Chapter 2 Crime Scene

Crime Scene Roles in crime scene? Tasks? What is evidence? How to decide Management of scene? What you would do in mock crime scene How to collect evidence?

Mock Crime Scene Roles in crime scene? Considerations? Secured scene? What is evidence? Value of each piece of evidence? Victim missing? Search? notes? Standard /reference samples Preservation? Chain of custody? Safety Legal considerations

PROCESSING SCENE: All must be considered… Secure and isolate scene Record scene Evidence present Systematic search Preservation and collection of evidence Chain of custody Reference /Standard Samples Crime Scene Safety Legal Considerations

Terms to know Chain of custody Rough and finished sketches Physical evidence – objects that establish a crime has been committed or provides link between victim and perpetrator Standard/reference sample 4th amendment issues in crime scene

Examples of physical evidence?

Evidence may be anything…

Evidence ? Physical; shoe prints, hair, Fp Biological; vomit, DNA from blood or? Eye witness accounts Expert testimony Timelines Comparative, individual, class or group

….casts of evidence…

Blood splatter analysis…

Forensic evidence should be used…. To test whether, rather than to establish that, a particular person or thing was at a particular place at a given time. To test whether, rather than to establish that, something was done with a particular tool: e.g., this bullet could have come from this weapon, this cutter could have sliced this tape, this letter may have been typed on this printer, or this glass could have come from this window. To test whether a relationship exists between people: e.g., that these people could be siblings, or that this person is likely to be the child of those parents.

Photography secures the scene forever! Cameras; digital vs. silver printing Lens variations Filters for lighting Tripods

A crime scene photographer would say: “shoot ‘em going in , shoot ‘em while you’re in and shoot ‘em going out”

Secure the Scene who’s allowed in or must be out of the crime scene record scene- sketches and precision photography

Rough sketch measurements included, all objects

Finished sketch- aesthetically appropriate- must be to scale

Chief investigator All investigators take notes

Systematic searches: names of designs and when appropriate.

Name this search pattern…

What is evidence? Determination of what to and what not to collect. Collection of phys. evidence How to collect bloodstained items? Cloth, soil, glass, bullets?

Chain of Custody- Identification of who handles what and precisely when it changes hands. (Knife out of bag example- OJ Simpson trial and blood vial)

Standard and reference samples I live in the house where a crime has occurred. Would investigators need my fingerprints? Distinguish between both samples types.

Crime Scene and the Law Search and seizure- 4th amendment Court warrant (signed by judge) needed for search OR…warrant-less searches permitted in these conditions:

*Emergency situation to prevent loss of critical evidence * Search of person/property (like a car) when connected to an arrest *Search consented National Security Read Michigan vs. Tyler explain why search was acceptable

U.S. Constitution Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure   The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

What you can do.. Questions at end of chapter 2 Study guide on wires