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