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Criminal Investigation > Chapter 3: Investigators, the Investigative Process and the Crime Scene > Flashcards

Chapter 3: Investigators, the Investigative Process and the Crime Scene Flashcards

1
Q

When officials cannot prevent, or deal effectively with crime, other problems are created:

A
  1. When criminals escape prosecution future crimes are encouraged.
  2. Unchecked crime requires resources be diverted to crime control instead of social problems.
  3. Public confidence in governments ability to maintain public welfare decreases.
  4. It tears the fabric of social relations and living patterns.
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2
Q

The contributions of _______ and _______ primarily by the inability, unwillingness, or failure to locate, properly collect, mark, and preserve the evidence, and by the drawing of improper conclusions of its analysis.

A

Physical Evidence / Diminished

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3
Q

The most important skill of an investigator it the ______________. This is essential because much of what we learn during an investigation comes from people.

A

Ability to converse equally well with a wide range of people.

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4
Q

Essential Qualities of an Investigator Include:

A
  1. Self-Discipline
  2. Use legally approved methods and are highly ethical.
  3. Do not act out of malice or bias.
  4. Uses both indictive and deductive reasoning.
  5. Avoids becoming calloused and cynical from their constant contact with criminals, keeping in mind that the criminal element does not represent everyone. The failure to keep this distinction in mind can be the precursor of unethical behavior.
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5
Q

_______ moves from the specific details to a general view. It uses the factual situation of a case to form a unifying and logically consistent explanation of the crime.

A

Inductive Reasoning

*Small to Big

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6
Q

_______ creates a hypothesis about the crime. The explanation is tested against the factual situation.

A

Deductive Reasoning

*Big to Small

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7
Q

Indictive and Deductive Reasoning can be distorted by:

A
  1. Unatenable inferences.
  2. Logical fallacies.
  3. The failure to consider all alternatives.
  4. Bias
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8
Q

Once a criminal offense has been committed, three immediate outcomes are possible:

A
  1. It may go undetected.
  2. It may not be reported.
  3. It may come to the attention of the police through their observation, a victim or witness complaint, or a tip. Note: Only at this time, it’s of concern to the investigator because it’s subject to normal processing.
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9
Q

Four steps of the investigative process are:

A
  1. Establish if a crime happened.
  2. Identify the suspect.
  3. Recover property.
  4. Assist in the prosecution.
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10
Q

Normally, the preliminary investigation is conducted by a _______ from the _______ Division.

A

Uniformed Officer / Patrol

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11
Q

Preliminary investigations consist of:

A
  1. Receipt of Information, initial response, and officer safety.
  2. Emergency Care.
  3. Secure the Scene and Control Persons and Evidence.
  4. Issue a Be-On-the-Lookout.
  5. Conduct Neighborhood and Vehicle Canvass.
  6. Administrative Procedures for Processing Crime Scenes.
  7. The Incident/Offense Report.
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12
Q

The fundamental assumption on which crime scene searches rest is _______.

A

Locard’s Principle: there is something to be found

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13
Q

The _______ is the location where the initial offense was committed; the location of all subsequent connected events are _______.

A

a. Primary Scene

b. Secondary Scenes

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14
Q

_______ is the “large view”. It includes things such as the relevant location(s), the victim’s and the suspect’s bodies, cars, and buildings.

A

Macroscopic Scene

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15
Q

_______ consists of the specific objects and pieces of evidence that are associated with the commission of the crime, including knives, marks, hair and fiber, shoe and tire impressions, cigar butts, blood, and so on.

A

Microscopic Scene

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16
Q

Crime Scene Investigation is purposeful behavior and is intended to accomplish specific objectives including:

A
  1. Establish what happened.
  2. Determine the sequence of events.
  3. FInd out what the suspect did or didn’t do.
  4. Establish the modus operendi.
  5. Determine what property was stolen and what articles were left by the suspect.
  6. Inconsistencies.
  7. Locate and interview witnesses.
  8. Document and recover physical evidence.
  9. Provide investigative leads.
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17
Q

What three major functions is Work at the crime scene divided into?

