Final answer:
Deliberate alterations made to confuse investigators at a crime scene are called forensic deception. This includes tampering with evidence and can lead to wrongful convictions, hence law enforcement must thoroughly investigate to overcome such misdirection.
Step-by-step explanation:
When deliberate alterations are made at the scene of a murder for the purpose of confusing or otherwise misleading criminal investigators, it is known as forensic deception. These alterations can mislead the law enforcement's investigation, potentially causing them to draw incorrect conclusions about the suspect, the modus operandi, or the circumstances surrounding the crime.
Forensic deception may involve tampering with or rearranging evidence at the crime scene, including the position of the body or objects, to create a false narrative. This is a serious concern as it can result in wrongful convictions or allow the true perpetrator to evade justice. Hence, it is crucial for investigators to recognize possible signs of such deceptions and use reliable forensic practices to reconstruct the crime accurately despite attempts at misdirection.
Factors such as eyewitness suggestibility and misattribution play a role in the malleability of memories, which can be compounded by deceptive practices at the crime scene. Therefore, forensic teams and criminal profilers must apply rigorous methodologies to avoid wrongful interpretations influenced by distorted scenes or misleading accounts.