Ch. 3 Flashcards
Regardless of the agency they work for, all investigators share several essential traits. They must be able to understand and apply the following concepts:
- Science
- Psychology
- Communication
- Law
- Ethics
- Economics
An investigative team consists of the following:
- Crime Scene Technician
- Crime Scene Photographer
- Dispatcher
- Patrol Officer
- Criminalist
- Forensic Scientist
- Confidential Informant
- Other Team Members
The goals and objectives of Criminal Investigation can be summed up in the simple acronym C.I.A.
Crime-Establish whether or not a crime has been committed
Identification-Identify suspects involved in the crime
Association-Associate suspects, victims,and the crime scene
What are the four stages of investigations:
- Crime Detection
- Preliminary Investigation
- Follow-up Investigation
- Case Preparation and Prosecution
In essence, _____ ______ involve the initial collection of all information and evidence that is readily available following the discovery of a suspected criminal offense.
Preliminary Investigations
The following is a sequence of investigative events and duties that investigators can adjust to meet the individual needs of their investigations and crime scenes upon arrival:
- Establish Division of Labor
- Obtain information from First Responders
- Interview Key Individuals
- Conduct a Reassessment of the Crime Scene
- Canvass the Crime Scene Vicinity
The order of interviews should begin with the _____ and proceed to ______ that have the most detailed first hand accounts of the crime and/or suspect.
Victim
Witnesses
Map out the Crime Scene. This map contains the geographic locations of three main areas of the crime scene: the core, the inner area, and the outer area also known as
- Crime Scene Core
- Peripheral Crime Scene
- Outer or Extended area
For crime scene photos to be admitted as evidence at trial, however, they must meet certain legal standards. First, the photos must be _____ ___ ________ to the case at hand; that is, they must be able to prove or disprove any disputed fact and legal issue in the case.
Relevant and Material
Fragile and perishable evidence such as ________ and other impressions should be photographed immediately before it is degraded or destroyed.
Fingerprints
These challenges, some of which have been successful are based on the assumption that without a ____ _____ _____ there is no way to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a photo in question has not been photoshopped or modified in some other way.
True negative image
____ ____ _____ provide an overview of the crime scene, and are usually taken in outdoor locations.
Long-Range Photos
Showing the context of physical evidence within the crime scene is the function of ____ _____ ____.
Mid-range photo
___ ____ ____ are taken to show specific details of the evidence.
Close-range photos
When photos are taken containing scales or other items such as evidence markers, it is recommended to take ___ _____ ___ containing these items and _____ that depicts the evidence item alone.
One separate shot
Another
Although color film can be used, ___ ___ ____ film often provides the highest-contrast image of fingerprints.
Black and white
But regardless of how it’s made, a ___ ___ ____ has one primary objective: to provide documentation that would allow anyone to return to the crime scene and determine the exact location and position of each piece of evidence.
Crime scene sketch
What is prepared by transferring information from the rough sketch to create a document that depicts the crime scene and evidence locations to scale; that is, exact locations of objects and relative distances are reflected in a standardized system of presentation and measurement.
Finished sketch
This is usually the last step in the crime scene documentation process, and should be performed before collecting any physical evidence.
Crime scene measurements
This method requires the identification of two fixed, adjacent points within the crime scene to create a horizontal and a vertical axis, or a rectangular area, within a given location.
Rectangular coordinates
________ can be used anywhere, and is considered one of the most precise and flexible methods for performing crime scene measurements .
Triangulation
What are the five types of crime scene measurements.
- Rectangular coordinates
- Triangulation coordinates
- Baseline coordinates
- Polar coordinates
- Total station and advanced crime scene imaging
Used indoors and outdoors, the ___ _____ employs a surveyors transit- which measures distances and elevations of selected objects and locations with a device known as an ___ ____ ___(EDM).
Total station
Electronic Distance Meter
Searching the Crime Scene
The search should focus on the main objective of locating all evidence that will associate the suspect to the crime committed at the crime scene-referred to as _____ _____.
Associative evidence
The following are among the most commonly utilized crime scene search methods:
- Line or Strip
- Grid
- Spiral
- Link
- Zone
Some situations may not be optimal for any one search method; thus, a ____ ___ consisting of two or more methods may be required to carry out the search of a single crime scene.
Hybrid search
Crime Scene Search Methods
This method is best for searching large areas with large numbers of persons conducting the search.
Line or Strip search
Crime Scene Search Methods
This method is extremely useful when it is necessary to conduct an intensive search for small pieces of evidence that may be concealed within ground cover (weeds, grass, natural foliage) or beneath dirt and gravel within rocky terrain.
Grid search
Crime Scene Search Methods
This method is best applied to larger outdoor crime scenes, including those involving snow or water, where searches are focused on the discovery of bodies or other large sized evidence.
Spiral Search
Crime Scene Search Methods
They are extremely effective for searches in crime scenes where the same item of evidence has passed through several separate locations (or ____), such as trails of blood created by feeling suspects, or bullets passing through several walks of a building.
Zone
After all members of the crime Scene Search team have agreed that enough evidence has been gathered from the scene, the lead investigator will order a _____ __ __ ____ _____. Before releasing the scene, however, the investigative team should conduct a ___ ____ _____ to make sure no evidence, tools, equipment, or other items involved in the crime Scene Search have been left behind.
Release of the crime scene
Final walk-through
The primary objectives in conducting a preliminary investigation include identifying offenders; determining crimes that have occurred; locating available witnesses; and identifying, collecting , and packaging evidence -a process commonly known as ___ or ____ ____ _____.
CSI
Crime Scene Investigation
Additionally, the _______ _____ refers to specific evidence do be within a particular crime scene location- such as a cartridge casing, window glass, or blood stain found on the pavement where one of the drive-by shootings occurred.
Microscopic scene
Health and safety Hazards at the crime scene
Watch out for:
- Toxic or explosive chemicals
- Smoke
- Agricultural materials
- Blood-borne pathogens
- Airborne pathogens
- Forensic products
- Physical hazards
