The Real CSI - Class Notes PDF

The Real CSI [FSC100] ✩ The Real CSI - Class Notes ✩ ★ Introduction & Defining The CSI Effect ★ 5 September, 2024 ★ The Relationship between Law and Science ✦ Philosophical foundation of criminal justice system...

The Real CSI [FSC100] ✩ The Real CSI - Class Notes ✩ ★ Introduction & Defining The CSI Effect ★ 5 September, 2024 ★ The Relationship between Law and Science ✦ Philosophical foundation of criminal justice system ♆ Protect the innocent ♆ Ensure the truth emerges ✦ Law defines certain behaviors as criminal ♆ It provides framework of regulations, and ♆ Determines standard of evidence required for prosecution ✦ Both law and science work within the criminal justice system; differ in goals and methods ✦ Law [Goal] ♆ Settle disputes, obtain favorable outcome ♆ Relies on the adversarial system and arguments to resolve conflict ♆ Truth decided by the trier of fact ↬ Judge of jury ♆ Outcome based ✦ Science [Goal] ♆ Describe workings of the natural world ♆ Relies on the scientific method and refinement of hypothesis to validate ideas ♆ Truth is dependent on available evidence ♆ Justification based  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Defining Forensic Science ✦ Forensic derived from the Latin ‘forensis’ ♆ Public debate or discussion; judicial connection ♆ Intersection ✦ Science derived from Latin word for knowledge ♆ Relates to scientific method ✦ Forensic methodologies draw from wide range of disciplines ♆ Anything can be evidence ✦ “Forensic science” is hard to define ♆ Broadly → application of science to law ✦ Definition ♆ (Bell, 2008) ↬ The application of scientific knowledge and techniques to legal matters ★ The Importance ✦ What are ways forensic science assists in criminal investigations? ♆ Linking a suspect to a crime scene, or to a victim ♆ Provides a timeline (blood-spatter analysis) ♆ Assist in establishing presence with forensic evidence ♆ Motives, how something happens/was planned out, specifically what occurred at that time ✦ Science brings out objectivity ♆ Not influenced by emotion, bias, or opinion ✦ In the past, convictions were based on subjective evidence ♆ E.g. Eyewitness testimony ✦ Today, scientific evidence allows criminal investigations to be more objective  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ The Forensic Expert ✦ Forensic scientists must remain an unbiased advocate for the objective facts ✦ May be called upon to serve as expert witness ♆ Only declared an expert witness by a judge ✦ Lay Witness: What was heard, saw, done, or experienced ♆ No special training or technical knowledge ♆ Testimony must be factual (not opinion-based) ✦ Expert Witness: may offer opinion on the work that was done and significance of the findings ✦ A Serious Task ♆ Opinions of expert witness may weigh heavily on the outcome of a case ✦ Criteria for being declared or accepted as an expert witness ♆ Witness is of sound and unquestioned integrity ♆ Witness is sufficiently trained and experienced ♆ Science or technology presented meets criteria of acceptance ↬ Peer review, testing and validation, rate of error, general acceptance ♆ Base opinions/conclusions on facts established by reliable methods ★ The Scientific Method ✦ Science adheres to strict guidelines to ensure integrity ♆ Known as scientific method ♆ Ensures observations free of bias ✦ Scientific Method ♆ “Method of procedure that consists of observation, measurement, and experimentation, and the formulations, testings, and modification of hypotheses”  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ Steps of Scientific Method ♆ Formulate question ♆ Generate a hypothesis ♆ Collect data by observing and experimenting ↬ Recall: science technology must meet criteria of acceptance ♆ Interpret data ↬ Sometimes adjust and re-perform experiments ♆ Draw conclusions ✦ When a hypothesis is validated through experimentation, it becomes suitable as evidence ★ Difference between Forensic Science and Crime Scene Investigation ✦ Crime Scene Investigation ♆ In Canada → forensic identification officers ♆ Attends the crime scene ♆ Properly recognize, identify, collect, and preserve evidence at a crime scene ♆ A methodological process ↬ Follows a set of principles and procedures that adhere to guidelines ↬ Not rigid or fices; every crime scene is different ♆ A dynamic and thoughtful process ↬ Require an active approach ↬ E.g. how pieces of evidence link to one another ↬ Experience and observation are key ♆ Grounded in scientific method  The Real CSI [FSC100] ♆ Objectives of CSI ↬ Recognize and identify forensic evidence ↬ Collect and preserve evidence ↬ Reconstruct the crime ↬ Assist in the formation of a theory or theories about the crime - For example: may ascertain the sequence of events leading to a crime, assist in uncovering a motive, etc ✦ Forensic Science ♆ Works in a forensic laboratory ♆ Perform scientific analyses on evidence submitted by the crime scene investigator ★ The CSI Effect ✦ Unrealistic expectation of capabilities of forensics and crime scene investigation ✦ Not new: a century ago, this was known as the “Sherlock Holmes Effect” ✦ Result of inaccurate depictions in media ♆ Roles and responsibilities ♆ Capabilities ♆ Nature of evidence ♆ Procedures and time frames ✦ Analysis ♆ Potential impact on real criminal justice system ♆ CSI presents a different model of police procedurals; other shows present forensics as a cog in the criminal justice wheel ↬ Without a Trace → federal point of view ↬ Law and Order → judicial processes ↬ Cold Case → closure and eyewitnesses  The Real CSI [FSC100] ♆ CSI places forensic science at the forefront ↬ Focus on collection and analysis of forensic evidence ✦ Why are Audiences so Intrigued? ♆ People like to know what they don’t know, solve puzzles (figuring something out) ♆ Enjoying the process of investigation; filling in the blank (we like doing the process) ♆ Escape from reality, dramaticized to human liking ♆ Human nature to be nosy ✦ Impact ♆ General impact is on public perception ♆ Impact on court and legal system ↬ Jurors ↬ Prosecution - Higher rates of acquittal? ↬ Defense - Higher rates of acquittal and conviction? ↬ Judge ♆ Impact on criminal activity ↬ Does the CSI Effect serve to educate current or prospective criminals? ✦ Responding ♆ How can we respond to this phenomenon? ♆ We learn how myths differ from reality ↬ Be able to differentiate the two ↬ Through education and awareness ♆ Are there positive aspects of these media representations of forensic science and crime scene investigation or not?  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Reminders (5/9) ✦ 2 Readings assigned for week 1 ✦ Quiz 1 → Due Sep 9 2024 ♆ 5 Questions ♆ Based on lecture and reading material ✦ No readings next week ✦ Forensic scientist are at the Lab → related to quiz questions ♆ CSI doesn’t go to the lab  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ History of Forensic Science & Crime Scene Investigation ★ 10 September, 2024 ★ Roots of Criminal Investigation ✦ Forensic science as a relatively new career field ✦ Traced to approximately 1248 ♆ China ↬ Postmortem examination may give information about cause of death ✦ Interdisciplinary nature of forensic science and crime scene investigation ♆ Pioneers in other fields relevant to development of crime scene investigation ✦ ‘Kin Policing’ in Early Clan Life ♆ All clan members were responsible for determining sanctions to impose on violators ♆ Absolute ↬ Serious Offenses: banishment, death ↬ Less Serious Offenses: corporal punishment, property transfer ↬ Branding/Mutilation to mark offender ✦ Ancient Hebrews ♆ Law enforcement responsibility of kings, high priests, and elders ♆ Individuals appointed to apprehend and punish ♆ Continued into Roman rule ✦ Ancient Babylon ♆ Codified laws into ‘Laws of Hammurabi’ ♆ Approximately 1700s B.C ♆ One of the earliest and most complete written legal codes ↬ 282 rules (carved into the stone) ↬ Messengers assigned to carry out the law  The Real CSI [FSC100] ♆ Foundation for establishment of a judicial system ↬ Many harsh punishments for the guilty ↬ E.g. removal of the tongue or hands ♆ Early example