Final answer:
Disclosing the estimated amount of stolen funds to the police is acceptable to assist in their investigation. Police use evidence, witness descriptions, and interrogation techniques, such as the prisoner's dilemma scenario, to identify suspects. External factors can also affect police effectiveness and public cooperation in investigations.
Step-by-step explanation:
In instances like a robbery, it is indeed acceptable to disclose the estimated amount of funds taken to the police, as this assists with their investigation. Knowing the amount can help gauge the severity of the crime and may provide leads on potential suspects who had financial motives. During a robbery investigation, police officers identify criminals largely based on evidence and witness testimonials. Descriptions of suspects’ physical attributes, such as height, can sometimes be vague, but are still valuable.
Police strategies also involve interrogation techniques designed to coax information from suspects. In the hypothetical scenario provided, the police leverage the possibility of a greater sentence for not cooperating, a common tactic to induce confessions or information sharing between apprehended suspects. This is a part of a well-established framework known as 'prisoner's dilemma', which is used to understand and predict how individuals may behave in different situations when they have to decide whether to cooperate or compete.
Moreover, historical and social context shows that police work can be complicated by external factors, such as community relationships or the influence of organized crime, indicating that information gathering and public cooperation can be variable based on many factors. This notion is exemplified by the historical reference to Al Capone, whose influence on the community and law enforcement affected the police's ability to operate effectively.