The Crime Scene

1. The Crime Scene Forensic Science Honors

2. Processing the crime scene • Crime labs run on physical evidence.

3. Physical Evidence • Encompasses any and all objects that can establish that a crime has been committed or can provide a link between a crime and its victim or a crime and its perpetrator. • To be used, physical evidence must be recognized at the scene.

4. Physical Evidence • Collection is performed with a selectivity governed by the collector’s thorough knowledge of the crime lab’s techniques, capabilities, and limitations. • Forensic Analysis begins at the crime scene.

5. Processing the Crime Scene • With proper training, police agencies can ensure themselves of competent performance at crime scenes. • In many jurisdictions, police agencies have delegated this task to a specialized team of technicians.

6. Physical Evidence • Not all crime scenes require retrieval of physical evidence. • In reality, limited resources and personnel have forced many police agencies to restrict their efforts to crimes of a more serious nature. • Once the commitment is made to completely process a crime site for physical evidence, it is imperative that certain fundamental practices be adhered to.

7. Secure & Isolate the crime scene • First officer on the scene is responsible for preserving and protecting the area to the greatest extent possible. • The first priority is: • Obtaining medical assistance for individuals in need. • Arresting a perpetrator • Ensuring safety

8. First Officer • As soon as possible – should exclude all unauthorized personnel from the scene. • As additional officers arrive • Measures are immediately initiated to isolate the area. • Ropes or barricades and strategic position of guards to prevent unauthorized access.

10. Access • If proper control is to be exercised over the crime scene, the officer charged with the responsibility of protecting it must have the authority to exclude everyone, including fellow police officers not directly involved in processing the site or in conducting the investigation.

11. Scene secured • Once the scene has been secured, a lead investigator will start the process of evaluating the area.

12. Evaluating the area • First the boundaries of the scene must be determined. • Second – establish the path of entry and exit of the perpetrator

13. Evaluating the area • The obvious items of crime scene evidence will first come to the attention of the investigator. These must be documented and photographed. • The investigator then proceeds with an initial walk-through of the scene.

14. The Walk-through • The walk-through is done to gain an overview of the situation. • It also gives the investigator the opportunity to develop a strategy for the systematic examination and documentation of the entire crime scene.

15. Recording the Scene • There is only a limited amount of time to work a crime site in its untouched state. • The investigators must permanently record the scene in its original state. • Useful in investigation • Required for presentation at trial • Documents the condition of the crime site • Delineates the location of physical evidence.

16. Recording the Scene • Three methods of crime scene recording • Photography • Digital • Traditional • Sketches • Notes