of “innocent until proven guilty” ✦ 5th Century B.C ♆ Romans adopted first written laws ♆ Twelve Tables (Law of The Twelve Tables) ↬ Rights and responsibilities of the Roman citizen ↬ Legal procedures ↬ Property ownership, building codes ↬ Punishment for crime ♆ Police officials called Quaestorees Parricidi ↬ To track murderers ↬ Foundation for modern detectives ♆ Through conquest of Mediterranean, Romans influenced law systems of Western Europe ✦ Collapse of Roman Empire through Early Middle Age ♆ Formal law enforcement essentially non-existent as tools for social control ♆ Individual offenses punished through: ↬ Trial by ordeal → accused is subject to an ordeal ↬ Trial by combat ↬ Court of the Star Chamber - Authority from the king - Legalized methods of torture to force confessions from suspects  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ 13th Century: Emerging EU powers developed structured law enforcement systems ♆ Classification of crimes ♆ English defined the legal age of reason ↬ Relates to the classification of crimes ↬ Age of which children are capable of acting responsibly ↬ What aspect of today’s criminal justice system stems from this idea? - Juvenile versus adult court systems ♆ Enforcement Methods ↬ Hue-and-Cry System - Early English - Pursue criminals with vocal cries to alert neighbors ↬ Watch-and-Ward System - Guarding the city/village gates at night - Apprehend suspicious persons - “Night Watch” today ↬ Office of Sheriff ★ History of Criminal Investigation: Policing ✦ 1750: Henry Fielding established the Bow Street Runners in London, England ♆ “Thief Takers” ↬ Accepted cases only from those who could afford the fees (economical discrepancies → money needed for law) ↬ Initially tasked for tackling robbery gangs ↬ First professional police force ♆ First professional police force ♆ Practices developed still in use: ↬ Hiring informants  The Real CSI [FSC100] ↬ Criminal raids ♆ 1829: Metropolitan Police of London ↬ More similar to the police we see today ↬ Bow street runners is more informal (only works on specific cases) ♆ 1842: Investigative unit was founded ↬ First time having an investigative unit (London) ✦ 1810: French Surete ♆ First formal use of the detective in modern times ♆ Surete: Security ♆ Founded by Eugene Francois Vidocq (a convicted criminal) ↬ Only criminals can fight crime ↬ Believed in obtaining intimate knowledge of criminal habits/methods ↬ Planted undercover investigations in prisons ♆ Preventative role ↬ Patrolling street ↬ Maintain public presence ↬ Investigate crimes ✦ North America saw benefit of formal, uniformed, police presence ♆ 1834: Toronto (first formal, uniformed, organized police presence) ↬ We had other informal services prior to this (mid 1600s) ↬ A municipal force ♆ 1838: Motreal ♆ 1840: Quebec City (prior to this had a watchmen system) ✦ Canadian legal traditions overall can be traced earlier  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ Provincial police forces in rural Eastern Canada (1867) ♆ 1873: Expansion into North and west ↬ North-West Mounted Police - Forerunners of the RCMP (Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police) ↬ More people coming from Europe ★ History of Criminal Investigation: Contributions of Criminology and Criminalistics ✦ Criminology versus Criminalistics ♆ Criminology ↬ Study of crime within society ↬ Exploration of criminals and their treatment ↬ Broad ♆ Criminalistics ↬ Study of evidence to investigate crimes ↬ Known today as ‘forensic science’ ↬ Narrow ✦ Philosophies in Criminology ♆ Atavism ↬ Criminals born to commit crimes due to biological deviance ↬ Cesare Lombroso (1835 - 1909) - Psychiatrist - “Father of modern criminology” ♆ Positivism ↬ Criminals exist because crime is the product of social causes ↬ Alexandre Lacassagne (1843 - 1924) - Professor of legal medicine  The Real CSI [FSC100] - “Father of forensic science” ♆ There’s a middle ground between the two ✦ The Impact of Criminology on Criminalistics ♆ How do these philosophies relate to criminalistics? ↬ Influenced others to generate systems/methods - Formed the basis for those used in investigations today ♆ From forensic perspective, the role of of Lombroso and Lacassagne: ↬ Influenced the first forensic scientists ✦ Alphonse Bertillon (1853 - 1914) ♆ Followed Lombroso in a different approach ♆ Lombroso: understand inherent morphology of criminals (criminology) ♆ Berillon: create identification system for recidivist offenders (criminalistics) ♆ Systematic approach to criminal identification though 11 measurements of the body ↬ Anthropometry ↬ Photos, physical description, length, width, and other dimensions of the skull and body ↬ Measurements used to identify someone ↬ Recidivist → repeating offender ♆ Officially implemented in 1883 (“Bertillonage Method”) ↬ Widely accepted until 1920s ↬ Switched to more reliable methods ♆ Problematic ↬ Class Answers: Efficiency and accuracy of the method, subjectivity of measurements, change measurements, kept on cue cards (timely), could be altered, people who look similar/have similar measurements (misidentify)  The Real CSI [FSC100] ↬ Advanced the discipline by being the foundation for the concept of the mugshot ✦ Edmond Locard (1877 - 1966) ♆ Another key player in the history of crime scene investigations ↬ Also impacted by criminology and the philosophies therein ↬ Lacassagne was his predecessor - Positivism - Encouraged him to study the law alongside medical work ♆ Developed Methodology for Examining ↬ Cause of death ↬ Associated physical evidence ✦ Late 1800’s and early 1900s: Contribution to Forms of Classification and Identification ♆ 1883: Alphonse Bertillon ↬ Method of criminal identification (mugshot) ♆ 1892: Sir Francis Galton ↬ Fingerprinting method ♆ 1898: Paul Jesrich ↬ Categorization of bullet striations ♆ 1901: Karl Landsteiner ↬ Blood grouping system ♆ Advances impacted by field and pioneers of criminology ♆ Formed basis for criminalistics ✦ Hans Gross (1847 - 1915) ♆ Professor of criminal law ♆ Recognized role of science in determining legal outcomes ♆ Published the ‘Handbook for Examining Magistrates as a System of Criminology’  The Real CSI [FSC100] ♆ Explained the need for legal professionals to understand scientific study of crime ↬ Unified science and law ♆ Coined the term: ↬ ‘Criminalistics’ ↬ Unifying science and law ★ Important Figures in the history of forensic science and Crime Scene Investigation ✦ Alphonse Bertillon (1853 - 1914) ♆ See page before ✦ Hans Gross (1847 - 1915) ♆ Father of modern criminal investigation ✦ Sir Edward Richard Henry (1850 -1931) ♆ Metropolitan police force ♆ ‘Classification and Use of Fingerprints (1890) ↬ Formalized the ideas of Francis Galton into a classification system ♆ Henry Classification System ↬ Fingerprint patterns to classify prints: - Loop - Whorl - Arch ✦ Edmond Locard (1877 - 1966) ♆ 1910: Began using attic above law rooms to perform work ♆ Interest in microscopic evidence (dust) ♆ 1912: Assisted police in solving the Marie Latelie case ↬ Formal recognition of the Locardian Laboratory - Internationally renowned as first dedicated forensic laboratory  The Real CSI [FSC100] ♆ Locard’s Exchange Principle (Formalized/Published in 1920) ↬ “When any two objects come into contact, there is always a transference of material from each object onto another.” ↬ Class Examples: Fingerprints on a weapon, left hair and skin cells, skin cells of the roof of your mouth in saliva on a cup, shoe prints, blood traces ✦ Henry T.F Rhodes (1893 - 1969) ♆ Use of the scientific method for crime scene investigation ♆ “The process of crime scene investigation is scientific” ♆ Published ‘Clues and Crime’ (1933) ↬ Stated that the objective of crime scene investigation was to determine: - How crime committed - Order of events ↬ Scientific method foundational to these decisions ✦ Paul Kirk (1902 - 1970) ♆ Founder of American criminalistics ♆ Published ‘Crime Investigation’ (1953) ♆ Analyzed evidence in the Sam Sheppard case (1955) ↬ Marilyn Sheppard found murdered in bedroom in 1954 ↬ Sam Sheppard fought with the perpetrator and was struck unconscious ↬ Questioned about an affair (Susan