Download - Fs Ch 2
Chapter 2
Securing and Searching the Crime Scene
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.2
Arrival at the Crime SceneFirst arriving officer:
1. Medical assistance for injured victims
2. Detain suspects/witnesses
4. Secure the crime scene
6. Call for any additional personnel
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.3
Securing the Crime Scene
Establish appropriate boundaries
Secured area should include actual crime scene and locations of evidence
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.4
Post officers to restrict access
Crime scene log
Investigators should never alter the crime scene
Securing the Crime Scene
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.5
Walkthrough (initial survey)
3) Points of entry/exit 4) Indirect path to the center of the crime
scene5) Evidence located and documented.6) Scene conditions observed and recorded.
Surveying the Crime Scene
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.6
Primary Crime Scene-location of initial crime
Secondary Crime Scene-location after the initial crime occurred
-inferred by the presence or absence of specific evidence.
Surveying the Crime Scene
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.7
1) Staging area outside crime scene.2) Lead investigator assigns tasks. 3) Equipment stored. 4) Investigators discuss aspects of the crime
scene.5) Investigators communicate with personnel at
other crime scenes.6) Central area of communication.
COMMAND CENTER
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.8
Thorough and systematic. Search pattern depends on the size/locale
and the number of collectors Do not overlook pertinent evidence. Physical evidence: -everything -anything
CRIME SCENE SEARCH
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.9
Line/Strip Search Pattern-Start at the boundary of the crime scene and search in straight lines across to the other side.
-Best for outdoor/large areas/large groups
Grid Search Pattern- search area divided into grids
-best for large areas/plane crashes
Searching the Crime Scene
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.10
Spiral Search Pattern-Boundary inwards in a circular pattern
Quadrant/Zone Search Pattern-Divided into zones
-Each zone searched/then zones switched -Best for indoors/smaller areas
Searching the Crime Scene
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.11
Lead investigator:-decides when all evidence is
recorded/collected Final survey:-review the scene/collect all evidence and
equipment.-scene released to the proper authorities
Departing the Crime Scene
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.12
Crime sceneExamine this scene closely:
-wheelchair
-signs of forced entry?
-blood?
-your initial conclusions?
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.13
Securing the crime sceneActual crime sceneEnthusiasm can be
dangerous!
-note the crime scene tape around the upper floors
-Rookies!
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.14
Crime sceneHow many people should
you let into the crime scene?
-This look a little crowded-No coordination of tasks-Milling about approach to
crime scene
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.15
Caylee Anderson’s crime sceneThis is an outdoor scene in
a wooded location that had flooded since the PR had first called 911.
-aerial view
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.16
CayleeThis is an example of a
wooded crime scene with soft dirt and large amounts of natural artifacts
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.17
CayleeThe area where the
skeletal remains were found is clearly evident.
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.18
You decideHere you have an elderly male
in bed covered with blood. The first police officers determined it to be suspicious.
What do you think?What do you see in the picture?See the blood? See the tissues on the
nightstand?Never assume!!!
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.19
You DecideAnother view: Lots of
blood.-What color is the blood?
-What can you determine from this color?
-What does the pooling of the blood tell you?
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.20
You DecideThis is the bathroom:-Note the blood drops on
the floor-There is blood on the
toilet-More tissues on the
bureau
Give up?
Forensic ScienceRichard Saferstein
© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.All Rights Reserved.21
You DecideThis was a natural death. There were no open woundsThe tissues indicated the decedent had tried to control
the bleedingThe color of the blood and the smell in the residence
(you can’t smell it of course) were indicators of an upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleed.
A GI bleed is when someone is bleeding internally and eventually the blood gets thrown up and it can be very messy and appear like a homicide.