The Crime Scene

Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company

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The Crime Scene

Can you Read this?Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde

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Test Time/

Find the 6 differences between the two pictures.

Answers: Apple stem, exclamation point, keyhole, girl’s paper, clock, pencil

Source: http://www.slylockfox.com/arcade/6diff/index.html

Lecture Time8th Grade Forensic Science

T. Trimpe 2008 http://sciencespot.net/

Find the 9 differences between the two pictures.

Source: http://www.smart-kit.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/class800px9.jpg

Why Commit a CrimeTop reasons for committing a crimeMoneyRevengeEmotion—love, hate, anger

Basics Crime Scene: Any physical location in which a

crime has occurred or is suspected of having occurred.

Primary Crime Scene – The original location of a crime or accident.

Secondary Crime Scene – An alternate location, such as where additional evidence may be found.

What will evidence collected at a scene do for the investigation?

• May prove that a crime has been committed• Establish any key elements of a crime• Link a suspect with a crime scene or a victim• Establish the identity of a victim or suspect• Corroborate verbal witness testimony • Exonerate the innocent. • Give detectives leads to work with in the case

Source: http://www3.sc.maricopa.edu/ajs/crime_scene_technician.htm

What evidence can be found at a crime scene? .

Processing a Crime Scene

1. Isolate and secure the Crime Scene.

2. Document the Scene3. Search for Evidence 4. Collect and Package Evidence 5. Submit evidence to the crime

lab

Isolate and Secure the Crime Scene

First Officer on the SceneA Assess the crime scene and

assist the injured

D Detain the witness

A Arrest the perpetrator

PProtect the crime scene

TTake notes

Walk-through—performed by the crime scene investigator, the first officer, and sometimes the lead detective

Purpose:Mentally prepare a reconstruction theoryNote any transient or conditional evidence that could

change over time

Note environmental and weather conditionsNote points of entry or exit, as well as paths of travel

within the crime sceneRecord initial observations of who, what, where, when,

and howIdentify special needs within the crime scene for

personnel, precautions, or equipment and notify superior officers or other agencies

Document the SceneNotes—date, time, description of the location,

weather and environmental conditions, description of the crime, location of the evidence relative to other key points, the names of all people involved, modifications that have occurred, and other relevant information

Photography—photos of scene and surroundings; mid-range to close-up photos with various angles of each piece of evidence; photos as viewed by any witnesses

Sketches—inclusion of date; time; scale; reference points; distance measurements; names of investigators, victims, suspects; a legend (key)

Videography—allows for narration (non-subjective) and different perspectives

Search MethodsMany different

methodsThe one to the

right is called the Grid method.

Sketches

Sketches Guidelines

See handout

Collecting and Packaging Evidence One individual should be designated as the

evidence collector to ensure that the evidence is collected, packaged, marked, sealed, and preserved in a consistent manner, maintaining the chain of custody.

Each item must be placed in a separate container, sealed, and labeled.

The most fragile evidence is collected and packaged first.

The body is the property of the coroner or medical examiner; collection of evidence on the body is done by that department.

Chain of Custody


There must be a written record of all people who have had possession of an item of evidence, beginning at the time of collection.

The evidence container must be marked for identification.

The collector’s initials should be placed on the seal.

If evidence is turned over to another person, the transfer must be recorded.


The Medical Examiner and the Coroner

A medical examiner is a medical doctor, usually a pathologist, and is appointed by the governing body of the area. There are 400 forensic pathologists throughout the U.S.

A coroner is an elected official who usually has no special medical training. In four states, the coroner is a medical doctor.


Medical Examiner’s Responsibilities

Identify the deceased

Establish the time and date of death

Determine a medical cause of death (the injury or disease that resulted in the person dying)

Determine the mechanism of death (the physiological reason that the person died)

Classify the manner of death

Natural

Accidental

Suicide

Homicide

Undetermined

Notify the next of kin

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The Corpse

“The way I see it, being dead is not terribly far off from being on a cruise ship. Most of your time is spent lying on your back. The brain has shut down. The flesh begins to soften. Nothing much new happens, and nothing is expected of you.”

—Mary Roach, Stiff, W. W. Norton & Company, 2003

L A county corners office GIFT SHOP!

Crime-scene search patterns

Documents

The Crime Scene