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CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION. A Multi-Tiered Approach. What is the legal definition of crime?. A crime is any wrongdoing classified by the state or Congress as a felony or misdemeanor. An omission of a duty commanded by public law. PART 1 – OVERVIEW OF CRIME. CRIMINAL LAW. Criminal Law

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CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

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  1. CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION A Multi-Tiered Approach

  2. What is the legal definition of crime? A crime is any wrongdoing classified by the state or Congress as a felony or misdemeanor. An omission of a duty commanded by public law. PART 1 – OVERVIEW OF CRIME

  3. CRIMINAL LAW • Criminal Law • Public law • Act is offensive to society • Regulation of rights • Enforcement of rights • State is plaintiff

  4. CRIME CATEGORIES • What is the difference between a felony, a gross misdemeanor and a misdemeanor?

  5. BAD CRIMES • ‘Mala in se’- crimes are bad in themselves • ‘Mala prohibita’- crimes are bad because prohibited

  6. A felony is punishable by at least 1 year and 1 day in prison and a significant fine. Examples- Armed robbery, Kidnapping, Rape, Murder, Terroristic Threats and Possession of Schedule II Narcotics FELONY

  7. Felony offenses are listed as violent crimes by the F.B.I. when they involve force or the threat of force. Felony convictions also result in the loss of civil rights (voting, etc.) FELONY

  8. The punishment for a misdemeanor is usually a fine and/or up to 1 year in county jail. An offender is charged with a gross misdemeanor for repeated offenses. Examples- DUI, Trespass, Vandalism and Disorderly Conduct MISDEMEANORS

  9. Prison is a place of confinement. Prison inmates have been tried and convicted of crimes and have received a specific sentence. Prisons are operated by the state or the federal government. There are approximately 100 federal prisons in the United States. Prisons have amenities such as recreational facilities. PRISON VS JAIL

  10. A jail is a place of detention. A person that is in custody and awaiting trial will be held in jail. A person that has been convicted of a minor offense may serve their sentence in jail. Jails are run by counties. There are approximately 3,600 jails in the United States. Jails have few amenities. PRISON VS JAIL

  11. U.S. CRIME STATISTICS • The most common non-misdemeanor crime in the United States is property crime. Property crime consists of burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft. • A burglary is committed every 15 seconds in the U.S. • The average loss is $1600.00 and the stolen items are rarely recovered. • An arrest is made in 13% of the cases.

  12. U.S. CRIME STATISTICS • Most crimes occur in July and August • Murder and robbery are more common in December and January. • Crime rates are higher in the first day of the month. • Large urban areas have highest violent crime rate.

  13. U.S. CRIME STATISTICS • Males that are 18-35 years old commit the most crimes. • Most murders are intraracial. In 2005, 86% of Caucasian murders were committed by Caucasians and 94% of African-American murders were committed by African-Americans.

  14. U.S. CRIME STATISTICS • On any given day, 2.3 million people are incarerated in America. • Every year 656,000 inmates are released • 2/3 of them end up in prison again • When released prisoners may not associate with other felons, barred from certain professions, cannot receive most government assistance, etc.

  15. FAMOUS UNSOLVED CRIMES • Jack the Ripper • Jon Benet Ramsey • Sam Sheppard • Zodiac Killer

  16. CELEBRITY CRIMES • O.J.Simpson • Robert Blake • Tupac Shakur

  17. SERIAL KILLERS • A serial killer murders 3 or more people in 3 or more separate events over a period of time • Son of Sam – David berkowitz • The Campus Killer – Ted Bundy • BTK Killer – Dennis Radar • The Killer Clown – John Wayne Gacy

  18. CHILD KILLERS • Considered the lowest of all criminals The Atlanta Murdered and Missing Children - Wayne Williams Jeffrey McDonald Lydia Trueblood

  19. CANNIBALS • Jeffrey Dahmer • Edmund Emil Kemper III

  20. OUTLAWS • Jesse James • Billy the Kid • Pretty Boy Floyd • Bonnie and Clyde

  21. Do not allow strangers into your home. Do not flaunt what you own. An empty plasma television box in the garbage is an invitation to a thief. Bolt your safe to the floor. CRIME PREVENTION

  22. Homes without alarms are three times more likely to be robbed. Dogs are not always effective because thieves carry treats in their pockets. Do not allow mail, etc. to accumulate while you are on vacation. CRIME PREVENTION

  23. A crime scene contains fragments of a large and complex puzzle. Any crime scene investigator (CSI) must remember Locard’s Exchange Principle in order to connect those fragments. After the crime has occurred…

