Criminal InvestigationCriminal Investigation
Crime Scene ProcessingCrime Scene ProcessingPart 10Part 10
Crime SceneCrime Scene1.1. EvidenceEvidence
- most crimes- most crimes- to identify- to identify- to convict- to convict
a. a. Reproduce the crimeReproduce the crime - evidence collection- evidence collection - forgery / shoplift: no crime scene- forgery / shoplift: no crime scene
b. b. Prepare while enroutePrepare while enroute - observant / mental notes- observant / mental notes
Scene, cont.Scene, cont. (1) (1) Check for suspectCheck for suspect
- officer protection- officer protection
(2) (2) Injuries to victimInjuries to victim - medics / pronounce dead- medics / pronounce dead
(3) (3) Call for assistanceCall for assistance - additional officers / experts- additional officers / experts
b. b. Protect sceneProtect scene - neighbors / officers / news / medics- neighbors / officers / news / medics
Scene, cont.Scene, cont. - guided through- guided through
(1) (1) First officerFirst officer - in charge until relieved- in charge until relieved
(2) (2) Building searchBuilding search - two officers- two officers - stay together- stay together
(3) (3) Protection methodsProtection methods - vehicles to block streets / alleys / etc- vehicles to block streets / alleys / etc
Scene, cont.Scene, cont. - officers at certain points- officers at certain points
- police tape- police tape
(4) (4) Information in reportInformation in report
- necessary for court- necessary for court
- defense attorney - defense attorney
2.2. Crime scene searchCrime scene search
- probative value- probative value
- items of no value- items of no value
Search, cont.Search, cont.a. a. Basic functionBasic function
- thorough / legal- thorough / legal
- evidence present- evidence present
(1) (1) Goal of searchGoal of search
- crime occurred / type- crime occurred / type
- when committed- when committed
- identify who- identify who
- how committed- how committed
- suggest why (motive)- suggest why (motive)
Search, cont.Search, cont. (2) (2) Do not search untilDo not search until::
- photo / sketching complete- photo / sketching complete - conduct walk-through / mental picture- conduct walk-through / mental picture
b. b. PhotographyPhotography - important role- important role - court presentation- court presentation
(1) (1) Picture / videoPicture / video
- accurately represents - accurately represents - immediate / kept in roll- immediate / kept in roll
Search, cont.Search, cont. (2) (2) EquipmentEquipment
- instamatic- instamatic - Polaroid- Polaroid - Press cameras (35mm)- Press cameras (35mm) - fingerprint camera (1 x 1)- fingerprint camera (1 x 1) - movie / videotape- movie / videotape - specialized cameras - specialized cameras
(3) (3) Lens / filtersLens / filters - wide angle / fisheye / telephoto / micro- wide angle / fisheye / telephoto / micro - eliminate colors- eliminate colors
Search, cont.Search, cont. (4) (4) FilmFilm
- black and white / color / infrared - black and white / color / infrared - ASA: speed of film- ASA: speed of film
3.3. What to photographWhat to photograph- general areas- general areas- specific locations- specific locations- objects of evidence- objects of evidence
a. a. Long-range picturesLong-range pictures - take of locality - take of locality
Search, cont.Search, cont. - suspect’s entry / exit- suspect’s entry / exit
(1) (1) Entry toEntry to propertyproperty - doors / gates / etc- doors / gates / etc
(2) (2) ExteriorExterior - buildings / grounds- buildings / grounds
(3) (3) Identification shotsIdentification shots - street sign / house numbers- street sign / house numbers - other identifiable structures - other identifiable structures
Search, cont.Search, cont.b. b. Medium-range picturesMedium-range pictures - immediate crime scene- immediate crime scene - objects of evidence- objects of evidence
c. c. Close-range picturesClose-range pictures - entire surfaces (bullet hole / chair / table / etc.)- entire surfaces (bullet hole / chair / table / etc.) - specific (hair / fiber / blood / finger-footprint)- specific (hair / fiber / blood / finger-footprint)
(1) (1) Several shotsSeveral shots - different locations- different locations - do not disturb- do not disturb
Search, cont.Search, cont.d. d. Instant photosInstant photos
- bruises / wounds- bruises / wounds