Hayes) - He obtained a lawyer → issues a statement and reward - Refused a lie detector test - Was determined to having an affair - Arrested and charged with second degree murder (life in prison) ↬ Charged → Wrongful conviction & overturned - Jurors influenced by media; bias  The Real CSI [FSC100] ♆ Physical evidence always presented at crime scenes ↬ Only compromised through human error ♆ Illustrated importance of recognizing evidence ✦ Sir Alec Jeffreys (1950 - Present) ♆ British geneticist ♆ 1980’s: Individual identification can be made based on DNA ↬ Concept of genetic fingerprinting ♆ Developed techniques for profile analysis of DNA ♆ Paved way for current techniques of DNA analysis ♆ Received widespread recognition, developed the concept that DNA is unique to a person ★ Development of Forensic Labs ✦ Canada ♆ Locard established first dedicated forensic lab in France ↬ Led to establishment of others internationally ♆ Montréal: Laboratoire de Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale (1914) ↬ Dr. Wilfrid Derome ↬ Following the Locard model ↬ First established in Canada, third established in the world ♆ Toronto: Laboratory of the The Attorney General in Ontario (1932) ↬ Dr. Edgar Frankish ↬ Renamed Centre of Forensic Sciences (1966) - Central laboratory in Toronto - Regional laboratory in Sault Ste.Marie ✦ Scientists are civilians (specialists or technologists) ♆ Analyze evidence  The Real CSI [FSC100] ♆ Testify in court ✦ Full-Service Laboratory includes: ♆ Toxicology ♆ Biology ♆ Firearms and toolmarks examination ♆ Questioned documents ♆ Photo analysis ♆ Electronics ♆ Chemistry ✦ Operates under established protocols and guideline ♆ Ensures integrity of scientific analyses ✦ Laboratories may become accredited (legally recognized) ♆ American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors ♆ Uphold quality assurance and quality control ♆ Requires extensive reviews and examinations ↬ Credentials of personnel ↬ Administrative practices ↬ Use of evidence controls ↬ Type of examination methods ★Last Notes ✦ Quiz 2 ✦ No readings this week ✦ Releasing Final Paper outline today ♆ Will get your assigned episode ✦ Exercise 1: will be released this week ✦ Final Paper  The Real CSI [FSC100] ♆ Outline: Introduction Paragraph (I), Body of Essay (II), Conclusion (III; usage of personal pronouns only in this section) ↬ How something is a mistake, how it contribute to the CSI effect ↬ Different; roles and responsibilities, etc  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Defining Crimes and a Crime Scene ★ 17 September, 2024 ★ Defining a Crime ✦ Naffe and Darymple, 2016 ♆ “An act punishable by law” ✦ Deemed by a statute or common law to be a public wrong ♆ Changes over time and place (social and historical contexts) ♆ Punishable by criminal proceedings ✦ All crimes are different but may have a pattern ♆ Modus operandi ♆ Pattern of criminal behavior ✦ Criminal acts or behavior may be proved by evidence ★ Defining a Crime Scene ✦ Question: How would you define a crime scene? ♆ Class Answers: Any place that has evidence, the place where a crime was committed, wherever the person who committed the crime goes, any area that needs to be documented ✦ Definition ♆ Any place in which a crime occurred, or in which evidence relating to a possible crime has been located (Watkins, Anderson, and Rondinelli, 2013) ✦ Crime Scene Properties ♆ Crime scenes yield physical evidence ♆ Require control, maintenance, and documentation ✦ Only things consistent about crime scenes are: ♆ (i) Locard’s Exchange Principle ↬ Every contact leaves a trace  The Real CSI [FSC100] ♆ (ii) Their inconsistency ↬ Every crime scene is different ↬ May be confined or spread over a large space - For example: one room in a house versus a large property or farm ★ Defining a Crime Scene: Crime Scene Classifications ✦ Crime scenes are diverse ♆ Every crime scene is different ✦ Many Ways to Classify Crime Scenes ♆ Primary versus Secondary ♆ Macroscopic versus Microscopic ♆ Based on type of crime ♆ Based on crime scene condition ♆ Based on crime scene location ✦ One area we want to always be consistent is how to classify a crime scene ♆ Standardized so everyone can understand ✦ Primary versus Secondary Crime ♆ Designation of Sequence of Events ↬ Does not indicate priority or importance ♆ Primary crime scene ↬ Site of original criminal activity ↬ May yield more usable evidence (not always!) ♆ Secondary crime scene ↬ Also known as subsequent crime scene ↬ May be the first scene investigators encounter - Uses evidence to locate primary crime scene ♆ May also be tertiary, and so forth  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ Recall: relates to sequence of events, not importance of evidence ♆ How many crime scenes are there in this example? ↬ 3; the home, vehicle, and the woods ♆ What is the primary crime scene in this example? ↬ The home (bedroom) ↬ Where the initial crime was committed ♆ What may be the most important evidence? Would it be found at the primary scene? ↬ Semen in body (perpetrator’s DNA on body), murder weapon, tie, car (victim’s DNA) ✦ Macroscopic versus Microscopic Crime Scenes ♆ Based on size of the crime scene ♆ Macroscopic crime scene ↬ Possibly composed of many crime scenes ↬ For example: victim stabbed in park: the park, the body, the wound, and the ground around the body ↬ Does Not define a set area ♆ Microscopic crime scene ↬ Focused on specific types of physical evidence found in the macroscopic crime scene ↬ For Example: trace evidence on the body or impression marks on the ground beside the body  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Defining a Crime Scene: Based on the Type of Crime ✦ Based on the type of crime committed: ♆ Homicide ♆ Suicide ♆ Arson ♆ Robbery ♆ Sexual assault ✦ Not as descriptive as other classifications ♆ Crime type may change during investigations ♆ We don’t use these terms in Law ↬ Not Descriptive ↬ What if the offense changes ★ Defining a Crime Scene: Based on Crime Scene Condition ✦ Roots in criminal behavior and profiling | not used very frequently as a noun ✦ Widely used in classifications of violent or recidivist (repeating) offenders ✦ Organized crime scene ♆ Indicates premeditation, planning, and control ↬ Scene is more orderly ↬ Offender more likely to purposefully conceal the body or remove evidence from the crime scene ✦ Disorganized crime scene ♆ Reflects sense of disorder, little (if any) premeditation; ↬ Scene is disarray, evidence is more likely to be found, body often in open view ↬ Disproportionate number of scenes are disorganized type - More scenes are disorganized  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Defining a Crime Scene: Based on Crime Scene Location ✦ Based on the physical location of the crime scene (most common) ♆ Indoor ♆ Outdoor ♆ Vehicular ♆ Aquatic ✦ Also not as descriptive as other classifications ♆ What if there are multiple crime scenes in different locations? ★ Defining a Crime Scene: Are All Scenes Crime Scenes? ✦ Crime Scene can take Many Forms ♆ Must avoid making assumptions: ↬ Cannot assume “known” is all that exists (we can miss a lot) ↬ Primary versus secondary crime scenes ♆ Question: “Are all Scenes Crime Scenes?” ↬ No. We can’t assume all scenes are crime scenes ★ Managing Crime Scenes ✦ Approach every scene as if it is a crime scene ✦ Ensuring integrity of evidence key to whether evidence will be admitted in Court ♆ Strict management ✦ Crime scene management includes: ♆ The initial response ♆ Securing and preserving the crime scene ♆ Scene assessment and documentation ♆ Searching the scene ♆ Releasing the scene  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ Early step in managing the scene: establishing the crime scene area ♆ Inner perimeter ↬ Core area where criminal act took place ↬ Evidence most likely to be compromised ♆ Outer perimeter ↬ Larger perimeter surrounding inner perimeter ↬ Crime scene tape ♆ To establish who enters and who exists ✦ Important to manage scenes to allow for: ♆ Full investigation ♆ Proper documentation and collection of physical evidence ♆ Admissibility in Court  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Team