A
  1. Overall coordination of the scene.
  2. Forensic Services.
  3. Investigative Services
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18
Q

The _______ assigned to a case usually has overall responsibility for what happens at a crime scene.

A

Senior Criminal Investigator

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19
Q

Forensic Services involves:

A

Interviewing witnesses, neighborhood canvasses, etc…

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20
Q

Evidence located in areas that are “_______” to the public are ordinarily processed first.

A

Open-view

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21
Q

The open-view rule is especially important when _______ are in plain sight because common talk and potential news media photography will cause family and friends great pain.

A

Bodies

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22
Q

The Forensic Services Function include:

A
  1. Establishing a central point to collect trash generated by processing the scene.
  2. Establishing a decontamination point as needed.
  3. Carrying out the identification, documentation, collection, marking, packaging, and transmission of physical evidence to the evidence room or crime lab.
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23
Q

Factors that shape the initial plan for crime scene processing including the following:

A
  1. Remote or difficult terrain
  2. Physicalhazards that in peril crime technicians such as downed power lines.
  3. A hostile crowd.
  4. Human remains that are widely scattered because of animal predation.
  5. Weather conditions.
  6. Potential presence of chemical/biological/radiological/nuclear weapons and agents.
  7. The presence of dangerous chemicals and vapors (meth labs).
  8. Limited personnel or the availability of additional personnel.
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24
Q

Three broad categories of evidence in which investigators have a particular interest:

A
  1. Corpus Delicti
  2. Associative
  3. Tracing

*CAT

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25
Q

Each criminal offense contains a distinct set of elements whose commission or omission must be demonstrated to have occurred in order to prove a case; _______ evidence substantiates these elements.

A

Corpus Delicit

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26
Q

_______ evidence is bidirectional in that it connects the perpetrator to the scene victim, connects the scene or victim to the suspect.

A

Associative

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27
Q

The identification and location of the suspect of the goals of _______ evidence; corpus delicti and associative evidence may also serve these purposes.

A

Tracing

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28
Q

At the scenes of violent crimes, especially those that are _______, emotions may run high.

A

Interracial

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29
Q

Police Officers and supervisors occasionally make investigations _______ when they drop by to see if they “can be of help” when in reality they are simply curious.

A

More difficult

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30
Q

Regardless of the type of crime involved, the five fundamental rules that must be observed are:

A
  1. Maintain Control
  2. Conceptualize Events
  3. Proceed with Caution
  4. Apply Inclusiveness
  5. Maintain Documentation
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31
Q

Without control at a crime scene,

A

a. A life may be lost.
b. Evidence destroyed.
c. Assignments overlooked
d. The investigation conducted in a generally slovenly manner.

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32
Q

Where the ability to conceptualize pays substantial dividends in locating _______ evidence, which is present in extremely small and limited amounts.

A

Trace

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33
Q

Often, Trace Evidence is located using:

A

Alternative Light System (ALS)

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34
Q

Trace evidence vacuums are particularly effective in gathering:

A
  1. Hairs
  2. Fibers
  3. Certain types of drug evidence, such as cocaine
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35
Q

Trace evidence vacuum systems can often be effectively used in:

A
  1. Assaults
  2. Rapes
  3. Some drug cases
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36
Q

The _______ dictates that every available piece of evidence be obtained and, where there is a question as to whether a particular item constitutes evidence, be defined as such.

A

The Rule of Inclusiveness

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37
Q

_______ are useful in determining whether a latent fingerprint found at a crime scene belongs to the suspect.

A

Elimination Prints

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38
Q

Documentation of the crime scene is a constant activity, starting with the rough, short-hand record created by field notes. What types of documentation that need to be maintained include:

A
  1. Crime Scene Entry Log
  2. Administrative Log
  3. Assignment Sheets
  4. Incident/Offense Report
  5. Photographic Logs
  6. Rough Sketch
  7. Evidence Recovery Log
  8. Emergency Medical Personnel Documents
  9. Lifted Prints Log
  10. Consent Search Form or Search Warrant
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39
Q

HIV is a blood-borne pathogen that s also present in what body fluids?

