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Crime Scene Power Point

The document discusses key aspects of processing a crime scene: 1) It defines what constitutes a crime scene and emphasizes documentation as the most important task. Proper documentation includes photography, video recording, note-taking and sketching. 2) Collection of physical evidence must be done carefully and evidence items should not be packaged together. Evidence must be properly labeled, packaged and sealed in containers. 3) Crime scene reconstruction is discussed as a way to understand how and why a crime occurred by carefully analyzing evidence and documentation from the scene. The goal is to piece together what happened through thorough processing of the crime scene.

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Aya Chouaib
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166 views31 pages

Crime Scene Power Point

The document discusses key aspects of processing a crime scene: 1) It defines what constitutes a crime scene and emphasizes documentation as the most important task. Proper documentation includes photography, video recording, note-taking and sketching. 2) Collection of physical evidence must be done carefully and evidence items should not be packaged together. Evidence must be properly labeled, packaged and sealed in containers. 3) Crime scene reconstruction is discussed as a way to understand how and why a crime occurred by carefully analyzing evidence and documentation from the scene. The goal is to piece together what happened through thorough processing of the crime scene.

Uploaded by

Aya Chouaib
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Crime Scene

Week 03
Lecture Objectives

 Defining the crime scene

 Collection and use of physical evidence

 Crime scene reconstruction


Defining the Crime Scene

What is the only thing


consistent about
crime scenes?
Defining the Crime Scene
 Location According to Criminal Activity
 Primary vs. Secondary

 Size
 Macro vs. Micro

 Type
 Homicide, Robbery, etc.

 Condition
 Organized vs. Disorganized

 Physical Location
 Indoors, Outdoors, Vehicle, etc.

 Associated Criminal Behavior


 Passive vs. Active
Uses and Information from Physical Evidence

What are the objectives


of crime scene
investigation?
Uses and Information from Physical Evidence

 Linkage of persons, scenes, or objects


 Locard’s Exchange Principle
 Lockard's; Exchange of stuff, provides leads

 Provide investigative leads


 Direct and indirect leads

 Information on the corpus delicti or modus operandi

 Proving or disproving witness statements


 Crime scene patterns or patterned physical evidence
 If you have a strong grasp of the crime scene and then you have eye witnesses you can see where things
don’t fit. Help you piece together or reconstruct the crime scene
 Good scende recontuction can create models
Uses and Information from Physical Evidence

 Suspect identification

 Identification of unknown
substances
 White powder unknowns

 Reconstruction of a crime
 How vs. Who
 For forensic scientist the how is
more important
General Crime Scene Procedure
Table 3.1 Crime Scene Investigation Models
Model Type Description Advantages Disadvantages

Uses patrol officers and Minimal experience and time


Useful if resources and
Traditional detectives as crime commitment conflicts with
demand are relatively low
scene technicians regular duties

Specially trained, Continuity, specialization, Minimal investigative


Crime scene
full-time civilian scientific/technical experience; lack global view
technicians
Personnel training of investigation

Transfers out of unit; may


Primary assignment;
Major crime squad Full-time, sworn officers deplete investigation
increased experience
resources; only major cases

Superior technical and


Lab crime scene scientific skills; No investigative experience;
Laboratory scientists
scientist knowledge of current deplete lab resources
methods

Uses police, technicians, lab Requires extensive resources


Advanced scientific, technical
personnel, medical and comprehensive
Collaborative team and investigative resources;
examiners, and prosecuting procedures with continual
shared responsibilities
authorities communication
First Responding Officer

Who is considered a
first responding officer?
First Responding Officer
 Duties:
• Assist the victim and prevent any changes to the victim.

• Search for and arrest the suspect if that person is still on scene.

• Detain any witnesses; do not take them back to the scene if at all possible.

• Protect and secure the crime scene.

• Document all movements, alterations, or changes made to the crime scene


and pass this information to crime scene investigators
Uses and Information from Physical Evidence

How do you determine


pertinent versus extraneous
physical evidence?
Crime Scene Survey

 The “walk through”


• Mental beginning for a reconstruction theory.

