Process and Practices

Question 1

CJA label - What to include in General description ?

Answer 1

• what it is
• colours/patterning
• other features (a pocket, a hood?)
• Be specific - what makes it distinct from similar items (e.g. socks different sizes = able to pin point whose belongs to who).

Question 2

CJA label - What to include in labels/logos

Answer 2

• make/brand
• size
• fabric details (100% cotton)
• country of origin (made in france)
• insert ‘includes washing instruction’ if appropriate

Question 3

CJA label- What to include in conditions/damage

Answer 3

• wear/tear
• staining
• cleanliness
• Damage
• is garment wearable ?
• smell (freshly washed? aftershave/perfume?)

Question 4

CJA label - what to include in trace evidence ?

Answer 4

• Trace recovery (hairs and fibres)
• Any loose hairs/obvious pills of fibres?where?
• Hair to O/S FT = recovered w/ tweezers to poly bag
• Tape lifts (adhesive tape, secured to acetate sheets)
• How many taken? Where from?
• Diagram?

If a fibre case:
- Shed test (Sellotape placed on garment to determine whether it sheds fibres)
- Secure to examination notes
Any control samples of fibres taken?

Question 5

CJA label- Body fluid (Blood) what is to be incuded?

Answer 5

• Red/brown staining (where?)
  
  • Presumptive testing (results)
  • What patterns (Contact, spots, smears)
  • Light/heavy
  • Sizes
    Always draw areas of blood in red on diagrams

Question 6

CJA label- Body fluids (Semen) what is to be included?

Answer 6

• white/crusty staining ? where ?
• presumptive tests (results?)
• diagram = draw areas of semen in purple (colour of acid phosphatase + ve)

Question 7

CJA label- Body fluids (saliva) what is to be included?

Answer 7

• white/crusty staining ? where ?
• presumptive tests (results?)
• diagram = draw areas of saliva in blue (colour of phadebas amylase + ve)

Question 8

CJA label- what to include in debris?

• include any particulates which come off the exhibit (usually garments)
• how was debris collected? (shaken debris, collected in a petri dish)
• if a glass/paint case : did you search petri dish for glass/paint? how? what did you find?

Question 9

CJA label - what order should your notes go in ?

Answer 9

1) general description
2) labels/logos
3) conditions/damage
4) trace evidence
5) body fluids
6) debris
7) other (e.g. button missing from t-shirt, no lace on a trainer)