1. The Basics of Crime Scene Investigations

2. CSI: Las Vegas Intro - YouTube

3. I. THE FIRST RESPONDERS
The emergency response teams consist of police officers, paramedics or Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), or fire crews. Many victims will be beyond medical treatment. These people are called Dead on Arrival

4. DEAD ON ARRIVAL (DOA)
Pronouncing a patient dead in the field has both medical and legal ramifications
There are many gruesome but true stories of people waking up in the morgue after being declared dead.

5. Methods used to determine death
First responders will first check for CAROTID PULSE on the side of the neck for a full 60 seconds. (Lets check ours)
During this procedure another team will cut away clothing from the chest so that ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (ECG) patches can be applied to test for electrical activity in the heart.

6. Determining Death Cont…
IF FLAT LINED, the medical team checks for RIGOR MORTIS (stiffening of the body), particularly at the extremities
Also check for DEFINITE DEPENDENT LIVIDITY (solid purple discoloration due to the pooling of blood in areas of the body closest to the ground.)

8. Post-mortem Lividity

9. Determining Death Cont…
If these conditions are found, the person can be declared dead.
In some horrifying cases, a person who is found decapitated or eviscerated (insides taken out), the person is clearly DOA

10. FROM FIRST RESPONDERS TO POLICE
Securing the Scene
--The first officers secure the scene as they found it.
--Nothing is touched or moved so evidence is not compromised
--Make preliminary observations

11. Patrol Officer’s Role
Police Officers will make notes of any evidence that might change (Such As??)
RECORD TIME OF NOTIFICATION, noting who is present at the scene; and if witnesses are identified, separating them from each other.

12. The Death Scene
At this point it is still only a death scene, which could have been from natural causes or from more sinister reasons.
The next step is for Police Officers to report the death to the CORONER’S OFFICE

13. The Coroner’s Office
The Coroner’s Office is mandated by Kentucky law to establish the Manner and Cause of Death. The Cause of Death is the injury, disease, or a combination of the two that caused the death of the person.

14. The Manner of Death is ruled by the Coroner to be Natural, Suicidal, Accidental, a Homicide, Unknown, or Pending.

15. The Commonwealth of Kentucky deals with many kinds of death that include:
Skeletal remains
Homicides
Suicides
Occupational deaths
Deaths occurring in a correctional facility
Deaths within a medical facility less than 24 hours of admission
Fatal motor vehicle deaths 
Mass fatalities.

16. Additional Responsibilities of the Coroner
In a death scene investigation, the coroner or his deputy has the responsibility of
1. Pronouncing death
2. Determining the time of death
3. Taking into custody the body and property on the body
4. Ensuring the body has not been moved from the original death scene

17. Responsibilities Cont….
5. Making a positive identification of the body
6. Notifying of the next of kin
7. Signing the death certificate
8. Completing required forms and records for each death investigation

18. Five Key Crime Scene Questions
1. Did the death take place where the body was discovered or was it moved?
2. Was there any attempt to alter the scene?
3. Does the scene suggest a motive for murder(robbery, drugs, fraud)

19. Cont…… 4. Is a cause of death clearly apparent?
5. Are there sufficient clues(physical evidence) to indicate how the crime occurred, and where the victim and the perpetrator were in relation to each other during the commission of the crime

20. THE INVESTIGATION
“Processing” a death scene requires applying scientific methodology.
Purpose….Reconstruct the events, criminal or otherwise
Interpret physical facts and their accurate reconstruction in proper sequence.

21. On Scene Procedures
Seek all basic information from first responders(who died and what has happened)
1. Take Overall photographs of scene
2. Observe from a distance first
3. Move progressively closer until you arrive at victim
Making and recording observations

22. The Corpse Note any injuries and position DO NOT TOUCH THE BODY
TAKE PHOTOS showing whether the victim is in supine, prone, or lateral position
Note the state of Rigor Mortis
Note the clothing and other items(accessories)