CRIME SCENE

Oh, how simple it would all

have been had I been here

before they came like a herd
of buffalo and wallowed all
over it.
--A. Conan Doyle, in The Boscombe Valley
Mystery, 1892

ObjectivesStudents should be able to:

Define terms in context of a crime scene
Describe the duties of the first officer
Explain the various roles that must be done at a crime scene
and how evidence is secured
Describe the differences between a medical examiner and
coroner and the duties of an ME
Explain the various conditions that enable the ME to give a
TOD (time of death) ie.
Determine cause, mechanism and manner of death
These objectives are given as a help to the students, but are not to be considered
all inclusive of information that could be asked on a formal assessment.

CORPUS DELICTI
Body of the Crime
You must prove:
That a crime occurred
That the person charged with the crime was responsible or
the crime

Top Reasons for Committing a Crime

Money
Revenge
Sex
Emotion
DO YOU HAVE TO PROVE MOTIVE IN A COURT OF LAW?
nooooooooooo
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Crime Scene Team

A group of professionals investigators, each trained
in a variety of special disciplines.
Team Members

First Police Officer on the scene

Medics (if necessary)
Investigator(s)
Medical Examiner (if necessary) or representative from office
Photographer and/or Field Evidence Technician
Lab Experts

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Crime Scene Investigation

Based on the scientific method and the Locard
Exchange Principle, logic and forensic techniques
Involves:

Recognitionscene survey, documntiation, collection

Identificationcomparison testing
Individualizationevaluation and interpretation
Reconstructionreporting and presenting

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Evidence
Body
Primary crime scene
Secondary crime scene
Suspect(s) and their property

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First Officer on the Scene

A asses the crime scene
D detain the witness
A arrest the perpetrator
P

protect the crime scene

T ake notescomile data

including preserbing any fragile
evidence at the scene
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Basic Police Department Structure

Patrol Division
Investigative Division
Administrative Division/Training
Tactical or S.W.A.T

Investigators
Medicolegal death investigator--representative from
the medical examiner or coroners office.
Responsible for the body.
Police investigators--ideally, 5 respond to a scene.
Police have jurisdiction of the crime scene.
Lead investigator responsible for the crime scene
One investigator responsible for the victims background, a
second for the witness interviews, and two others canvas
the area.

Homicide Detective Role

Case Detective

Document the crime scene

Interview the original or reporting patrol officer
Examine crime scene with crime scene investigator (CSI)
Pass on necessary info to assisting detectives

Homicide Supervisor

Assign roles to the detectives

Arrange for necessary resources
Keep logs of assignments
Relay into to commanders

Medicolegal Death Investigator

Confirm and pronounce death

Photograph the scene and the body
Identify the deceased if possible
Document (with sketch) and evaluate the body
Rigor mortis, livor mortis, body temperature and position of the body
Record trauma and/or unusual markings on victim

Collect evidence on or around the body

Reconstruct the death event
Maintain jurisdiction over the body
Insure safe conveyance of the body to the morgue facility
Assist the family

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Crime Scene Team

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

Mentally prepare a reconstruction theory

Note any transient or conditional evidence that could change over time.
Note weather conditions
Note points of entry or exit, as well as paths of travel within the crime
scene
Record initial observations of who, what, where, when, and how
Identify special needs within the crime scene for personnel, precautions or
equipment and notify superior officers or other agencies

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Documentation of the Crime Scene

notes--date and 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,
any modification that have occurred and other relevant information

Phtography--photos of scene and surroundings, mid-range to closeup photos with various angles of each piece of evidence, photos as
viewed by any witnesses. Careful to document.

Sketches--inclusion of date, time, scale, reference points, distance

measurements, names of investigators, victims suspects, and a legend

(key)

Videography--allows narration (non-subjective) to be included

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Crime Scene Sketch

The sketch establishes _____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________
Sketches supplement photographs.
Sketch number designations should coordinate with the evidence log number
designations.
Sketches are normally not drawn __________. However, the sketch should
have measurements and details for a drawn-to-scale diagram, if necessary.
The sketch should include:

Case identifier;
Date, time, and location;
Weather and lighting conditions;
Identity and assignments of personnel;
Dimensions of rooms, furniture, doors, and windows;
Distances between objects, persons, bodies, entrances, and exits;
Measurements showing the location of evidence. Each object should be located by two
measurements from non-movable items such as doors or walls; and
Key, legend, compass orientation, scale, scale disclaimer, or a combination of these features.

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Crime Scene Sketch

Date:August14,2005
Time:11:35

Criminalist:BarbaraWeekley
Location:4358RockledgeDr
St.Louis,Mo.

N
A.Couch/sofa

B.Femalebody

C.Knife

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E
E

F.Table
G.Fireplace

D.OverturnedLamp
E.Chairs

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Crime Scene
Search Patterns
Spiral

Grid

StriporLine

QuadrantorZone

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Crime Scene
Search Methods
link method--Based on the linage theory of Locard; one type of evidence
leads to another; experiential, logical and systematic; most common and
productive type used

Line or stripmethod--best in large, outdoor scenes

Grid method--basically a double-line search; effective, but timeconsuming

Zone method--most effective in houses or buildings; teams are assigned

small zones for searching

Spiral method--best on small, circular crime scenes

Quadrant method--may move inward or outward; best used where there
are no physical barriers

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Crime Scene Mapping

(outdoors)
Triangulation-- uses two points at the crime scene to map each
piece of evidence
Coordinate or grid--divides the crime scene into squares for
mapping.
Suspended polar coordinatefor use in mapping evidence in a
hole
Baseline--set a north/south line and measures each piece of
evidence from this line.
GPS

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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.
Each item must be placed in a separate container, sealed,
and labeled
Most fragile is collected and packaged first
Different types of evidence require specific or special
collection and packaging techniques
The body is the property of the coroner or medical
examiner. The collection of evidence on the body is done
by that department.

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Packaging of Evidence
Most items should be packaged in a primary
container and then placed inside a secondary
one. A druggists fold is used with larger
pieces of paper folded around larger items to
hold trace evidence in place. These are then
placed insider other containers such as paper
bags, plastic bags, canisters, packets and
envelopes depending on the type and size of
the evidence.

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Chain of Custody
A written record of all people who have had
possession of an item of evidence.
Evidence container must be marked for
identification
Collectors initial should be placed on the seal
If evidence is turned over to another person, the
transfer must be recorded.

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K-9s Programs
Narcotics--dogs that find illegal drugs
Tracking--dogs that look for a fugitive or suspect that is would be
near the crime scene
Bomb detection--dogs that look for explosive devices
Arson detection--dogs trained to detect various types of accelerants
Search and rescue--dogs that look for people who are lost
Body detector--dogs used in mass disasters
Cadaver--dogs trained to detect decomposition
Human Remains Specialists--dogs that can detect any human
remains.

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Internet Assigned Readings (also on Blackboard)

The Crime Scene Investigation (14 pages)
Crime Scene Investigation (13 pages)
http://science.howstuffworks.com/csi.htm
Total assigned pages for this unit is 27.
VIDEOS shown in class:
Crime scene evidence:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZHf5G8MuUw
Homicide Detective: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abD0AB1nEU4
Physical Evidence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awcnMrZiSmU

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My List of New Terms

Introduction

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My List of People, past and present, and their

Significance to Forensic Science

Introduction

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