Members, Investigative Ethics, and Bias ★ 19 September, 2024 ★ The CSI Effect: Roles and Responsibilities ✦ Question: Personnel that may be present during the crime scene ♆ Class Answers: Police, detective, witness, first responders, specialized experts, media, CSI, victims ✦ Popular media represents crime scene investigators as amalgams of many different roles ♆ Each is distinct and requires focused training and education ✦ Crime scene investigators are only responsible for attending the scene, collecting evidence ✦ Result of Popular Media Representations: ♆ Glamourization ♆ Public misinformation ↬ Lack of complete understanding of complexities or multidisciplinary nature of investigation ★ Process of Crime Scene Investigation ✦ Incident reported and first responders dispatched (three-tiered response) ✦ Responding first officer performs scene assessment, decides immediate action, secures scene ♆ Recall: Inner versus Outer Perimeter ✦ If known or suspected death, becomes death scene ♆ Coroner or medical examiner called—no one enters without permission ✦ Ranking officer arrives at crime scene ♆ Responsible for managing investigation ♆ Meets with those on scene for preliminary briefing  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ Crime scene investigator consults with lead/ranking officer in charge upon arrival ★ Review: Who Is Who? ✦ Uniformed patrol officers ♆ Constable ♆ Responds to emergency calls for service ↬ Defined geographical area ♆ Assume control until relieved by police supervisor or crime scene investigator ✦ Uniformed police supervisor ♆ Sergeant ♆ Supervision of patrol officers (constables) ♆ Assumes control of crime scene until relieved by criminal investigator or crime scene investigator ✦ Detective ♆ Criminal investigator ♆ Police officer (any rank) for crime investigation ♆ Conduct and manage investigation, prepare case for court, assist prosecutor ↬ May have multiple for one case, usually a lead and junior ↬ Usually we just see one ★ Crime Scene Investigators in Canada ✦ Highly trained, sworn police officers ✦ Called “Forensic Identification Officers” ✦ To enter Identification Unit must: ♆ Become sworn police officer ↬ Complete basic training ♆ Work as general duty, uniformed officer ♆ Work as a Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO)  The Real CSI [FSC100] ♆ Application to become Identification Officer ♆ Spend time in the Central Investigations Bureau ↬ Intensive coursework + additional training ✦ Civilians may become involved in crime scene investigation ♆ Civilian: someone who has not completed formal police training/is not sworn ↬ Work with police in uniform ↬ No use-of-force abilities ↬ Serve as an assist ✦ Forensic Identification Assistants ♆ Assist Ident Officer in processing evidence ♆ Toronto: Crime Scene Support Technicians ♆ Generally, require background in forensic science ✦ Important! ♆ Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) and civilian Crime Scene Support Techs merely assist the Identification Unit ↬ Process evidence ↬ Generally, do not assist with larger or more serious scenes - E.g. No shooting reconstructions ♆ Regardless of roles, duty is to the scene ↬ Do not work in the laboratory ✦ Depending on severity of crime and complexity of scene, 1-2 identification officer’s ✦ Death investigations: 2 Identification Officers ♆ Lead forensic investigator ↬ Scene management ↬ Priority of examination ↬ Liase with outside investigative personnel  The Real CSI [FSC100] ↬ Determine/coordinate/contact specialists ♆ Less experienced forensic investigator ★ Forensic Scientists in Canada ✦ (1) Evidence is submitted to the crime lab by crime scene investigator ✦ (2) Enters Case Receipt Unit ♆ Centre Receiving Office (CRO) in Ontario ✦ (3) Exhibits tagged with computerized monitoring system ♆ Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) ♆ Allows personnel to see: (establishing a chain of custody) ↬ Where evidence is ↬ Who has it ↬ How far the analysis has progressed ✦ (4) Exhibits go to the Evidence Recovery Unit ♆ ERU technologists locate and collect all forensically important material ↬ Submit to appropriate unit for analysis ♆ In Ontario, this is done by CRO personnel ✦ Forensic scientists ♆ Civilian (not sworn police officers) ♆ Employed by crime or forensic laboratories ♆ Analyze evidence removed from a crime scene ♆ Area of employment depends on expertise ✦ Canadian Crime Labs have (at least) the following Units: ♆ Biology, toxicology, chemistry, firearms & toolmarks, questioned documents  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ Forensic Biology: One of Largest Sections ♆ Analyze biological materials ↬ E.g., blood semen, body fluids ↬ Human or non-human ↬ DNA analysis ♆ Minimum honors degree ↬ Biology, biochemistry, molecular biology ↬ Most have graduate degrees ♆ Extensive training in lab ↬ Do not become an analyst or specialist right away ✦ Forensic Toxicologist ♆ Determine presence and amount of toxins in body fluids and paraphernalia ↬ Toxins: drugs, alcohol, poisons ♆ Determine Physiological Effects ↬ E.g., What was the original dose? Was it enough to kill or impair the individuals? ♆ Minimum honors B.Sc. (most have graduate degrees) ↬ Biochemistry, pharmacology, physiology, or chemistry ↬ Extensive training before solo work ✦ Forensic Chemist ♆ Also known as ‘trace evidence specialist’ ♆ Different labs have different names for this unit ↬ (e.g., ‘Trace Evidence Unit’) ♆ Analyze non-biological trace evidence and substances ↬ E.g., paint, clothing fibres, gasoline ↬ What substance is and what it’s chemical constituents (elements) are (%)  The Real CSI [FSC100] ♆ Minimum honors B.Sc. ↬ Chemistry background (most = graduate degree) ↬ Extensive training before solo work ✦ Firearm and Toolmarks Specialists ♆ Firearm examination is not ballistics ♆ Analysis of tool mark, tool, firearm, or ammunition ↬ We use “tool” not “weapon” ♆ Physical matching of tool to suspect mark ♆ Firearm specialist may also: ↬ Restore serial numbers ↬ Assess mechanical condition, safety, legality ↬ Maintain Canadian Integrated Ballistics Identification Network (CIBIN) ♆ Minimum honors B.Sc. (engineering or physics) ♆ Extensive training before solo work ✦ Questioned Documents ♆ Contains letters, numbers, or symbols that could express meaning; authorship in doubt ♆ Questioned Document Examiner: ↬ Analyze or compare handwriting ↬ Examine document alterations - Where a document comes from ↬ Minimum honors B.Sc. (chemistry) - Number of word blindness and dexterity texts ★ The Importance of Personal Protective Equipment ✦ X  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Other Team Members ✦ Variable depending on complexities and requirements of each investigation: ♆ Dive/underwater search teams, aerial search teams ♆ Medical examiner/coroner ♆ Hazmat response team ♆ Forensic psychiatrist ♆ Forensic anthropologist ♆ Forensic odontologist ↬ Dentition of skeletonized or decomposed remains, collection/preservation of bitemark evidence ♆ Forensic entomologist ↬ Insects associated with human body to estimate elapsed time since death ♆ Forensic botanist ↬ Plants or pollen to link a suspect or item to a scene or area ♆ It;s very nuanced and requires various fields ★ Investigative Ethics ✦ Crime scene investigators and forensic scientists work for the facts ♆ Shoulder a tremendous role in the justice system ✦ Professional ethics and integrity essential ♆ Ethics: “Moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the conducting of an activity” (Oxford Languages, 2021) ✦ Questions: What are important ethical qualities for CSI? ♆ Confidentiality, respect for the body, transparency, honesty  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ Generally outlined by professional organizations (e.g., AAFS) ✦ Synopsized as (Gardner and Bevel, 2009): ♆ Objectivity ↬ Discover the truth regardless of how it may/may not affect the outcome of a legal proceeding ♆ Honesty ↬ Tell the truth, avoid distortion of facts and/or misrepresentation ♆ Openness ↬ Be open to criticism, be transparent ♆ Be conservative (only speak to exactly what you see) ♆ Communicate accurately, precisely, without