ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

1. ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICECRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

2. I. INTRODUCTION TO THE CRIME SCENEAND THE CRIME SCENEINVESTIGATOR RESPONSIBILITIES

3. A. The purpose of crime scene investigation: 1. To help establish what happened (crime scene reconstruction). 2. To identify the responsible person.

4. 3. Carefullydocumentingthe conditionsat a crime scene and recognizing allrelevant physical evidence. a. Critical to both solving andprosecutingviolent crimes.

5. 4. Protecting and searchinga crime scene plays a critical role in determiningwhether physical evidence will be used insolving or prosecuting crimes.

6.  B. Crime scene investigation is a difficult andtime-consuming job.   1. Officers must exercise a careful and thoughtful approach.   2. Investigators must not leap to an immediateconclusionas to what happened.

7. 3. A good investigator will usually generate several differenttheories of the crime. a. Inferences about what happened are produced from the sceneappearanceupon arrival and information gathered from witnesses.

8. b. These theories will help guide the investigator to: (1) document specificconditions. (2) recognize valuableevidence.

9. C. Locating evidence and documenting crime scene conditions include: 1. Immediately recording transient details such aslighting:   a. Where they on or off?

10. b. Wheredrapesopen or closed? c. What were theweatherconditions? d. Was furniture moved bymedicalteams?

11.  2. Handleshoeprints or gunshot residue evidence with care. a. Very fragile and if not collected immediately can easily bedestroyed or lost.

12. 3. The investigation also includes consideration ofargumentsthat may dispute the investigatorstheory anddocumenting conditions which wouldsupport or refute these arguments.

13.  4. The investigator must be able torecognizewhat should be present at a scene.   a. He must look for objects which appear to be out of place andmight have been left by thesuspect.

14. b. It is important to determine the fullextent of a crime scene. (1) The scene is not merely theimmediatearea where a body is located or thesuspectconcentratedhis activities.

15. (2) A crime scene can also encompass a vehicle or the access and escaperoutes.

16. 5. There are some common items that are frequently collected as evidence. a. fingerprints b. shoeprints c. bloodstains

17. 6. Any object can potentially become physical evidence. a. If something can be used toconnecta victim to a suspect or a suspect to a victim or the crime sceneis relevantphysical evidence.

18. 7. Weapons and burglartools are easily recognized as significant physical evidence and frequently destroyed by theperpetrator.

19. a. Microscopic evidence consisting of hairs, fibers, or other small traces theassailant unknowingly leaves behind or takes with him may be the only physical evidence to find.

20. II.PERSONNEL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES A. There are certain personnel duties and responsibilities that are necessary in almost every major search operation.

21. 1. Investigators shouldconcentrateon theduties that are typically crucialto ensure that search efforts are conducted in an organized and methodicalfashion.

22. 2. It may not be feasible to have one person assigned to each duty. a. It is common for one person toaccomplishtwo or more duties at a crime scene.

23. b. Interest and attitudeof investigating personnel are paramount concerns. (1) Training and experiencewill best be used when potential team members possess apositiveattitude.

24. (2) Long hours and attention to detail are often required of investigation personnel.

25. B. Team Leader - responsibilities 1. Assume control - ensure safety of personnel and security at scene. a. Ensure personnel use appropriateprotectiveequipment.

26.   b. Ensure personnel follow standard procedures to protect themselves from anyhealthhazards such as blood or other human body fluid.

27. 2. Conduct an initial walk-through of the crime scene: a. to make a preliminary survey. b. toevaluatepotential evidence. c. topreparea rough sketch of the scene.

28. 3. Determine search patterns, and make appropriateassignmentsfor team members.

29. 4. Designate command post location and coordinatethe exchange of information between search and investigative personnel. 5. Coordinate efforts with other law enforcement agencies involved and make sure acooperativespirit is maintained.

30. 6. Ensure that sufficient supplies and equipmentare available for personnel. 7. Monitor access in and out of the crime scene and designatepersonnel to log everyone into the scene.

31. 8. Constantly be evaluating the efficiency of search during the operation. 9. Release the scene following afinalsurvey and inventory to ensure all evidence has been located, collected and properlydocumented.

32. C. Photographer and photographic log recorder responsibilities 1. Photographthe entirearea and crime scene before it is entered.

33. 2. Photographvictimsinvolved, the crowd, and all vehicles in area. 3. Photograph entire scene with overall, medium andclose-up coverage, usingmeasurementscale when appropriate.

34. 4. Photograph majorevidenceitems before they are moved; co-ordinate this effort with the person designated to prepare the sketch. 5. Photograph all latent fingerprints and other impression evidence before lifting and castingare accomplished.

35. 6. Prepare photographic log andphotographic sketch.

36. D. Sketch preparer responsibilities 1. Diagram the immediate area of theincidentscene. 2. Note locationofsignificantitems of evidence on sketch.

37. 3. Take accurate measurements of scene and evidence. 4. Recordmeasurementson sketch. 5. Ensure necessary information, such as scale disclaimer (not drawn to scale), is recorded on the sketch.

38. E. Evidence recorder/custodian - responsibilities 1. Have significant evidencephotographed before collection.

39. 2. Describe evidence and the location it was found on appropriate collection bag or envelope. 3. Sign and date evidence containers. (a) Maintain proper chain of custody. Case #:______________ Date:________________ Time:_______________ Officer:______________ Location:____________ Signature:___________

40. 4. Properly collectand package evidence prior to movement in order to maximize evidence integrity.5. Maintain an evidence log.

41. 6. Use appropriate protective equipment (gloves) and adhere to approvedmethodswhen collecting evidence.

42. F. Forensic, scientific,and other specialists. 1. It is sometimes necessary to bring inexpertisefrom an outside agency. (a) The field offorensicscience is so broad today that few agencies will have every form of specialty service available from among its ranks.

43. 2. Typically, specialists are brought in from industry, the academic community, private scientificlaboratories, and similar concerns. 3. When dealing with outside specialists some pertinent aspects to consider are: a. the competence and reliabilityof the specialist.

44. b. the ability of the specialist to work at a scene within law enforcement guidelines. c. the role of the specialist in presentingexperttestimony in court.

45. 4. Specialists should be identified before they are needed in an actual case. a. A currentlist should be maintained, if possible.

46. 5. The following list provides examples of specialty assistance to be considered: a. Anthropologist – one who studies the science of mankind

47. b. Blood Pattern Analyst – expert in identifying blood types and causes of blood spatters.c. Bomb Technician – expert in the field of bombidentification and disposal.

48. d. Criminalist – studies the science of crime. e. Engineer – person skilled in the principals and practice ofengineering(construction).

49. f. Medical Examiner – doctor who determines cause of death. g. Odontologist – deals with science ofteeth.

50. h. Surveyor – determines boundaries,extent, and position of objects andnaturalfeatures.