A
  1. Blood
  2. Semen
  3. Vaginal Secretions
  4. Breast Milk
  5. Pre-Ejaculation Fluid
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40
Q

In the United States it is most commonly transmitted by _______ and _______ intercourse.

A

a. Vaginal

b. Anal

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41
Q

It should be noted that HIV and Hepatitus B and C can also be spread through shared _______, _______, and other _______.

A

a. Shared Razors
b. Toothbrushes
c. Personal Care Items

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42
Q

HIV may persist in a needle for as long as _______.

A

42 Days

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43
Q

The risk of HIV infection after an accidental needlestick is:

A

Low

44
Q

The greatest danger to officers arises when they are:

A
  1. Making arrests
  2. Seizing drug-related evidence
  3. Processing crime scenes and accidents
45
Q

Be cautious when conducting all types of searches; never put your hands anywhere you cannot see. Instead use a:

A
  1. Mirror
  2. Probe with a flashlight
  3. Pen
  4. Wooden dowel
  5. Metal rod
46
Q

The most important protective barrier against HIV infection is:

A

Intact Skin

47
Q

Protect skin wounds, abrasions and openings with:

A

360* fluid-proof bandages

48
Q

About 10% of aids patients develop raised, purple.brown/red colored lesions called _______, which may be present anywhere on the body.

A

Karposi’s Sarcoma

49
Q

Karposi’s Sarcoma are most commonly seen on the:

A
  1. Head
  2. Neck
  3. Oral Cavity
50
Q

Bites, needlesticks, cuts, or similar incidents involving broken or punctured skin, however slight, should be washed immediately with _______.

A

Soap and Warm Water

*Soap should be used from a dispenser, not a shared bar.

51
Q

If splashed in the eyes or mucus membranes (ie. inside the nose), flush the area for _______ minutes using water, sterile water, or saline solution.

A

15

52
Q

To prevent the possibility of piercing your gloves, remove any _______ before placing them on your hands.

A

Rings

53
Q

_______ is the most common serious disease in the world and is the leading cause of liver cancer.

A

Hepatitis B (HBV)

54
Q

Hepatitis B (HBV) is a major health concern and it is spread by contact with infected:

A
  1. Needles
  2. Blood
  3. Body Fluids of an Infected Person
55
Q

In the absence of precautions, officers are _______ times more likely to contract HPV than HIV.

A

100

56
Q

There is no _______ for Hepititus A or C, however there is for HBV.

A

vaccine

57
Q

_______ is a viral illness that can only be transmitted person to person through direct contact with blood or body fluids such as saliva, vomit, disease, urine, mucus, tears, sweat, breastmilk, as well as semen and vaginal fluids.

A

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)

58
Q

Getting closer than _______ of a person infected with Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) without appropriate PPE may increase your risk.

A

3 feet

59
Q

_______ is transmitted primarily by mosquito bites and vaginal, anal, and oral intercourse, as well as the use of sex toys.

A

Zika Virus Disease (ZVD)

60
Q

_______ should not be sprayed directly on the skin, not under outer clothing. If using sunscreen, apply it _______ the repellant.

A

a. Bug Repellant

b. Before

61
Q

About 1/3 of the world’s population is infected with _______.

A

Tuberculosis (TB)

62
Q

Globally in 2015, 1.8 million people died of _______ making it one of the world’s deadliest diseases. It can be spread through the air.

A

Tuberculosis (TB)

63
Q

The purpose of the crime scene search is to:

A
  1. Obtain physical evidence
  2. Identify the method of operation employed by the perpetrator
  3. Reduce the number of suspects
  4. Identify the perptrator
64
Q

The four major considerations that dominate a crime scene search are:

A
  1. Boundary determination
  2. Choice of search pattern
  3. Instruction of personnel
  4. Coordination
65
Q

There are five basic crime scene search patterns from which the crime scene coordinator may choose:

A
  1. Spiral
  2. Strip/Line
  3. Grid
  4. Zone/Quadrant
  5. Pie/Wheel

*Round is rare

66
Q

The _______ search is usually employed in outdoor scenes and is normally executed by a single person. This pattern should not operate in reverse. In practice it is rarely employed.

