A new gem: AISOCC

The AISOCC is short for the American Investigative Society of Cold Cases. They are a non-profit, volunteer based organization of professional investigators whose sole mission is to aid in solving cold cases.

Using crime scene reconstruction and criminal profiling, they look at cases submitted to them by law enforcement (but not exclusively). Law enforcement then receives a complete file with advice and a plan how to proceed with the case.

The AISOCC is the brainchild of Kenneth L. Mains who works as County Detective for the District Attorney’s Office in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. When Kenneth launched his idea on LinkedIn Groups of course, I joined his group and became an AISOCC member. The society now has a website up, is on Facebook,  and has had their first success!

“AISOCC’s very first case was available for review for only 3 days before a member noticed something that didn’t sit right with him. Review Board Member Jerry Chisum observed something in the Lab Reports regarding the victims menstrual cycle, the semen present and location of the semen. Chisum relayed this observation to AISOCC and it started a chain reaction of events resulting in the case detective questioning a “new” suspect. As of this writing the suspect and his two alibi witnesses refused polygraphs and have hired attorney’s. The case isn’t “solved” yet but this observation was essential and it is exactly why AISOCC was formed.”

The AISOCC could make a difference where the Vidocq Society has set clear limits: they will not investigate a cold case if the victim was engaged in dangerous or illicit activity. That means that certain cold cases will never be brought up for review at the Vidocq Society just because the victims had a record.

My hopes are that as the AISOCC evolves they will stand by what Kenneth said to himself in 2011: “I decided at that moment that I was not going to allow another victim to be forgotten about and I made the toughest decision of my life.”

And that is exactly how it should be. If you investigate cold cases then every victim deserves your attention. If you do not, you effectively say that a certain case is not worthy of your time and efforts just because the victim had a less than pristine history. You discriminate and my mind is closed on discrimination. Every victim in any cold case deserves to have their case reviewed.