  24. It is impossible for a criminal to act, especially considering the intensity of a crime, without leaving traces of this presence. With contact between two items, there will be an exchange Locard’s Exchange Principle

  25. CORPUS DELICTI“Body of the Crime”is a legal term that refers to the principle that proof of a crime must occur before a person can be convicted of the crime. You must prove: • that a crime occurred • that the person charged with the crime was responsible for the crime You must determine: Primary Crime Scene Secondary Crime Scene(s) Source(s) of Evidence • Body • Primary and/or Secondary Crime Scene • Suspect(s)

  26. A group of professional investigators, each trained in a variety of special disciplines. Team Members: The First Officer on the Scene Medics (if necessary) Investigators (Lead Detective) Medical Examiner (if necessary) Photographer Note taker Sketch Artist Evidence Technicians The Crime Scene Team

  27. Complex ReasoningIn Forensic Science Members of the CSI Team must employ the following skills: • Deductive reasoning • Communication • Logic • Observation • Patience • Methodical Approach

  28. When Mrs. Jackson came back from lunch, there were several messages on her desk. By changing each digit of the phone numbers to one of the three corresponding letters on the telephone buttons, can you determine her relationship to each caller? (Answers are on the next slide) How are your deductive reasoning skills?

  29. Deductive Reasoning Answers • 336-8478 dentist • (222)686-2868 accountant • 774-6837 printer • 487-2263 husband • 247-5463 airline • 832-2437 teacher

  30. The First Officer on the Scene Observe persons and vehicles near the scene as well as smells and sounds Note the time, address and weather conditions Conduct a brief walk through of the scene and determine if medical assistance is necessary Call for CSI Secure and Isolate the scene- must establish perimeter security especially to control the media

  31. The First Officer on the Scene • A Assess the crime scene • D Detain witnesses • A Arrest perpetrators • P Protect the scene • T Take notes

  32. The first officer on the scene determines if any additional team members are needed. Emergency Medical Technicians or Paramedics are only called when a victim is still alive. The Rest of the Team

  33. 1. Interview witnesses 2. Take statements 3. Verify the truth of the statements 4. Determine the motive, means and opportunity for each suspect 5. Seek additional information 6. Charge and arrest suspects 7. Testify in court. The investigator will…

  34. The first photographs that are taken should show an overview of the scene from many different perspectives. After the evidence technicians have placed markers next to the evidence, then the photographer will create a scale and photograph the evidence The photographer…

  35. Photographer should take care to not contaminate evidence when using the ruler. Must keep a photo log The Photographer

  36. First, the police artist is responsible for the crime scene sketch. A rough sketch is drawn at the scene and the final sketch is created at the police station The Police Artist

  37. The Sketch • A photograph is a 2 dimensional view of the scene, but a sketch provides accurate measurements and distances between objects. • The final sketch is drawn to scale using templates, etc.

  38. Creating composite drawings of any suspects These composites may be drawn by hand or computer generated Other responsibilities of the sketch artist include…

  39. The note taker should record everything that happens during the crime scene investigation. The notes should include the date, times and names for anyone entering or exiting the crime scene. The Note Taker

  40. Sets up numbers at the pieces of evidence Has the necessary equipment Properly collects all evidence Evidence Technicians

  41. The Medical Examiner • When a victim is deceased, the Medical Examiner or a representative from the ME’s office will be responsible for retrieving the body from the scene. • At the scene, photographs and a body temperature will be taken. • The hands may be bagged and then the body is placed into a clean body bag.

  42. Fingerprints are taken Evidence is collected from both the body and the body bag. Must maintain the chain of custody At the Medical Examiner’s Office

  43. Types of Evidence Two general types: • Testimonial—a statement made under oath; also known as direct evidence or Prima Facie evidence • Physical—any object or material that is relevant in a crime; also known as indirect evidence. Examples are hair, fiber, fingerprints, documents, blood, soil, drugs, tool marks, impressions, glass.

  44. Evidence Characteristics Class--common to a group of objects or persons Individual--can be identified with a particular person or source.

  45. Class vs. Individualized

  46. Class vs. Individualized

  47. Class vs. Individualized

  48. COLLECTING AND PACKAGING EVIDENCE • One individual should be designated as the evidence collector to ensure that the evidence is collected, packaged, marked, sealed, and preserved in a consistent manner • Each item must be placed in a separate container, sealed, and labeled • Most fragile is collected and packaged first • Different types of evidence require specific or special collection and packaging techniques • The body is the property of the coroner or medical examiner. The collection of evidence on the body is done by that department

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