The Crime Scene Coach Whitaker. Vocabulary Crime Scene—any place where evidence may be located to...
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Transcript of The Crime Scene Coach Whitaker. Vocabulary Crime Scene—any place where evidence may be located to...
Vocabulary Crime Scene—any place where evidence
may be located to help explain events Modus Operandi—the characteristic
method of operation of a criminal Chain of Custody—a written record of all
people who have had possession of an item of evidence
Alibi—statement of where a suspect was at the time of a crime.
Vocabulary Accomplice—person associated with
someone suspected of committing a crime Suspect—person thought to be capable of
committing a crime Secondary Crime Scene—an alternate
location where additional evidence may be found
Primary Crime Scene—the original location of a crime or accident
Crime Scene
What evidence can be found at a crime scene? Brainstorm with your group to come up with a list of evidence you might find at a crime scene.
What is the difference in a primary and secondary crime scene?
Name some potential primary and secondary crime scenes in the following scenes-------bank robbery, burglary, murder, theft, assaults.
At the Crime Scene Forensic Science Begins at
the Crime Scene which can provide useful information that must be carefully, systemically, scientifically, and legally collected
The information and evidence at the scene that must be used later to reconstruct the scene and events that led up to the crime
It establishes the MO and the motive for the crime
At the Crime Scene The main reason to carefully analyze the
crime scene is to learn what happened and to gather evidence to convict the suspect
The CSI’s experience, knowledge, and capabilities are critical for deciding which items at a scene are actual evidence
If errors at made at the scene in protecting, processing, and analyzing the evidence it can be thrown out in court
Steps in Handling the Crime Scene
1. Preserving and Isolating the Crime Scene
2. Observing and Documenting the scene
3. Searching the scene for evidence
4. Collecting and packaging evidence
5. Maintaining Chain of Custody
Crime Scene Personnel POLICE OFFICERS are typically the first to arrive at a crime
scene. They are responsible for securing the scene so no evidence is destroyed and detaining persons of interest in the crime.
The CSI UNIT documents the crime scene in detail and collects any physical evidence.
The District Attorney is often present to help determine if any search warrants are required to proceed and obtains those warrants from a judge.
The MEDICAL EXAMINER (if a homicide) may or may not be present to determine a preliminary cause of death.
SPECIALISTS (entomologists, forensic scientists, forensic psychologists) may be called in if the evidence requires expert analysis.
DETECTIVES interview witnesses and consult with the CSI unit. They investigate the crime by following leads provided by witnesses and physical evidence.
Preserving and Isolating the Crime Scene
The first officer on scene determines the nature of the crime and has the following responsibilities:
1. Get medical assistance if needed (saving lives is the first priority even if it means disturbing the crime scene)
2. Make an arrest3. The scene must be secured
and protected against any unauthorized person from entering it
4. Suspects and witnesses must be detained
5. Protect and preserve evidence at the scene
Preserving and Isolating the Crime Scene
The investigator interviews the first responder, victim, or witnesses to learn what may have happened
Police officers note and record details such as weather conditions, odors, lights, signs or prior activities at the scene, etc
Activity Forensic Science on the Net Name
___________________________ CHIN – Interactive Investigator http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/
Myst/en/game/index.phtml
PDF Worksheet http://sciencespot.net/Pages/classforsci.html
Observing and Documenting the Scene
The investigator should do the following:
1. Examine the scene to get an overall view to find pieces of evidence
2. To ID the points of entry and exit
3. To consider what may have happened
4. To mentally outline how the scene should be handled
KEEN OBSERVATION ANDDETAILED NOTES ARECRITICAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Observing and Documenting the Scene
Notes—the most important parts of processing the scene. Why?
1. Forces investigators to more observant (makes you focus on details you would miss or overlook)
Notes should be complete and written clearly and legibly
They should detail step by step every action that the investigator takes in the order it happened
Observing and Documenting the Scene
Notes should include:1. Date and time2. Location, environment,
weather description3. Description of the scene4. Written description of
physical evidence, location, time of discovery, and packaging
5. Names of the people involved
Observing and Documenting the Scene Photographs“A picture is worth a thousand words”Before making any detailed examination ortouching the scene, an investigator mustphotograph the scene Pictures help CSI remember details, show
where evidence was placed in the scene, and help jury and judge visualize the scene
Observing and Documenting the Scene
The investigator must include photos that:
1. Clarify the scene2. Close up of evidence3. Views of the witness4. Location and
surroundings of the crime
5. Objects from different angles
6. Rule to scale7. Are documented for
evidence
Observing and Documenting the Scene
Videotaping The investigator can
narrate relevant information while moving through the scene
Observing and Documenting the Scene Sketches Sketches give photographs perspective Gives a permanent record of the
relationships of different points of interest to each other in the scene
Gives a better layout The sketch must have measurements,
scale, and correct placement of details Combines note with photos
Activity Sketches, Photos, and videotaping http://sciencespot.net/Pages/
classforsci.html
Investigation Discovery (PDF) AT
Searching the Scene for Evidence
Without evidence even the most heinous crimes will go unpunished
The care that is taken collected evidence directly impacts the police ability to prosecute crimes
Evidence can be damaged, contaminated, or even lost which makes it useless to the crime lab and inadmissible in court
Searching the Scene for Evidence The first step is finding it by taking an
orderly approach to search the scene Many items will be visible while others are
not The way investigators search the scene
depends on the size and physical layout of the area in question
Searching the Scene for Evidence Searchers usually following a
geometric pattern, some examples include:
Grid Search
Gathering the Evidence The next step is collect and
package the evidence The investigator must put
each item in a separate container and label it
When collecting evidence, investigators start with evidence that is fragile or that is likely to be lost, damaged, or contaminated, such as blood, fibers, hair, fingerprints, shoeprints, and tire tracks
Gathering the Evidence Generally, pill bottles, vials, manila
envelopes, and plastic bags are good container for most evidence
Special considerations include: Wet items must be dried before packaging Containers must be sealed to prevent
leaks or breakage Biological items should be dried and kept
in a freezer
Gathering the Evidence Clothing with trace
evidence should be packaged carefully to avoid disturbance
Firearms should be fixed rigidly inside a wooden container
A collection may be made using adhesive tape
Gathering the Evidence Gathering delicate evidence Fingerprints are photographed and then lifted or
transferred to a material Tool marks and shoeprints or tire impressions are
photographed before being lifted or casted Fibers and hair are searched for with alternative
light sources and picked up with tweezers Carpets and furniture are vacuumed with a clean
bag for each area
Control Samples Control Samples are
samples with a know origin. For example, blood from a scene compared to the blood of the victim
These control samples must be collected and compared with samples from the scene
All evidence should be sealed with tamper proof tape and properly labeled
Gathering Evidence Activity Search Using different stories, crimes, and
scenes (Courtyard) Collect Evidence and Package List for each crime
Chain of Custody There must be a
written record of who has had possession of the evidence at all times
The court needs to know who has been responsible for evidence from the time it was collected to time it appears in court
Chain of Custody The record will show: Who collected the evidence Who had contact with the evidence At what time Under what circumstances And if changes where made to the
evidence
Chain of Custody The record is usually
on the package itself It is not uncommon for
everyone who came into contact with the evidence to testify in court
Chain of Custody After the scene has
been processed and investigated, evidence is sent to the forensic lab or stored
Unit Project Crime Scene Processing Project Elements (three scenes) (2 Groups) Secure scene Invent own crime Notes, photographs or videos, sketches,
search, evidence gathering and packaging, and Chain of Custody
Photostory or Movie maker about crime