- vandalism- vandalism
- photo array- photo array
4.4. Properly performedProperly performed
- most valuable aids- most valuable aids
- little expertise- little expertise
- become familiar- become familiar
- basic class- basic class
PhotosPhotosa. a. Investigative photographsInvestigative photographs - any made to record object / event- any made to record object / event - clarify a point- clarify a point
(1) (1) Photo laboratoryPhoto laboratory - greater enhancement- greater enhancement
b. b. AdmissibilityAdmissibility - if investigator can testify- if investigator can testify - accurately depict- accurately depict - area he/she observed- area he/she observed
PhotosPhotos (1) (1) AccuracyAccuracy
- degree it represents appearance- degree it represents appearance - form / tone / color / scale- form / tone / color / scale
(2) Camera lens(2) Camera lens - not pickup perspective / scale / distance- not pickup perspective / scale / distance - supported: sketch / investigative notes- supported: sketch / investigative notes - ruler / scale measurement- ruler / scale measurement
(3) (3) NegativeNegative - sufficient proof / refute allegations- sufficient proof / refute allegations
PhotosPhotosc. c. Highest quality of evidenceHighest quality of evidence - depict scene precisely - depict scene precisely - as found- as found
(1) (1) Exclusive functionExclusive function - no people working in scene- no people working in scene - no police equipment- no police equipment
d. d. ID of photographsID of photographs - precisely identified- precisely identified - data noted on each shot taken- data noted on each shot taken
PhotosPhotos (1) (1) Technical history of photoTechnical history of photo
- recorded in notes- recorded in notes
- how relates- how relates
- permanent part of case- permanent part of case
e. e. CustodyCustody
- establish chain of evidence- establish chain of evidence
(1) (1) Who took photosWho took photos
- primary / lab technician - primary / lab technician
PhotosPhotos (2) (2) Who maintained the filmWho maintained the film
- evidence locker- evidence locker - case file- case file - locked desk- locked desk
(3) (3) Who developedWho developed - police crime lab- police crime lab - commercial processor: mail/return - commercial processor: mail/return
receiptsreceipts
(4) (4) Who maintained picturesWho maintained pictures - detective / evidence technician?- detective / evidence technician?
PhotosPhotos f. f. AdmissibilityAdmissibility
- material / relevant / competent- material / relevant / competent
(1) (1) MaterialMaterial- relates to the case- relates to the case
(2) (2) RelevantRelevant- assists or explains testimony- assists or explains testimony
(3) (3) CompetentCompetent
- represents what it purports- represents what it purports
PhotosPhotos - properly identified- properly identified
- follows chain of evidence- follows chain of evidence
5.5. General considerationsGeneral considerations
- time: an essential factor- time: an essential factor
- preempt other aspects of investigation- preempt other aspects of investigation
a. a. Cannot be moved / examinedCannot be moved / examined
- until photographed- until photographed
- all angles- all angles
PhotosPhotos (1) (1) Undergoes significant changeUndergoes significant change
- passage of time- passage of time
(2) (2) Photo ASAPPhoto ASAP
b. b. Camera positionsCamera positions - recorded on crime scene sketch - recorded on crime scene sketch
(1) (1) Measure distanceMeasure distance
- immoveable object- immoveable object - vertical line / from camera lens - vertical line / from camera lens
PhotosPhotos (2) (2) Interior scenesInterior scenes
- depict as a whole- depict as a whole - move in closer- move in closer - specific object- specific object
Marking devicesMarking devices- used in the field of view- used in the field of view
a. a. RulersRulers - good method- good method - relationship of objects- relationship of objects
DevicesDevicesb. b. Identifying lettersIdentifying letters - A / B / C / etc.- A / B / C / etc. - used to describe items of evidence- used to describe items of evidence - letter ‘A’ next to bullet hole- letter ‘A’ next to bullet hole - shown in notes / reports- shown in notes / reports
c. c. Similar marking devicesSimilar marking devices - chalk marks / string / etc.- chalk marks / string / etc.