A

Spiral

67
Q

The _______ search involves the demarcation of a series of lanes down which one or more persons proceed. On reaching the starting point, the searchers proceed down their respective lanes, reverse their direction at the end of the lane, and repeat the process until the entire area has been covered. Whenever evidence is found, all searchers should be stopped and briefed about what was found to keep everyone informed.

A

Strip/Line

68
Q

The _______ search is a variation of the strip/line pattern. After completing the strip pattern, the searchers double back perpendicularly across the area being examined. It is more time-consuming and offers the advantage of being more methodical and thorough. The strip or this pattern is usually used.

A

Grid

69
Q

The _______ search requires that an area be divided into four large quadrants, each of which is then examined using any of the search methods.

A

Zone/Quadrant

70
Q

When a crime scene is a significant size, the _______ search pattern is normally employed.

A

Zone

71
Q

The _______ search entails dividing the area into about 6 sections. These are then searched, usually through a variation of the strip method.

A

Pie/Wheel

72
Q

Even when the same type of criminal offense has been committed, the variation among crime scenes may be enormous. These variations are due to such factors as:

A
  1. The physical settings
  2. The manner and means that the perpetrators used to execute the offenses
  3. The length to which they may have gone to eliminate or destroy evidence
73
Q

Occasionally, it may be necessary to suspend an operation temporarily. One of the most common situations when this occurs is a _______ requires the temporary diversion of personnel from a scene where delayed processing will not result in any loss of physical evidence.

A

Priority crime with evidence subject to decay

74
Q

The decision to release a scene must be well thought out. An absolute must is to _______ the scene again just before it is turned over to the responsible party.

A

Photograph

75
Q

To satisfy legal requirements related to its introduction in a judicial proceeding, invesitators must be able to:

A
  1. Identify the evidence, and who found where.
  2. Verify its presence at the scene by video, photographs, sketches, or notes.
  3. Describe how they collected, marked and packaged it.
  4. State how evidence security was provided at the scene.
  5. State whom they gave the evidence to and for what reason.
  6. State who took the evidence to the station and where was it maintained and under what conditions.
  7. Identify who tool the evidence to and from the laboratory.
  8. Identify the laboratory personnel who handled the evidence, what tests were conducted, and how testing changed the evidence.
  9. Identify who brought the evidence to the court room and how was security of it maintained.
76
Q

The _______ of packaging evidence is to do it in a way that will make tampering with it clearly evident.

A

Essence

77
Q

When using a pre-printed label or otherwise just writing on the envelope, the following information should be provided:

A
  1. Type of offense and agency case number.
  2. The item number.
  3. The date recovered/received.
  4. The investigators name and badge number/department identifier.
78
Q

The three basic methods of documenting a crime scene include:

A
  1. Digital Still Photography
  2. Videography
  3. Sketching and Mapping
79
Q

_______ is the primary means of documenting major crime scenes.

A

Digital Still Photography

80
Q

Although digital video recordings capture images, the supplemental to the four classes of photographs that must be taken by digital still cameras are:

A
  1. Orientation
  2. Relationship
  3. Identification
  4. Comparison
81
Q

What class of photography is long/longer- range shots, general views of the entire scene?

A

Orientation

82
Q

What class of photography is medium-range, photos of evidence in their positional relationship to each other?

A

Relationship

83
Q

What class of photography is close-ups that show specific features, such as the serial number on the firearm?

A

Identification

84
Q

What class of photography is close-ups that document characteristics for future laboratory examination?

