and press release documentation
- Investigative theory documentation and testing with evidence-based hypothesis evaluation
- Expert witness coordination with scheduling, report tracking, and testimony preparation support
- Reward program management with fund tracking, tip evaluation, and payment authorisation
- Interagency case conference scheduling with secure document sharing and follow-up action tracking
Use Cases#
Active Homicide Investigation. Manage the critical first 48 hours and beyond with centralised case information, real-time team coordination, evidence tracking, witness management, and timeline reconstruction in a single workspace. Ensure no leads are lost and every action is documented.
Cold Case Review. Re-examine unsolved cases using specialised workflows that incorporate new forensic technologies, DNA re-testing, updated witness information, and advanced analytical tools to generate new leads. Track all review activities for accountability and case documentation.
Serial Crime Investigation. Connect evidence across multiple cases through pattern analysis, geographic profiling, behavioural analysis, and timeline correlation to identify serial offenders and build comprehensive prosecution cases spanning multiple jurisdictions.
Prosecution Preparation. Generate court-ready case packages with organised evidence catalogues, witness coordination, chain of custody documentation, and timeline presentations that support successful prosecution. Manage discovery obligations and Brady material identification.
Integration#
- Connects with crime laboratories and medical examiner systems for forensic result delivery
- Integrates with evidence management platforms for chain of custody tracking
- Links to records management and CAD systems for incident data and call history
- Works with prosecutor case management systems for handoff and coordination, including Irish courts integration
- Supports DNA database and fingerprint identification system queries
- Compatible with digital forensics platforms for cell phone and computer evidence analysis
- Feeds into crime analysis platforms for cross-case pattern identification
- Crime scene documentation management with 3D scanning, photography, and measurement integration
- Victim identification coordination with medical examiner and forensic anthropology resources
- Connects with probation and parole systems for suspect supervision status and history