ambiguity ♆ Use proper tests, procedures, methodologies (remain current) ★ A Note on Junk Science ✦ Does not Meet Requirements of True Science ♆ Unproven or questionable research ♆ Research driven by personal gain ✦ Current “scientific” methods under fire: ♆ Fire investigations ↬ To determine source of fire ♆ Lead bullet analysis ♆ Hair analysis ♆ Bitemark analysis ✦ They can still provide useful information, but we cannot use it to convict someone ✦ Ethical responsibility to utilize proper, currently accepted tests, procedures, methods  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Error and Bias in Crime Scene Investigations ✦ Error can be made at any point ♆ May affect validity of established conclusion ♆ May lead to flawed understanding of events ↬ Wrongful convictions ✦ Types of error: ♆ Ethics violation ♆ Honest error ↬ Lack of training ↬ Pressure ↬ Administrative errors ↬ Complacency (you’ve done the same thing over and over and you stop thinking critically) ✦ Cognitive Biases ♆ Bias may also be a factor in error ♆ Broad term that includes a variety of processes that may lead to inaccurate judgements ♆ May affect memory, reasoning, decision making ♆ Types of bias: ↬ Confirmation bias - Tendency to seek information or interpret evidence in a way that confirms our hypotheses - Avoid or ignore that which goes against such ↬ Context bias - Effect of extraneous information on the evaluation and interpretation of information  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ Managing the Risk of Bias ♆ Humans are inherently subject to influences that can negatively affect ability to reliably and effectively evaluate and act ↬ May result in: - Miscarriages of justice - Loss of public confidence ♆ May not be able to eliminate but can manage ↬ Knowing that exists ↬ Training and proficiency testing ↬ Limit daily pressures ↬ Work blindly ↬ Seek to disprove  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ The Initial Response & Scene Security ★ 23 September, 2024 ★ The Response Process ✦ Initial Response ♆ Receipt of Information ♆ Prioritization of efforts ♆ Safety and emergency care (preservation of life) ✦ Process of Crime Scene Investigation ♆ Incident reported and first responders dispatched ♆ Initial responding officer ↬ Ensures integrity and preservation of the crime scene ♆ Uniformed police supervisor assumes responsibility ✦ CSI consults w the lead/ranking officer in charge upon arrival ★ Arriving on Scene: Priorities of First Responders ✦ Many jurisdictions rely on 3-tiered response: ♆ Police Department ♆ Emergency Medical Services (EMS) ♆ Fire Department ✦ Safety of first responders and those at/near scene is the priority ♆ Responding police officer identifies and initiates the appropriate response ✦ Next priority: preservation of life ♆ Even at expense of evidence/scene preservation  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Scene Alteration ✦ When possible, first responders should avoid altering the crime scene ♆ Initial response must be effective, efficient, methodological ↬ Preservation of life is paramount ✦ Scene alteration not a problem if reasonable explanation exists as justification for such ✦ Examples of reasonable explanations or justifications for an altered crime scene: ♆ Damage caused to gain entry ♆ Damage from suspect apprehension ♆ Item relocation from medical assistance ♆ Environmental effects ♆ Time lapse prior to scene discovery ✦ Police must maintain documentation of what happened, how scene was altered ♆ Provide to detective or investigators ★ Role of Responding Police Officer ✦ Responding police officer often first to arrive ✦ Duties of a responding police officer: ♆ Safety of first responders ♆ Preservation of life; safety for others on scene ♆ Scene security and preservation ♆ Thorough documentation ♆ Transference of responsibility ✦ Same despite officer rank or seriousness of crime ✦ Do not rush into a scene; observe and assess ♆ Responsibility to try to preserve physical evidence subject to alteration by life saving actions  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Safety at The Crime Scene ✦ From immediate threats to the safety of first responders or others at the scene ✦ Safety of responders of paramount importance ✦ First thing responding police officer must do is render the scene safe ♆ Suspect may be on scene ↬ May need to arrest or detain suspect ↬ If flees, take reasonable measures to protects scene while attempting apprehension ✦ When site is deemed safe, lifesaving measures may be implemented by responding personnel ★ Scene Security and Preservation ✦ When scene deemed safe, assess situation ✦ Proceed with extreme caution when entering crime scene ♆ Be aware of where evidence may be found ♆ Observe all details ♆ Important to document everything ✦ Securing the crime scene mitigates evidence removal or alteration, and/or contamination ♆ Locard’s Exchange Principle ↬ Demonstrates the importance of scene security and maintaining the integrity of a crime scene ✦ People who may do Harm to a Crime Scene ♆ Persons who committed the crime are associate with the suspect ♆ Media ♆ Curious members of the public ♆ Crime souvenir collectors ♆ Thieves  The Real CSI [FSC100] ♆ Members of other police units ♆ Victims ♆ Weather ♆ Animals ✦ Scene security maintained through: ♆ Physical presence ↬ Policing guarding the crime scene ♆ Police line tape ♆ Locks and barriers ↬ Locking a door (indoor scene) ↬ Barricades with vehicles, boards, etc ✦ Method depends on scope and location of crime scene ♆ Death investigations: tents to conceal remains ★ Determining the Scope of The Scene ✦ Recall: typical crime scene consists of: ♆ Inner perimeter ↬ Core area where criminal act occurred ♆ Outer perimeter ↬ Including probable entry and exit routes ↬ Police tape ✦ Perimeter prevents damage to any potential evidence ✦ Rule of thumb: ♆ Designate large perimeter and reduce if prudent to do so ↬ Can be reduced without sacrificing integrity of crime scene/evidence  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Path of Contamination ✦ Arrival to scene is chaotic ♆ Assess scene boundaries and instruct emergency personnel of best route of entry ✦ Responding officer should establish a ‘Path of Contamination’ ♆ Path to focal point of the scene ↬ Always used to access crime scene ♆ Ideally, path least likely traveled by the suspect and victim ↬ Avoid potential paths of perpetrator (evidence) ★ Maintaining a Security Log ✦ Scene security officer designated ♆ Prevent entry into the crime scene by unauthorized persons ↬ Remain on scene until processed ✦ Must also keep record of all those that enter and exit the crime scene ♆ Crime scene access log ↬ Name and affiliation (title) ↬ Time of entry and exit ↬ Why they were on the scene ↬ Under whose authority they entered ✦ Crime Scene Access Log Ensures: ♆ Crime scene and evidence correctly interpreted ♆ Possible contamination and cross-contamination documented ✦ Especially important in cases where the crime scene record and evidence analyzed some considerable amount of time after processed  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Documentation for Responding Police Officers ✦ When entering crime scene, observe and take written notes as soon as possible ♆ Initially, scene chaotic ↬ Documentation may not be a priority ↬ May be done retrospectively (as soon as possible) ✦ Important to document: ♆ All information surrounding dispatch and arrival at the crime scene ↬ Time that responding police officer was called to the scene (time of dispatch) ↬ Time of arrival at the crime scene ↬ How they entered the crime scene (by what route) ↬ What they observed upon arrival at the crime scene ♆ Important that all actions are documented, even negative ones ↬ Recall: investigative ethics; must be honest and transparent ↬ Mistakes or honest errors must be disclosed ↬ May turn out to be of little significance with respect to scene integrity, but failure to document may result in the officer’s personal integrity being questioned ♆ Information surrounding what (if any) lifesaving measures were administered ↬ Where the emergency personnel entered