• Note any transient (temporary) or conditional (the result of an action) evidence


present and requires immediate protection or processing.

• Be aware of the weather conditions.


• Grab quickly if it could get locked down
Crime Scene Survey

• Note any points of entry or exit and paths of travel within the crime
scene that may require additional protection.

• Record briefly initial observations of the answers to who, what, where,


when, and how questions.
• Why: That’s the investigators job
• Access the scene for personnel, precautions, or equipment that will be
needed.
• Who do we call or need to lock down the scene
• Notify superior officers or other agencies as required
Documentation and Photography

 Most important and time consuming activity at the


scene

 Purpose: permanently record the condition of the


crime scene and its physical evidence
 Crime scenes are transitory and immediately begin to
change
 You have to document it, it will change

 Skills needed: problem solving, innovation, and


originality
Documentation and Photography

What are the four major tasks of


documentation?
Notes

 Guidelines:
• Notification information
• Arrival information
• Scene description
• Victim description
• Crime scene team

These notes must include accurate and reliable measurements of


distances, locations, etc.
Video Recording
 Guidelines:
• Document the recording by use of a placard.
• Begin with the scene surroundings.
• General orientation of the scene.
• Victim’s viewpoint.
• Camera techniques.
• Original videos.
Photography

How many photographs are


required of a crime scene?
Photography
 Purpose: Provide a true and
accurate pictorial record.

 Types of photos:
 Overall
 Mid-range
 Close-up
Photography

 Equipment:
 Camera (usually a high resolution • Image card or film—color and black
digital camera) and white
• Normal lens • Label materials—cards, pens,
• Wide angle lens markers
• • Scales or rulers
Close-up lens with accessories
• • Flashlight
Electronic flash with cord
• • Extra batteries
Tripod
• Photo log sheets
Digital Imaging

 Advantages:  Disadvantages:
 Instant access  Court admissibility
 Integration ▪ Manipulation
 No film Processing
Sketching

What is lacking in the previous tasks for


documentation that
sketching can provide?
Sketching

 Final task

 Units of measure/Correct perspective


 Accurate measurements

 Types of sketches:
 Rough
 Final/Finished

 Perspectives:
 Overhead/Bird’s eye view
 Elevation/Side-view
Sketching
 INSERT FIGURE 3.6/3.7  Techniques:
 Triangulation
 Base-line
 Polar coordinates

 Fixed points
 Survey markers
 Large trees
 Utility poles

 Documentation
 Title, Legend, etc.
Crime Scene Searches

Should documentation be done


before or after evidence
collection?
Crime Scene Searches
 Intense
 Intensive search after documentation prior to collection, not just the
primary crime scene other areas

 After documentation and prior to collection

 Search Patterns
 Link, line, grid, zone, wheel, spiral, or combination

 Aid of field testing, visualization and enhancement reagents

 Restriction of searchers and collectors


Collection and Preservation

Can items of evidence be


packaged together?
Collection and Preservation
 One evidence collector
 Ensures consistency labeling, packing , not losing anything

 Priority:
 Transient, fragile, easily lost

 Dependent on type of evidence


 Liquid or volatile
 Biological, wet, or moist before it dries and decomposes

 Importance of collecting controls


 Controls as a comparsion
▪ Ex) blood on carpet, collcet carpet. Helps confrim evidence
Collection and Preservation
 Primary and secondary
containers

 Sealed
 Completely cover opening
 Initialed, timed and dated

 Labeled
 Collector and date/time/location
Crime Scene Reconstruction
 Determining or eliminating
events

 Involves:
 Interpretation of evidence
 Laboratory testing
 Systematic study of information
 Logical formulation of potential
scenarios
Crime Scene Reconstruction

 Stages:
 Data collection
 Conjecture “What happened here”
 Hypothesis formulation
 Testing test the theories by re looking at evidence, look for holes
through witness and what not
 Theory formulation

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