6b Module 6

Law and order

Reading (Flow chart completion; Sentence completion)

Before you read

1 Work in groups and discuss the questions.
1 Do you ever watch crime programmes on
television? Why do you think they are so popular?
2 What responsibilities might a crime scene
investigator have?

Test practice
2 Read the strategies and complete the test tasks.
hh
TEST STRATEGIES page 170
Questions 7–10
Questions 1–6 Complete the sentences below.
Complete the flow chart below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
passage for each answer.
7 Overview photographs are needed to show the
various relevant to the crime.
Stages in the investigation of a crime scene 8 Detailed photographs, from a short distance, of
injuries such as are taken on site.
Police response: 9 Although of the crime scene are
• potential 1 not allowed at crime scene acceptable as long as they are correct, they may
• provision of 2 to be signed by visitors to have to be done again at a later date.
scene 10 An everyday object might be included in a
photograph as a in terms of size.
CSI arrival: initial 3 informs strategy
hh
HELP
Documented evidence: detailed photographic 7 Will this be a singular or plural noun? What is another
record and written 4 provided for those word for overview?
not present
8 Several injuries are mentioned: which are usually minor?
9 Look for a word for drawings which are not detailed or
Recreation of crime scene: CSI develops carefully done.
supported 5 of scenario, including who
was probably there and exactly where they were Task analysis
3 Work in pairs and discuss the questions.
Analysis: All objects and documentation taken to 1 Which of the following techniques helped you to
6 guess the meanings of new words/phrases?
• guessing from the formation of the word itself
• looking for contextual clues
hh
HELP • finding a similarity with another English word
or a word in your own language
1 Who was not allowed access to the crime scene?
2 Find examples of paraphrases or synonyms which
3 On what basis does the CSI decide on what she will do next? helped you to complete the tasks.
5 Find another verb meaning support.
Discussion
4 Work in groups and discuss the questions.
1 What personal qualities might someone wishing
to be a Crime Scene Investigator require? Why?
2 Why might this be a very difficult job to do and
one which not everyone would be able to handle?
3 What might be the positive aspects of doing such
a job?

98 MyEnglishLab > 6b Reading

 Module 6
Law and order 6b

Crime scene investigation:

how it operates
From the moment the first police officer arrives at the records all activities in and around the crime scene. This
scene of a crime, a strict set of procedures must be includes a description of the scene and an accurate list
adhered to: this is designed to protect everyone present describing what each piece of evidence is, when, where
and guard evidence against damage, contamination or and by whom it was found, and who was responsible for
loss. Following these procedures and maintaining control transporting it to the laboratory. Each photograph is also
of the scene until the arrival of crime scene investigators identified and commented on.
offers the best chance of obtaining the evidence required
Photographs need to be taken promptly so that they
to successfully identify and convict those responsible for
show the scene preserved in an unaltered condition prior
perpetrating the crime.
to any evidence being removed for analysis. The CSI
At the heart of crime scene protection is Locard’s takes general shots of all locations related to the crime
Exchange Principle, which states that when any two scene such as rooms, the building and the area and mid-
people come into contact with each other, trace materials range photos of key pieces of evidence in context. For
such as hair, fibres and prints can be exchanged or close-ups, good-quality photos are essential in providing
transferred. Every person who enters the crime scene the forensics laboratory with details from which to analyse
can leave behind signs of their presence, remove crucial the evidence. Any sign of physical harm to the body is
traces on their shoes, clothes or hands or otherwise critical: bruises and scratches can be photographed at
damage or alter any evidence that remains. Thus, access the scene but knife wounds and gunshots generally have
to the scene must be restricted immediately and denied to wait until the victim is hospitalised. CSIs also create
to everyone but those authorised to enter it, as police may sketches to depict both the entire scene and particular
be unsure of who potentially are witnesses or suspects. aspects which will benefit from exact measurements;
they need to be accurate in terms of the details presented
The next stage is to cordon off and secure the crime
but can be rough as they are frequently redrawn later for
scene, which will involve a requirement for all people
clarity. In photographs where it is important to see the size
authorised to be at the scene to sign their names upon
of the object being recorded, the photograph may include
arrival. This security log is essential for limiting the number
a point of reference such as a car key or ballpoint pen.
of individuals to be examined in the event of finding
stray fingerprints and shoeprints. If investigators can be After the crime scene has been carefully documented, it is
eliminated, the print may well implicate the perpetrators. time for the CSI to collect all physical evidence that might
serve to recreate the crime and identify the perpetrator in a
As soon as the crime scene investigator (CSI) arrives she
manner that will hold in a court of law. Certain information
must first gain an understanding of what the investigation
may be critical in determining the truthfulness of a suspect
will entail and establish a systematic approach to
or the reliability of a witness. The investigator focuses
collecting evidence. Therefore, her first task is a walk-
on the likely sequence of events and the locations and
through examination of the crime scene; the focus being
positions of everyone present when the crime occurred
on the bigger picture, nothing is touched at this point. The
before looking at each piece of physical evidence to find
CSI also talks to the police or detectives who were first
out whether or not it endorses this hypothesis: anything
on the scene and may have already begun interviewing
that does not confirm this must be reconciled or must
witnesses.
change. As a result, the reconstruction of a crime scene
Having formulated a plan, the CSI then organises is constantly evolving as more evidence is disclosed. All
documentation of all the evidence, with the aim of creating of this evidence is included in the crime scene report and,
a visual record which will enable the forensics laboratory, together with the evidence recovered from the scene, is
detectives and lawyers to gain an exact representation of transferred to a forensic science laboratory to be analysed.
the scene and surrounding area. A designated note-taker

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