Guest Lecture - October 5th, 2021 Flashcards
How are remains found?
- > random
- > RCMP search
- HASTY team
- > RCMP Search and Rescue training
Goals of crime scene processing
- Eliminate threats to scene integrity
- > addition, destruction or movement - Understand evidence
- > not just collection, evaluate context - Processing is destructive
- > documentation is vital and we must use least to most intrusive documentation methods - Collect as much info as possible
- Ensure complete recovery of human SR
What to do when planning a search (for HR)
- Preliminary investigation and reconnaissance
- Planning
- > characteristics of the area (understanding the terrain, how the killer go there, animal scavengers)
- > type of scene (homocide/suicide)
- > resources required
- > locating scene/remains
- > search type
preliminary investigation and reconnaissance includes what
We use
- > background/prelim info with police
- > maps, images, prelim visit, what are you looking for
To determine
- > terrain, extent, # of ppl and equipment required
Identify Hazards and establish plans
Outdoor scene types
Surface
- > scattered remains on the surface of the earth
Subsurface/burial
- > single or multiple bodies underground
Water
- > recovery from or association with water
Cremation
- > in situ or scattered
Mass Disaster
- > i.e. plane crash
How to plan to locate HR
consider dumpsite characteristics
- > near road/ parking lot
- > downhill from road/path (did the killer have to carry a heavy body)
- > secluded
- > accessible by flashlight
- > utillize pre-existing features
what to consider surface deposition when locating HR
- > clothing, personal objects, weapons
- > decomposition smell
- > material used to wrap body
- > skeletal remains and soft tissue
- > brush heap
- > animal activity
what to consider when you may have encountered a grave site
- > unique ecosystem
- > soil disturbance
- > decomposition
- > insect and scavenger activity
Plant indicators of a grave
- > dead plants
- > low/increased growth
- > dominant species changes
- > piles of brush to hide remains
how can soil indicate that theres a grave
- > soil is less compact and easy to probe
- > dirt is scattered
- > different colour of dirt (darker has higher moisture content)
- > mound of dirt/ oval shaped depression
remote sensing technology
- > plane/satelite
- > aerial photography
- > thermal imaging
advantages and disadvantages of remote sensing
Ad - > large area quickly - > no damage to scene - > accurate Dis - > links observation to ground - > expensive - > ground cover
geophysical searching techniques
- > find differences in earth material
- > contrast between target and surrounding material
- > metal detectors
- > electrical resistivity
- > magetometers
- > GPR
advantages and disadvantages with geophysical techniques
AD - > quick survey DIS - > expensive - > insufficient contrast - > too many anomalies - > special skills required
ground search techniques
- > people based
- > organized and controlled
- > systematic
- pedestrian survey/line search
- walking or hands and knees