A

Comparison

85
Q

The following rudimentary points illustrate commonly accepted practices for crime scene still photographs:

A
  1. Move through the crime scene without disturbing evidence.
  2. Exclude people working at the scene from photographs.
  3. Take photographs before placing out evidence cones, placards, etc.
  4. Do not delete any photographs taken even if unacceptable.
  5. Shoot a panoramic view, 360* overlapping photographs, also the ceiling and floor.
  6. Photograph the most fragile films/areas at the crime scene first.
  7. Photograph the condition of the evidence before recovery.
  8. Photograph from eye level to represent the normal view.
86
Q

Most common scenes can be documented in ________ minutes.

A

30

87
Q

The most common mistake when video recording is _______.

A

Going too fast.

*The speed you feel is right may be as much as 50% too fast.

88
Q

A _______ is a basic diagram of the scene showing important points, such as locations where various pieces of physical evidence were located.

A

Crime Scene Sketch

89
Q

The _______ are drawn by the investigator in the field.

A

Rough Sketches

90
Q

_______ or _______ are more polished and typically drawn in the office.

A

a. Smooth Sketches

b. Finished Sketches

91
Q

Regardless of the method, sketches typically employed one of the four different views:

A
  1. Bird’s-Eye
  2. Elevation
  3. Exploding or Cross Projection Sketch
  4. Perspective
92
Q

A _______ sketch is also called the overview, floor plan, or overhead sketch. You are looking down at a horizontal plane.

A

Bird’s-Eye

93
Q

A _______ sketch is a vertical view of an object or area of investigative importance. Examples include a blood splattered wall and bullet holes in windows.

A

Elevation

94
Q

A _______ sketch is the advantage of using the cross-projection method is that when there are multiple points of interest on several different walls, they can be displayed simultaneously in one sketch, as opposed to having to make refer to multiple elevation sketches.

A

Exploding or cross-projection

95
Q

A _______ sketch is without some artistic ability, this sketch is the most difficult to make because it requires drawing the object of interest in three dimensions.

A

Perspective

96
Q

The most common methods of forensic mapping are:

A
  1. Rectangular Coordinates
  2. Triangulation
  3. Polar Coordinates
  4. Grid Systems
97
Q

A _______ method is the best way to use the scenes having clear and specific boundaries.

A

Rectangular Coordinates

98
Q

A _______ method is used for both interior scenes and buildings, as well as for outdoor scenes, where measurements must spring from distant, “permanent” landmarks, such as the corner of a home, telephone, mailbox, and lighting poles, fences, stop sign posts, the intersections of paved driveways, and roads, and other similar features.

A

Triangulation

99
Q

A _______ method is an excellent choice for many outdoor crime scenes. It is not a good choice for heavily forested areas.

A

Polar Coordinates

100
Q

A _______ method is an excellent tool, to use when there is a large outdoor scene with no significant features or lanmarks.

A

Grid System

101
Q

A _______ provides an unbroken, continuous view of the area that encircles it.

A

Panoramic Camera

102
Q

The FBI has a policy limiting acceptance to only those state and local law-enforcement requests for evidence examinations that involve the _______ and to virtually cease excepting property crimes evidence.

A

Violent Crimes

103
Q

The starting or _______ for polar coordinates may be established using a number of methods, including triangulation, or in the absence of other possibilities, a global positioning system.

A

Datum Point

104
Q

Evidence submitted to a crime laboratory is most often transmitted by:

A
  1. Courier
  2. Air Express
  3. Registered Mail

*In the ideal situation, the investigator most knowledgeable about the case takes it to the laboratory.

105
Q

Public thinks success is when the perpetrator is arrested and convicted. However, police consider success in the what two additional ways?

A
  1. Cleared by Exceptional Means

2. Cleared by Arrest

106
Q

_______ means the police can demonstrate who committed the crime, but for any of several reasons cannot pursue the case further.

A

Cleared by Exceptional Means

107
Q

_______ means that the perpetrator has been arrested and there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against him/her. This definition of success does not require a conviction.

A

Cleared by Arrest

Criminal Investigation (22 decks)

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