and exited the crime scene ↬ The time which life saving measures began ↬ The time which life saving measure ceased ↬ What objects were displaced, damaged, or removed ♆ If injured must be removed from the crime scene, should document things such as: ↬ Location of individual within the crime scene  The Real CSI [FSC100] ↬ Position of the injured person’s body ↬ Condition of injured person’s clothing ♆ Also important to document: ↬ Any information from witnesses - Information given at the scene may change as time goes on or be misinterpreted/misperceived - Take notes; not a full interrogation ↬ Any information from suspects ↬ Scene conditions - Were the doors and/or windows open? Closed? - Were the lights on or off? Which lights were on? Which were off? - Weather conditions ↬ Date and time indicators - Mail that was dated from the week prior but had not been picked up yet - 4 senses → smell—decomposition ★ Transference of Responsibility → Must report everything to the detective and CSI! ✦ While waiting to transfer responsibility, responding police officer may: ♆ Write down names of those who interacted with the crime scene ♆ Ensure documentation requirements fulfilled ♆ Establish basic facts ↬ Factual account of what happened; not full interrogation ♆ Keep suspects and witnesses separated ♆ Instruct witnesses not to discuss event(s) ♆ Protect evidence (e.g., divert water) ♆ Expand protective measures if required  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Arrival of the CSI ✦ Usually, all threats to safety mitigated when crime scene investigator arrives ♆ Personal safety of utmost importance ♆ Must also mitigate risk of contact with potentially infectious materials ✦ Myth related to the CSI Effect ♆ What crime scene investigators wear when coming onto a crime scene ♆ Often seen in glamorous clothing ♆ Safety and contamination → risking safety—we need PPE ★ Contamination ✦ Contamination may occur: ♆ Between items of evidence ♆ From crime scene investigators or other personnel not wearing proper attire ↬ Inadvertently depositing their own DNA at the crime scene or at an item of evidence ↬ E.g., a stray hair, a sneeze ↬ Cross-contamination - Locard’s Exchange Principle ♆ Cross-contamination may undermine the integrity of forensic evidence ★ Personal Protective Equipment ✦ Never enter the crime scene without personal protective equipment (PPE) ✦ PPE may include: ♆ Disposable Tyvek suits ↬ With hoods or other hair cover ♆ Disposable shoe covers ♆ Mask or other respiratory protection  The Real CSI [FSC100] ↬ Cover the mouth and the nose ♆ Goggles or eye protection ↬ Face shield if droplets of fluid present ↬ Never use face shield alone ✦ PPE may also include: ♆ Disposable gloves ↬ Nitrile gloves (chemical-resistant) ↬ “Double-glove technique” → extra level of protection ↬ Worn when handling any evidence, potential evidence, or biological materials ↬ Cut-resistant where applicable ♆ In some cases: hard hat, high visibility outerwear, firefighter bunker gear, specialized footwear, etc. ♆ Never eat, drink, or smoke  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Crime Scene Survey and Search ★ 23 September, 2024 ★ Initial Walkthrough and Preliminary Assessment ✦ CSI one of first specialists to attend scene ♆ Contacted by criminal investigator or senior ranking officer (major crime) ↬ Remember: not always required ✦ Preliminary assessment performed ♆ Assessment as an ongoing process ✦ Initial walkthrough completed ♆ Major crimes = criminal investigator and CSI ♆ CSI may perform alone to preserve evidence ↬ CSI decided who accompanies—case-by-case basis ✦ “Look, but don’t touch” ♆ Develop a plan or approach ✦ Initial walkthrough as an opportunity to: ♆ Determine nature and extent of the scene ↬ CSI may reconsider the established perimeter ↬ Are all appropriate areas under control? ♆ Develop theory of the crime ♆ Create a rough sketch of evidence location ↬ Develop team approach ↬ Determine appropriate search technique  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Legal Aspects ✦ Search ♆ “Something that infringed one’s reasonable expectation of privacy” ✦ Seizure ♆ “The taking of a substance or thing belonging to, or in the care and control of, a person by a public authority” ✦ Reasonable searches and seizures accepted as valid social safety mechanism ♆ Balanced with individuals right to privacy ✦ “Everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure” (S.8, Charter) ♆ Requires unjustified searches do not occur ♆ Accomplished by judicial pre-authorization ♆ Search warrant: authorizes police or other officials to enter/search the premises ✦ Search warrant: ♆ Provides judicial review re: reasonable ground for infringement on privacy ♆ Places restrictions on search: how, when, where ✦ No warrant = search presumed unreasonable ♆ Prosecution must prove search not unreasonable ♆ Evidence may be inadmissible ✦ Unreasonable: subject must prove they had a “reasonable expectation of privacy” ✦ Exceptions to general rule of judicial pre-authorization (Watkins, Anderson, and Rondinelli, 2013): ♆ (i) Incident to arrest and investigative detention ↬ May search person and immediate vicinity to arrest and seize, if search conducted in reasonable manner ♆ (ii) Consent and abandonment  The Real CSI [FSC100] ↬ Person has a reasonable expectation of privacy in relation to the entity to be searched and gives consent or Property has been abandoned (location and intent) ♆ (iii) Plain view doctrine ↬ When conducting lawful search re: one crime and evidence of another crime is in plain view, it may be seized ♆ (iv) Exigent circumstances ↬ If Court finds circumstances existed that required immediate action to ensure safety or secure and preserve evidence where not feasible to first obtain judicial authorization ↬ Immediate concern for safety and well-being ★ Methods of Searching ✦ Crime scene searches are intrusive ♆ Primary scene context (before search) must be well-documented ✦ Search must be systematic and methodical ♆ Ensure all evidence and details noted clearly and concisely ♆ Priority should be evidence at risk of deterioration ✦ Most used search methods: ♆ Strip, grid, link, zone, wheel, spiral ♆ Dictated by environment, scope of scene, available manpower and resources ✦ Search team must be aware of: ♆ What method will be used ♆ How to conduct the search ♆ How to manage evidence found ↬ Mark items without touching or altering ↬ Alert the search leader  The Real CSI [FSC100] - Raise hand - Used code word ★ Searching: Strip Method ✦ Also known as the ‘line method’ ♆ 4 arrows going across from left to right ✦ Search in strips approximately 2-4 ft wide (arm lengths apart) ♆ Multiple searchers may form line where search strips overlap ♆ Supervised by search leader ♆ Search left to right ♆ Move at same pace ✦ Best in large or outdoor scenes ✦ Popular in forensic anthropology and missing persons cases ★ Searching: Grid Method ✦ Also known as ‘double strip method’ or ‘double line method’ ✦ Line search one direction, change to 90-degree angle, search again ♆ 2 searchers, lines of searchers [twice and in different directions] ✦ Pro: scene to be searched twice ♆ Less likely to miss small or hard to recognize evidence ✦ Con: time-consuming ★ Searching: Link Method ✦ Footsteps ✦ Most common search method ✦ Based on linkage theory ♆ One thing influences/determines the process or outcome of another ✦ Not geometric ♆ Based on findings, observations, logic  The Real CSI [FSC100] ♆ Probability that based on the crime, evidence likely to be found in a particular location ✦ Works for any scene type ★ Searching: Zone Method ✦ 2 rectangles ✦ Best on scenes with defined zones ♆ For example, houses with rooms ✦ Allows certain zones to be prioritized ✦ May utilize other search methods within each zone ✦ Method works well with search warrants ♆ Allows certain areas to be searched where other areas not specified or allowed ★ Searching: Wheel Method ✦ Arrows pointing outward from the middle to the outside ✦ Also known as the “ray” method or the “pie” method ✦ Search from a critical point outward, in straight lines ♆ For example, from the deceased ✦ Not common, limited