Crime Scene Documentation And Handling Flashcards
— a process particularly on the recognition, search, collection, handling, preservation and documentation of physical evidence. To include the identification and interview of witnesses and the arrest of suspectfs at the crime scene.
Crime Scene investigation
— location at which an offense was committed and potential evidence may exist.
Crime Scene
— study of photography with application to law enforcement work and for court presentation.
Forensic Photography
—- is a forensic procedure in preserving the crime scene, gathering information, documentation, collection and handling of all physical evidence.
Scenes of Crime Operation (SOCO)
— is an aid in recording investigative data and provides supplemental information not covered with photographs and notes.
Sketching
- investigator’s personal record and will remain fully meaningful even months after the event.
Note Taking
- one searcher is assigned to a quadrant then each quadrant is cut into another set of quadrant.
1.Quadrant or Zone Method
— the searcher proceeds slowly at the same place along the path parallel to one side of the rectangle,
2‘ Strip or Line Search Method
- one searcher is assigned to a quadrant then each quadrant is cut into another set of quadrant.
1.Quadrant or Zone Method
— the searchers follow each other along the path of a spiral beginning on the outside and spiraling in towards the center or vice versa.
- Spiral Method
— the searchers gather at the center and proceed outward along the radius/spokes. Disadvantages: great increase in the area and possibility of evidence contamination‘
- Wheel method
3 STANDARD METHODS OF CRIME SCENE DOCUMENTATION
- Photography and or Videography
- Crime Scene Sketch
- Note Taking
to create an accurate visual record of the crime scene before any item is moved or removed and serve as evidence for future court presentation.
A. PHOTOGRAPHY The main objective of photography is
Sequential Photographs: 1. From general to specific.
- Medium view of the entrance and exit at the crime scene (indoor).
- The possible entrance and exit used by the suspect
- An overlapping view of the immediate crime scene (clockwise), take a top view photograph of the crime scene.
- Take individual close - up photograph of evidence with markerltags and another after collecting all the physical evidence.
- Additional close - up photograph be taken with a scale beside the evidence that helps in determining its size.
- The photographer prepares and fills - up photographic log.
are prepared to indicate exact location of objects and its relationship to each other. Sketches photograph. are excellent companions to Where photographs provide exact details, sketches offer accurate information about the placement of objects and show relationship and distances between things.
B. CRIME SCENE SKETCH Sketches
Must present the exact measurement & info about the placement of objects. Must be oriented to the north. Must have an accurate measurement and location of physical evidence.
Must use either English or Metric System. Must use fixed point or object as reference point Must indicate the tag on the sketch. The finish sketch will be prepared at the office for court presentation. Use the universally recommended symbols.
Must contain: case number, crime committed, timeldate prepared, location, rank/name and signature of investigator/sketcher, name of victim, name and signature of witnesses.
Things to consider in preparing a sketch:
Must use either English or Metric System. Must use fixed point or object as reference point Must indicate the tag on the sketch. The finish sketch will be prepared at the office for court presentation. Use the universally recommended symbols.
1
Main Type of Crime Scene Sketch
Smooth Rough sketch
Finished sketch
is drawn free - hand by the sketcher at the crime scene and not drawn to scale.
Rough sketch
- is drawn at the office and usually drawn to scale‘ If a sketch is drawn to scale, the numbers concerning the distances can be eliminated. However, if the sketch is not drawn to scale. the distances need to be shown
Smooth or Finished Sketch
Types of Sketch:
- Location Neighborhood Sketch
- Floor Plan or Bird‘s Eye View Sketch
- Exploded Sketch/Cross Projection Sketch
- Elevation Sketch
- use to document important items within large tract of land or many buildings.
Location/Neighborhood Sketch
- the simplest and most commonly used in diagramming crime scenes.
- Floor Plan or Bird‘s Eye View Sketch
- Applicable if there are evidence embedded either in the wall or ceiling. Uses the combination of floor plan and walls of a room (drawn as if they are like a folded box.
- Exploded Sketch/Cross Projection Sketch
- depicts the side, front, or rear of the exterior of a structure or one of the interior walls in a room.
- Elevation Sketch
Types of Measurement:
Triangulation Method
- useful in outdoor and measure the evidence in a form of triangle based on 2 fixed object as reference point or baseline.
- Triangulation Method
- uses 2 walls in a room as fixed point. Measure the object forming a right angle. Baseline could be a wall or drawn as a mathematical center of a room.
- Coordinate/Angular Method
- a straight line is established from 1 fixed point to another fixed point and measure the object either side of the baseline at a right angle to the object.
- Base Line Method
- a protractor is used to measure the angle between 2 lines using one point along the wall as the origin.
- Compass Point Method
- starts at a known permanent reference point at the scene, a measurement of increments is marked off horizontally and vertically.
- Grid Method
Note Taking:
Basic Information
Time and date arrival at the crime scene.
Weather condition.
Status and detail description of the victim as to body built, height, gender, age, injuries, estimated time of death, clothing, finger nails and other pertinent observation made.
Status and personal circumstances of suspect.
Detailed description of the crime scene and other pertinent observation noted.
The person who discovered and collected the physical evidence.
How the evidence was packaged and marked.
Name of investigator, first responder and time of incident or discovery of the incident.
The disposition of the item when it was collected.
Take note of everything for the narrative report and how the crime scene was processed.
The time the crime was release to include the name of the IOC.
Things to be considered before collection of evidence.
- Determine what physical evidence to be collected first.
2. Determine what technique can be used to collect physical evidence found at the crime scene
Collection of Evidence
A. Mark and package all physical evidence with case and evidence number. The type of crime, description, time, date and location of evidence collected. The name and initial of the collector, and the name of victim, investigator and suspect.
All evidence collected should be properly marked and labeled before its submission to the evidence custodian.
Evidence custodian to prepare an inventory of the evidence recovered and fill-out the evidence log.
Markings of Evidence
A. Exhibit
B. Initials and signature of the collecting officer
C. Time and date collected
