Chapter 5 - Assessing the Scene Flashcards
What is the primary concern of scene assessment by the crime scene technician?
To debrief the initial responding officer(s)
Why is the use of a single crime scene barrier ineffective?
A single barrier allows no buffer distance between what may be evidence and the crowd of onlookers/media.
How can enforcing use of personal protection equipment (PPE) help control scene Integrity with regard to any police supervisors on scene?
It may remind those who are nothing more than “inquiring minds” that the scene is not particularly safe. If this is insufficient, then the requirement and inconvenience of putting on all of this protective clothing may be enough to make these individuals reconsider their need to be inside the scene.
When setting up crime scene teams, what are the two basic approaches to team composition and how do they differ?
Area approach: a single team handles all activities associated with processing.
Function approach: the team leader designates different teams to do different activities.
Identify and describe three of the four factors that affect decisions about team composition.
· single or multiple scenes
· order of activity involving specialty examination needs
· available resources (equipment or personnel)
· physical size of the scene
Identify and describe the five basic patterns used to search a crime scene.
· Circle or spiral search: an effective method that is widely employed in interior scenes.
· strip and line search: a very effective technique most often used in exterior scenes when a large area is being evaluated.
· grid search: A variation of the strip search. The area is divided into two sets of strips or lanes that run at 90° angles to each other.
· Zone search: areas in question are broken down into zones, and the searchers deal with each one individually.
· point-to-point search: rarely practiced in the United States, at least in any effective manner. The crime scene investigator determines in what order he or she wishes to deal with primary focal points and evidence, then follows that priority creating a path to each point.
What are the variations of the zone search and when are they used?
Tbd
Why is postprocessing exposure to biohazards a problem and how might it occur?
Occurs through contamination of crime scene equipment and clothing. If this occurs, it could carry biohazardous exposure to his or her home, office, or car.
When presented with a possible drug lab, how does the crime scene technician respond?
Evacuate the scene and a weight assistance from a team properly trained and equipped to enter and make the scene safe.
Why is it important to establish standard team processing techniques at a mass crime scene?
Standardization of techniques across the various teams is a critical aspect for creating seamless teams and producing a Consolidated scene documentation package.