applications ♆ Most often used in circular crime scenes ♆ Not good for large crime scenes ↬ It goes from most destructive to least destructive evidence (Con) ★ Searching: Spiral Method ✦ Inward or outwards spirals ♆ Inward: start at outer boundary and circle towards critical point ♆ Outward: start at critical point and circle outward ✦ Starting from an area where there could be the most evidence (Con)  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ Searcher trace regular pattern with fixed diameter ✦ Works best on crime scenes without physical barriers ♆ More common in outdoor scenes [water scenes] ♆ One person doing the search in a circular way with a fixed diameter ★ Vehicle Searches ✦ Vehicle searches are unique in that: ♆ Search in a restricted space ♆ Processing of the interior and exterior ♆ Presence of an undercarriage ♆ Must also process the location where the vehicle was found ✦ Process similar in most jurisdictions ✦ Tow vehicle for secure processing ♆ Conduct preliminary search for evidence that could be damaged in transport ✦ Vehicle Search Process ♆ Begin with exterior of vehicle → Search for: ↬ Damage ↬ Cloth imprints or road grime on the finish ↬ Trace evidence ↬ Fingerprints - Door handles, outside mirrors, windows, and trunk lock area ♆ Careful attention to hood and grill areas if suspected of being involved in an accident ♆ Commence search of interior ↬ Generally divided into five segments, always in same progression ↬ Begin by searching segments for fingerprints  The Real CSI [FSC100] ↬ Re-search segments to search for evidence ♆ Next, search trunk and hood of vehicle ↬ Front driver side → front passenger → back driver → back passenger → back area before trunk ♆ Undercarriage searched ↬ Generally reserved for instances where vehicle is suspected of having been in an accident  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Crime Scene Documentary and The Chain of Custody ★ 1 October, 2024 ★ Documenting the Crime Scene ✦ Purpose of Crime Scene Investigation: ♆ Collect information to determine what occurred ♆ Preserve crime scene context and evidence ✦ Documentation for Crime Scene Investigations ♆ Begins even before arrival on scene ♆ Once initial walkthrough is completed, must document the scene in detail ✦ Documentation as a Permanent Record ♆ Preserves crime scene context and evidence ✦ Documentation Requires Crime Scene Investigators be Organized and Systematic ♆ Time consuming ✦ Four Tasks of Documentation: ♆ Note taking ♆ Videography ♆ Photography ♆ Sketching ↬ Usually this order (every scene is unique) ↬ All should occur before evidence collection  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Taking Notes at The Crime Scene: The Importance of Note-Taking ✦ Done as events unfold, detail step-by-step actions ♆ Not retrospectively ↬ Memory loss may affect accuracy and quality ✦ Note Taking is Important because: ♆ Provides permanent record of scene ♆ Criminal investigators may rely on case notes in the future, particularly for drawn out investigations → factual account of the scene ♆ Seemingly insignificant information may turn out to be significant ★ Taking Notes at The Crime Scene: Guidelines for Note-Taking ✦ Crime Scene Investigator should Document ♆ Notification and arrival information ♆ Information surrounding initial walkthrough ♆ Description of crime scene and scene conditions ♆ Description of victim (if applicable) ♆ Description of crime scene search and all evidence ✦ General order but every crime scene is different ✦ Meticulous note taking is the key to competent crime scene investigation ♆ Importance of transparency ↬ Notes should never be erased or edited (without documenting it) - If mistake made or something must be amended: cross out with a single line and initial beside it (no eraser/white-out)  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Taking Notes at The Crime Scene: Main Guidelines ✦ (i) Notification Information: ♆ Date/time notified ♆ Method of notification ♆ Information received when notified ↬ Example → type of crime, location of crime scene ♆ Any other information relayed ✦ (ii) Arrival Information: ♆ Means of transportation ♆ Date/time of arrival at the crime scene ♆ Personnel present at the crime scene ↬ Names and affiliations ↬ Names of witnesses (occurs less in practice—usually police) ♆ Any information provided upon arrival ↬ e.g., from the initial responding officer ✦ (iii) Initial Walkthrough Information: ♆ Date/time it began ♆ Who performed the walkthrough? ♆ Who else was in attendance? ♆ Identification of evidence during the initial walkthrough ♆ Data/time it ended ♆ Results of the initial walkthrough ↬ Example → assignment to team members  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ (iv) Scene Description: ♆ Description of crime scene location ↬ Surrounding houses and streets ♆ Description of the crime scene ↬ Indoor: describe interior and exterior ↬ Outdoor: describe terrain, flora, fauna ♆ Condition of crime scene ↬ Messy? Clean? Evidence of recent activity? ♆ Weather at the crime scene ↬ Temperature? Recently raining? ✦ (v) Victim Description: ♆ What information is collected depends on whether victim is alive or deceased ↬ Victim’s physical description (height, eye color, hair) ↬ Relevant demographic information (e.g., age, sex, skin) Description of visible wounds ↬ Presence or absence of identification ♆ If deceased: position of body, information on lividity, evidence in relation to the body ♆ Recall: if victim is deceased, body cannot be touched/disturbed without explicit instruction from the coroner ↬ Be aware of the limitations of your knowledge ↬ Only document what you can see and what you know as fact  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ (vi) Detailed Evidence Handling Results: ♆ Physical description of evidence exhibit ♆ Location of evidence exhibit ♆ Position of evidence exhibit ♆ Evidence collection details ↬ Who → name and affiliation ↬ When → date and time ♆ Results of search for fingerprints, DNA, trace ✦ Crime Scene Investigators should use Best Judgment, Training, and Experience ♆ Every action should be documented: ↬ In the order it is performed; in detail ✦ Make a conscious effort to present negative or unexpected conditions as well ♆ Example → absence of bloodstains where such is expected, only light that is on when all others are off ★ Video Recording of the Crime Scene ✦ Routine in major crime, discretionary for other crimes ✦ Advantage over Still Photography: ♆ Graphical depiction that shows spatial relationships within the crime scene ♆ “Virtual initial walkthrough” ♆ Done in addition to other documentation effores ✦ During or immediately following the initial walkthrough ✦ Guidelines for Videography: ♆ No equipment or personnel ♆ Must remain objective ↬ Do not record audio  The Real CSI [FSC100] ↬ Narration during the video recording my introduce subjective bias ♆ May use placard at beginning of video to provide relevant information: ↬ Videographer’s name ↬ Date/time of video recording ↬ Location ↬ Case Number ✦ Effective videography of a crime scene includes all aspects of the initial walk through: ♆ Begin with crime scene surroundings ↬ Include roads to and from the crime scene ↬ General view of the crime scene ♆ Enter crime scene ♆ Move through the crime scene ↬ Showcase orientation of items of evidence in relation to the overall crime scene (wide angle-perspective) ↬ Pan the area and then zoom in on evidence exhibits - May utilize a scale (zooming in) ♆ Leave the crime scene ↬ Video recording of spectators or other individuals surrounding the crime scene (if relevant) ✦ Recall: no documentation of a crime scene should be deleted or altered in any way ♆ Documentation as evidence ♆ Best Practice: ↬ Review the video recording on the crime scene in real-time ↬ Reshoot if necessary  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Photographing the Crime Scene ✦ Photographing the crime scene serves several purposes: ♆ Refreshing memory ↬ Crime scene investigators ↬ Witnesses ✦ Demonstrate spatial relationships between items of evidence ✦ Convey image of the crime scene and circumstances of the crime to