Serious Crime Module - Exhibit Management Flashcards
What is the definition of an exhibit?
Any item which comes into the possession of Police during the course of an investigation, whether or not it is eventually tendered in formal evidence.
What is the OC Exhibits responsible for?
Establishing and maintaining exhibit management systems and for maintaining the physical security and continuity of all exhibits.
What updates must the OC Exhibits provide to the OC Investigation and 2IC?
Relevant information relating to:
- What exhibits have been found, and their movements
- The results of any exhibit examinations
- Whether any further enquiries are required
What must the OC Exhibits ensure?
That all exhibits are fully examined, in accordance with Forensic Strategy meeting decisions. The OC Exhibits maintains an awareness of the significance of each exhibit and what examinations may be available. The OC Exhibits will determine, plan and record the examination and interrogation of every exhibit and establish its relevance to the investigation.
What is the purpose of a Forensic Strategy meeting?
Forensic Strategy meetings are held to determine which exhibit or other forensic examinations are required and the priority of those examinations.
Who attends a Forensic Strategy meeting?
OC Investigation
2IC
OC Exhibits
Crime Scene Coordinator/OC Scene
Anyone else deemed necessary by the OC Investigation e.g. pathologist, ESR etc.
What are some of the topics covered during a Forensic Strategy meeting (5)?
- What examinations ESR and others could conduct on exhibits
- The priority each examination should receive
- Whether any further work is needed to assist a reconstruction
- A plan for any work to be completed that is required to assist the reconstruction
- An agreed reconstruction of the events relevant to the crime under investigation
What steps should be taken when forwarding an exhibit for examination?
- Ensure exhibit examination decisions are confirmed through the Forensic Strategy meeting process
- Record in the IMT or PROP application all decisions taken about the types of examinations to be conducted and the priority allocated to each examination
- Ensure the OC Investigation has authorised the proposed examination
- Prepare the necessary papers for ESR or other expert
- Ensure any exhibits identified are prepared before being delivered
- Deliver exhibits for scientific examination promptly to avoid deterioration and loss of evidence
- Inform the expert undertaking a scientific examination if it is no longer required
What must be demonstrated in IMT or PROP regarding chain of custody?
- When they received custody of the exhibit and from whom
- Where and how the exhibit was securely stored
- When, why and how the exhibit was moved from one place to another
- How the exhibit has been treated, safeguarded and preserved
- When and why they transferred custody of an exhibit to another person, and to whom
This is called maintaining the ‘chain of evidence’.
What is trace evidence?
Evidence e.g., hair, fibres, paint, and blood that is readily transferred from one item to another.
What is cross-contamination?
When trace evidence could have been transferred to the exhibit via a third party during the course of the investigation.
What is the purpose of the exhibit numbering system?
- Be consistent
- Allow delegation of exhibit numbers to staff who will utilise them
- Cope with multiple scenes
- Be compatible with technology, allowing searching to be conducted using exhibit numbers
- Encompass all exhibits, e.g. Medical Examination Kits (MEKs), documents, reference blood samples and photographs sent to ESR
What is included in the exhibit number range 10000?
Admin
What is included in the exhibit number range 15000?
Victim
What is included in the exhibit number range 20000?
Witnesses
