While the investigation of the main crime is handled reasonably well, and the frictions between Christopher Meloni's Stabler and Christine Lahti's Sonya Paxton appear likely to lead to an interesting payoff, this is at least the second episode in which the detectives are revealed as thoroughly incompetent in the most basic police work: (Spoilers follow: Do not look if you want to remain unfamiliar with the ending of this episode.)
maintaining control of prisoners and avoiding lethal violence within their own workplace. In the Season Nine Episode "Trade," apparently for no reason other than amping up the drama of the revelation of the true criminal, the detectives completely gave up control of the suspects, allowing the true killer to kill the previous, completely innocent, suspect. Now in this episode, pretty much the same thing happens. After the killer has made a full confession, they parade the previous suspect out, give the two privacy, and sacrifice another (relatively) innocent victim - just so the show can look edgy. That isn't edgy: It's moronic police procedure.
maintaining control of prisoners and avoiding lethal violence within their own workplace. In the Season Nine Episode "Trade," apparently for no reason other than amping up the drama of the revelation of the true criminal, the detectives completely gave up control of the suspects, allowing the true killer to kill the previous, completely innocent, suspect. Now in this episode, pretty much the same thing happens. After the killer has made a full confession, they parade the previous suspect out, give the two privacy, and sacrifice another (relatively) innocent victim - just so the show can look edgy. That isn't edgy: It's moronic police procedure.