CRIME SCENE

INVESTIGATION
 Introduction
A. Forensic science begins at the crime scene.

B. Four steps of Crime Scene Investigation (CSI)

1. Recognition—scene survey, documentation,
collection
2. Identification—comparison testing
3. Individualization—evaluation, interpretation
4. Reconstruction—reporting and presentation
 Crime Scene
Crime scene are diverse and unique . . .
no two scenes are exactly the same
 What Is A Crime Scene?
• A dynamic environment which begins to
change immediately after the criminal
action occurs
• The longer the interval between the crime
and the investigation, the less the scene
resembles the original
 Crime Scene Don'ts
• No Eating
• No Drinking
• No Smoking
 Who is at the Scene?
• The first responder
– law enforcement representative
– usually in charge of the crime scene
– takes notes
• The Criminalist or Evidence Technician
(Various specialties)
– collects evidence
• The Photographer
– documents the scene before anything is
removed
– may use both still photography & video
 Who is at the Scene?
• Latent Print Analyst
– looks for both visible and invisible (latent) fingerprints
• Firearms Expert
– may be called if a firearm is believed to have been
discharged
– Collects and examines bullets, shells, casings, wads
• Bloodstain Pattern Expert
– measures & documents patterns at scene
– takes photos for later study
 Who is at the Scene?
• Medical Examiner
– declares a body to be dead
– transports body to morgue for autopsy &
evidence collection
– medical examiner
• holds a medical degree
• appointed to position
 Disadvantages from Not
Visiting the Scene of Crime
• Fresh injuries may be added during transit to
mortuary. 
• Injuries may be masked due to onset of
decomposition. 
• Rigor mortis may get broken down during transit.
• Clothing may get disarranged, fresh tears &
blood stains may be introduced. 
• Addition of fresh trace elements, dirt, stains etc. 
 Benefits of Visit of a Doctor
to Scene of Crime
• Provides an opportunity to gain first hand
knowledge of vital circumstantial
evidences needed to decipher postmortem
findings
• Minimizes misinterpretation of facts due to
introduction of artifacts due to passage of
time.
 Benefits of Visit of a Doctor
to Scene of Crime
Most important time to judiciously select
biological evidences to be collected in order
to achieve maximum utility of their analytical
reports.
An opportunity to explain importance of
 Early analysis of an evidence in a particular
case,
 Objectives of analysis,
 Precautions in handling or transportation and
place where the analysis may be undertaken
 Types of Evidence
• Direct evidence
– First-hand observations
• Circumstantial evidence
– Indirect evidence that can be used to imply a
fact but that does not prove it

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 Crime Scene Investigation
• Locard Exchange Principle:
– Cross-transference of evidence occurs when
a perpetrator has any physical contact with
something or someone else

Scene

Victim Perpetrator
The Seven S’S of Crime-Scene
Investigation
1. Securing the Scene
2. Separating the Witnesses
3. Scanning the Scene
4. Seeing the Scene
5. Sketching the Scene
6. Searching for Evidence
7. Securing and Collecting Evidence

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 Crime Scene Safety
FIRST STEP
General procedures for CSI (cont.)
A. Survey the scene
1. “Walk-through”
2. Note: transient (temporary) or conditional
(the result of an action) evidence, points of
entry and exit, and initial observations
B. Documenting a crime scene
Four main components = notes,
photography, videotape, sketch
General procedures for CSI (cont.)

Crime Scene Searches

1. Preliminary search
a. done once the scene is secured
b. purpose = note obvious evidence
2. Post-documentation search
a. intensive search for less obvious/overlook
evidence
b. completed before collection and packaging of
evidence
c. evidence found must be documented before
collection
 Important of Search

– Examine scene with EYES ONLY

– Mark potential evidence
– Photograph
– Draw
– Take Notes
– Measure distances of evidence from fixed
points
Search Patterns

Spiral Strip/Parallel

Zone Grid
PHOTOGRAPHY
 Photography -1
• The most important prerequisite for
photographing a crime scene is for it
to be in an unaltered condition.
• Unless there are injured parties
involved, objects must not be moved
until they have been photographed
from all necessary angles.
• As items of physical evidence are
discovered, they are photographed
to show their position and location
relative to the entire scene.
 Photography -2
• After these overviews are
taken, close-ups should be
taken to record the details of
the object itself.
–When the size of an item is of
significance, a ruler or other
measuring scale may be
inserted near the object and
included in the photograph as
a point of reference.
 Crime Scene Sketching
Crime Scene sketching is the CRUCIAL step in Crime
Scene documentation
Provides for dimensional relationships