(1) (1) Can be contestedCan be contested
- not truly represent original scene - not truly represent original scene
DevicesDevices (2) (2) Two photographsTwo photographs
- one with marking device- one with marking device - one without- one without
7.7. Types of photographsTypes of photographs
a. a. VictimsVictims
(1) (1) All possible anglesAll possible angles - impossible to “over-photograph”- impossible to “over-photograph” - controlled / protected crime scene- controlled / protected crime scene
TypesTypes (2) (2) Obtain: body part not visibleObtain: body part not visible
- back of body - back of body - if found on back- if found on back
b. b. WitnessesWitnesses - same approximate location- same approximate location
(1) (1) Statement from witnessStatement from witness
(2) (2) Review at trialReview at trial- help from being confused- help from being confused
TypeType c. c. ClothingClothing
- description recorded- description recorded - before moving body- before moving body
(1) (1) Clothing removedClothing removed- photograph where found- photograph where found- accurate measurements taken- accurate measurements taken
d. d. WeaponsWeapons
- photo where found- photo where found - before moving- before moving
TypeType (1) (1) Unable to photoUnable to photo
- take of general area- take of general area- notes taken: allow accurate testimony- notes taken: allow accurate testimony
e. e. Bloody areasBloody areas - colored photos- colored photos - large concentrations / small bloodspots - large concentrations / small bloodspots
(1) (1) Include rulerInclude ruler (2 (2ndnd photo) photo) - bloody drag marks- bloody drag marks - photo completely - photo completely
TypeType (2) (2) Photo any / all clothingPhoto any / all clothing
- - boot / shoeboot / shoe - ruler next to- ruler next to
(3) (3) Notes at timeNotes at time - direction blood was traveling - direction blood was traveling - approximate size of spots- approximate size of spots
f. f. Scrape / drag marksScrape / drag marks - all that show a struggle- all that show a struggle - bent grass / heel marks in sand- bent grass / heel marks in sand
TypeType (2) Important role(2) Important role
- what actually happened- what actually happened - before / during / after- before / during / after
g. g. ImpressionsImpressions - tire / shoe / boot- tire / shoe / boot
- fabric on dirt / paint / dust- fabric on dirt / paint / dust - ruler: oblique lighting- ruler: oblique lighting
h. h. Other articlesOther articles - bottles / glasses / cups / playing cards / etc.- bottles / glasses / cups / playing cards / etc.
TypeType (1) (1) No object should be movedNo object should be moved
- until photographed- until photographed - original location- original location
8.8. Most important elementMost important element- maintaining perspective- maintaining perspective
a. a. Viewed from particular pointViewed from particular point - relative position / size- relative position / size
b. b. Any distortionAny distortion
Type Type c. c. Natural perspectiveNatural perspective
- aiming camera at 90 degree angle- aiming camera at 90 degree angle - opposite wall- opposite wall - outdoors: fixed object- outdoors: fixed object
d. d. Keep at eye levelKeep at eye level - unless tripod- unless tripod - viewer can see at eye level- viewer can see at eye level
e. e. Overlapping segmentsOverlapping segments - one direction around the room / area- one direction around the room / area
TypeType9.9. Critical photographic requirementsCritical photographic requirements
a. a. Approaches to the sceneApproaches to the scene
b, b, Surrounding areasSurrounding areas
c. c. Close-up: entrance / exitClose-up: entrance / exit
d. d. General scenario shotGeneral scenario shot
e. e. Minimum: 2 photos of body / 90 degree anglesMinimum: 2 photos of body / 90 degree angles
TypeType f. f. Body close-upsBody close-ups
g. g. After removal of bodyAfter removal of body
h. h. FingerprintsFingerprints
i. i. Blood stainsBlood stains
j. j. All items of evidenceAll items of evidence