Crime Scene Vocabulary and Basics Quiz

Crime Scene Investigation

• The police officer is responsible for securing the crime scene and detaining persons of interest.

Documentation and Evidence Collection

• A crime scene investigator (CSI) documents the crime scene in detail and collects physical evidence.

Search Warrants

• A detective helps determine if search warrants are required and obtains those warrants from a judge.

Forensic Analysis

• A forensic pathologist may be present to determine a preliminary cause of death if the crime is a homicide.

Expert Analysis

• An expert analyst may be called in if the evidence requires expert analysis.

Investigation and Interviews

• A detective interviews witnesses and consults with the CSI unit to follow leads provided by witnesses and physical evidence.

Analyzing a Crime Scene

• The first step an investigator will follow to analyze and document a crime scene is to secure the scene.

Evidence Collection

• Physical evidence, such as fingerprints, DNA, and trace evidence, is collected from a crime scene to gather clues about the crime.

Crime Scene Types

• A primary crime scene is the original location where the crime was committed.

Suspects and Evidence

• A suspect is a person who is believed to have committed a crime.
• Circumstantial evidence is evidence that indirectly links a suspect to a crime.
• Evidence collected at a crime scene can establish means, motive, and opportunity for a suspect.

First Responders

• The police are typically the first to arrive at a crime scene.

Types of Evidence

• Direct evidence is evidence that directly links a suspect to a crime.
• The purpose of collecting evidence at a crime scene is to gather clues and build a case against a suspect.