2 views
1. Bird’s eye view (top-down/overhead . . .most
common)
2. Elevation view (side-on)

2 types
3. Rough sketch—completed at scene, not to scale
4. Final sketch—completed later with lots of time and
detail, drawn to scale
Rough Sketch vs Finished Sketch
 4 techniques for measuring
evidence
1. Triangulation (indoor)
RP
RP RP

RP –
evidence
Reference evidence
point
2. Rectangular coordinates (indoor)
3. Baseline (outdoor)
evidence

RP
RP

evidence

evidence

evidence 4. Polar coordinates (outdoor)

CS Sketch Example

= 1foot
Crime Scene Sketch
3D Laser Scanning
 Notes - 1
• Note taking must be a constant
activity throughout the processing of
the crime scene.
• These notes must include a detailed
written description of the scene
with the location of items of
physical evidence recovered.
 Notes - 2
• The notes must identify:
– the time an item of physical
evidence was discovered
– by whom it was discovered
– how and by whom it was packaged
and marked
– the disposition of the item after it
was collected
• The note taker has to keep in mind
that this written record may be the
only source of information for
refreshing one’s memory.
Collection of Evidence
 Documentation is Key!
1. Description of item
2. Location in crime scene from which collected
3. Case number
4. Date & time collected
5. Signature or initials of collector
 Collection of Evidencce
– Collect and store evidence appropriately
– Also collect control samples

Body Bag

Paper bags Pill bottles Tweezers+Tools

Empty Paint Cans

Swabs Manila envelopes
Vacuum
 Collection of Evidence
Ways to package different categories of evidence
a. Biological material
--packaged in a dry paper bag (NOT plastic)
b. Trace evidence (hairs, fibers, etc.)
--packaged in small envelops or tins
--Druggist’s folds used as primary container =
pieces of paper folded around items to hold trace
evidence in place before placed in outer container
c. Fingerprints
--lifted fingerprints are attached to an index card
d. Arson debris
-- packaged in old paint cans or mason jars (sealed
glass jar)
e. Castings
--packaged in a box with cushioning
 Packaging Evidence
• Prevents any change after collection
• Proper identification
• Prevents cross contamination (separate
packaging)
• Preserved intact (e.g., blood on clothes)
• Crime scene safety
 Packaging Evidence
• The paper bindle is ideal packaging for
small, dry, trace evidence.

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 Chain of Custody
• Chain of Custody—A list of all
persons who came into possession of
an item of evidence.
• Continuity of possession, or the chain
of custody, must be established
whenever evidence is presented in court
as an exhibit.
• Every person who handled or
examined the evidence and where it
is at all times must be accounted for.
 Chain of Custody
• Adherence to standard procedures
crucial for laboratory analysis
 Recording the location of evidence,
marking it for identification, and
 Properly completing evidence
submission forms
Chain of Custody

Validates authenticity,
validity, integrity of evidence
 Crime-Scene
Reconstruction
• Was there more than one person
involved?
• How was the crime committed?
• Reconstruction supports likely
sequence of events by the
observation and evaluation of
physical evidence and statements
made by witnesses and those
involved with the incident
• Reconstructions can play a vital
role in aiding the jury to arrive at
an appropriate verdict.
Crime Scene Reconstruction
The process of analyzing data to
ultimately develop a theory of the crime
Stages involved :
a. Data collection
b. Conjecture
c. Hypothesis formation
d. Testing
e. Theory formation
 Crime-Scene
Reconstruction
Step 1 - State problem - type of crime and the legal elements.

Step 2 - Collect data - - records checks and police checks, interview

victim, witnesses, and suspects, try to get additional witnesses and
comparison samples from suspects

Step 3 - Form a hypothesis - look at all evidence - determine motive

and possible suspects

Step 4 - Test hypotheses - evaluate how truthful and reliable the

stories are, weigh their stories against the physical evidence

Step 5 - Follow up the most promising hypotheses (theories)

Step 6 -- Draw conclusions - supported by court-admissible evidence

leading to the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of the offender.  
 Crime-Scene
Reconstruction