1. Science of Crime Scenes
Chapter 3.3
Science of Crime Scenes

2. What is a crime scene team?
Work teams and groups:
are composed of two or more individuals
who exist to perform organizationally relevant tasks
share one or more common goals
interact socially
exhibit task interdependencies (i.e., workflow, goals, outcomes)
maintain and manage boundaries
are embedded in an organizational context that sets boundaries, constrains the team, and influences exchanges with other units in the broader entity
Science of Crime Scenes

3. Team membership can vary greatly
Lead detective
Scene detective
Medical examiner
Coroner
Latent print expert
Photographer
Prosecutor
Forensic anthropologist
Forensic odontologist
Forensic nurse
Forensic computer expert
Detection and tracker dogs
Forensic entomologist
Other specialists
Science of Crime Scenes

4. Science of Crime Scenes
Lead Detective
The lead detective will have superior investigative skills
They will be experienced
They will be used to a position of authority
The lead detective has to be able to juggle multiple cases
The lead detective often turns over the scene in question to the scene detective
Science of Crime Scenes

5. Science of Crime Scenes
Scene Detective
The scene detective is the liaison between police agency and the crime scene team
All communication between the crime scene team and the police agency will go through them
The scene detective will be responsible for security while the team is onsite
The scene detective will take custody of the scene when the crime scene team leaves
Science of Crime Scenes

6. Science of Crime Scenes
Medical Examiner
A medical doctor who is responsible for examining bodies post mortem, to determine the cause of death and manner of death, and the circumstances surrounding the death of an individual
Manner of death is one of five categories listed on a death certificate; homicide, suicide, natural, accidental, and undetermined
MEs are pathologists, physicians trained in the medical specialty of pathology
MEs and their staff (often called “death investigators”) will perform investigations at the scene of death, work to identify the deceased, and may identify and collect evidence
Science of Crime Scenes

7. Science of Crime Scenes
Coroner
A coroner is a public officer (usually elected) whose primary function is to investigate any death thought to be of other than natural causes
A coroner does not have to have any medical training
The coroner is responsible for identifying the body, notifying the next of kin, collecting and returning any personal belongings on the body to the family of the deceased, and signing the death certificate
Science of Crime Scenes

8. Death investigation systems in the US
Via NPR, with permission
Science of Crime Scenes

9. Science of Crime Scenes
Latent print expert
A latent print expert will be skilled in fingerprint collection and comparison
Has knowledge of the myriad fingerprint development techniques to recognize the potential for developing prints on objects
At autopsies or with badly decomposed bodies, latent print experts can assist with identification of the deceased by using specialized techniques to rehydrate or otherwise render the skin to a condition in which useful fingerprints can be collected
Science of Crime Scenes

10. Science of Crime Scenes
Photographer
A dedicated photographer who has training and practices regularly is a great advantage to a crime scene team
Able to work with
Low available light
Low-level fluorescence from the use of blood visualization reagents
Difficult angles
Cataloging numerous images
Science of Crime Scenes

11. Science of Crime Scenes
Prosecutor
Most large prosecutors’ offices in the U.S. have an on-call rotation whereby deputy prosecutors work with law enforcement at major crime scenes
They assist in the writing of search warrants before CSIs enter the scene
They often interact with investigators to learn about the circumstances surrounding the evidence collected and the possible sequence of events
Science of Crime Scenes

12. Forensic anthropologist
Specialize in the analysis of skeletal remains and are consulted for:
Locating clandestine graves or remains on the ground’s surface
Recovering remains and associated evidence from outdoor
Identifying whether bones (fragmentary or complete) are human or nonhuman
Assisting with the personal identification of human remains
Determining the factors that cause changes in bone during the postmortem interval
Science of Crime Scenes

13. Forensic Dentist (Odontologist)
The examination, handling, and presentation of dental evidence
Age estimations of both living and deceased persons including neo- natal remains
Identification of individuals from dental x-rays or other documentation
Science of Crime Scenes

14. Science of Crime Scenes
Forensic Nurse
Provide specialized care for patients who are victims and/or perpetrators of trauma
Have a specialized knowledge of the legal system and skills in injury identification, evaluation and documentation
Often collects evidence, provides medical testimony in court, and consults with legal authorities
Forensic nurses work in a variety of fields, including sexual assault (as Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANEs
Science of Crime Scenes

15. Forensic Computer Expert
The collection and analysis of data from computer systems, networks, communication streams (wireless) and storage media
Recover computer data and personal records from personal phones, cameras, and memory device
Science of Crime Scenes

16. Detection dogs and Trackers
A person (or animal) traversing ground will leave some sort of telltale sign
A tracker looks for displaced rocks, soil depressions, clothing fibers, changes in vegetation, changes in the environment, ambient noise or lack thereof, etc.
Dogs are used by humans to locate a range of substances because of their superior olfactory acuity
Trained dogs can significantly reduce the amount of time spent searching for a target object, chemical or species
Science of Crime Scenes

17. Science of Crime Scenes
Entomologist
Necrophagous insects (those that eat dead tissue) are important in the decomposition of cadavers
By calculating the age of immature insect stages feeding on a corpse and analyzing the necrophagous species present, postmortem intervals from the first day to several weeks can be estimated
CSIs should be aware that flies who have been feeding off the blood of the deceased, and who make repeated attempts to leave the vicinity, can create small diameter impact patterns on windows that can affect blood stain interpretation.
Science of Crime Scenes