the trier of fact ♆ Must be admissible ♆ Must be able to testify photo as an accurate depiction of area shown ✦ To accurately depict the area shown, photograph(s) must: ♆ Represent subject matter in: ↬ Color ↬ Scale ↬ Form ♆ Be in focus ♆ Show relationships between objects ✦ All digital files should be retained ♆ Ensured through use of a photo log ★ Photo Log ✦ Photo Log: proof of a documentation photo being taken at a crime scene ✦ Typically includes [piece of paper/document]: ♆ Date (date for each photo) ♆ Case number ♆ Photographer’s name ♆ Information on equipment used to take the photo (e.g., camera type, lens)  The Real CSI [FSC100] ♆ Information specific to each photo: ↬ Photo number ↬ Time photograph was taken ↬ Type of photo (overall, mid-range, close-up) ↬ Description of what the photo shows ↬ Listing of each photograph (e.g., shutter speed, distance from camera to object ★ Equipment used for Photographing the Crime Scene ✦ Still photography used to be the norm ♆ 35 mm film Single Lens Reflex (SLR) ✦ Today, majority of agencies use digital photography (DSLR) ♆ Greater flexibility ♆ Ability for images to be incorporated into digital reports ✦ DSLR cameras have varying resolution capabilities ♆ Higher megapixel capability ideal ♆ Allows for quality photo enlargements ✦ Flash: ♆ External flash often better than those built into the DSLR camera ♆ Benefits of External Flash: ↬ Control the flash/lighting - Direct flash to certain area - Bounce flash off lighter surface - Enhance details of patterned evidence ↬ Illuminate areas in shadows  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ Camera Lens: tool to bring light to a fixed focal point ✦ Lenses for DSLR cameras are interchangeable ♆ Benefit of choosing which is most appropriate ↬ Normal lens approximately 50 mm ↬ Duplicates what normal eye perceives ✦ Crime scene investigators should generally choose macro lens ♆ May take close-up photos and remain in focus ★ Guidelines for Photographing the Crime Scene ✦ Crime scene photography is systematic and organized ♆ ‘General’ to ‘Specific’ ↬ Overall Shot ↬ Mid-Range Shot ↬ Close-Up Shot ✦ This guidelines allows for: ♆ Orientation of crime scene as a whole ♆ Orientation of evidence within the scene ♆ Provides quality photographs for examination ★ Overall Photos ✦ Taken upon arrival at crime scene ♆ Includes locator images ↬ Demonstrate location of the crime scene (north arrow, etc) ✦ Serves to capture condition of crime scene before alteration occurs ✦ Depict overall scene context ♆ Important to have overlapping coverage: show the entire expanse of crime scene  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ Exterior ♆ Document: Surroundings of the crime scene ♆ May utilize aerial photographs ↬ Particularly useful for major crimes ♆ May depict: ↬ Location of indoor scene relative to larger area ↬ Demonstrating perimeter of large, outdoor crime scene ✦ Interior ♆ Document: Actual crime scene location ♆ Taken from all four cardinal directions ↬ Each room corner for indoor crime scene (North, East, South, West) ♆ All photos should overlap ✦ Should include doors leading into or from the structure ♆ Provides link to exterior photos ★ Mid-Range Photos ✦ Also known as ‘intermediate’ or ‘evidence-establishing’ photos ✦ Purpose: ♆ Show where evidence is in the crime scene ♆ Transition viewer from overall to close-up photos ✦ With and without evidence marker  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Close-Up Photos ✦ Purpose: ♆ Show details of specific items of evidence or details of scene context ↬ Example: Details of tire tread mark, layering of bed linen ✦ Two types taken: ♆ Photograph of evidence exhibit as it is found ♆ Photograph of evidence exhibit with an evidence marker (number) and a scale included ↬ Important that plane of camera parallel to plane of object being photographed ★ How Many Photos are Required? ✦ Recall: Every crime scene is different ✦ Any number so long as they each serve a purpose ✦ General Rule: better to overshoot ♆ When in doubt, take the photo ♆ Every photo must be documented in the photo log ♆ Never Delete ✦ Comes down to → Judgement  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Sketching the Crime Scene ✦ Permanent record of size and distance relationships of all the crime scene and associated evidence, using units of measurement ✦ Routine in major crime, discretionary for other crimes ✦ Two types of sketches: ♆ Rough sketch ↬ Often done during the initial walkthrough ↬ Measurements added to this sketch after photography performed ♆ Final (finished) sketch ↬ Prepared for presentation in Court ↬ Prepared based on the rough sketch ✦ Every crime scene sketch should have: ♆ Title or caption ♆ Legend ♆ Compass designation (indicator arrow—usually pointing north) ♆ Documentation Block ↬ Case number ↬ Offense type ↬ Victim name(s) (if applicable) ↬ Date/time sketch done ↬ Name and affiliation of sketcher ↬ Scale  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Types of Sketches ✦ Crime scene investigator decides which type of sketch to prepare: ♆ Floor plan ♆ Elevation plan ♆ Site plan ♆ Cross-sectional plan ✦ Each may have a rough version and a final (finished) version ✦ Use depends on scene location ★ Floor Plans ✦ Two-dimensional sketch ✦ Provides bird’s eye view of a room or series of rooms ✦ Utilized for indoor crime scenes ✦ Benefit: ♆ Simple and easy ♆ All items of interest are in one plane ★ Elevation Plans ✦ Two-dimensional sketch ✦ Used when the vertical plane is of interest ✦ Utilized for indoor or outdoor crime scenes ✦ Benefit: ♆ Simple and easy ♆ All items of interest are in one plane  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Site Plans ✦ Two-dimensional sketch ✦ Bird’s eye view ✦ Utilized for outdoor crime scenes ✦ Benefit: ♆ Simple and easy to interpret ✦ May illustrate: ♆ Property lines ♆ Roads ♆ Topography ✦ May be obtained from other sources ★ Cross-Sectional Plans ✦ Also known as “exploded view” or “cross-projection” sketch ✦ Two-dimensional sketch ✦ Combination of floor plan and elevation sketch ✦ Utilized for indoor or outdoor crime scenes ♆ Useful in forensic anthropology ↬ Example: Clandestine Graves  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Measurements ✦ All sketches contain measurements ✦ Sketching the crime scene often done last because taking measurements is somewhat intrusive ♆ Use caution ✦ Four methods of measurement used ♆ Triangulation ♆ Baseline ♆ Polar Coordinates ♆ Perspective Grid (Photogrammetry) ★ Triangulation ✦ Measuring the distance from two fixed points to the location of evidence ♆ Fixed point: unmovable item ✦ Requires multiple people ✦ Best for outdoor scenes or tricky contexts ✦ Record: ♆ Distance from each point to where tapes overlap over the evidence exhibit ♆ Cardinal direction of each measurement ✦ Use multiple points if evidence large ♆ Provides more accurate representation ★ Baseline Measurements ✦ Measuring the distance of an object from a baseline at a right angle ♆ Indoor scene: baseline as wall ♆ Outdoor scene: baseline created from fixed point  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ Requires multiple people ✦ Indoor or outdoor crime scenes ✦ Record: ♆ Distance from baseline to evidence exhibit ♆ Cardinal direction of each measurement ✦ Use multiple points if evidence large ★ Polar Coordinates ✦ Also known as “map and compass” ✦ Most simple, least accurate ♆ Crime scene investigator stands at a fixed point, sights to evidence exhibit ✦ Requires two people ✦ Best over large distances ✦ Record: ♆ Distance from investigator to evidence exhibit ♆ Cardinal direction of each measurement ★ Photogrammetry ✦ “Perspective grid method” ✦ Places an object of known measurements into a photograph ✦ Multiple, overlapping photos from multiple angles ♆ Include standard measuring tool ✦ Best done using specialized software ♆ Measurement calculations based on known dimensions and camera’s angle of view ↬ Overlapping photos limits distortion  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Chain of Custody ✦ Purpose: ♆ Prove integrity of evidence submitted to Court ♆ May otherwise be deemed inadmissible ✦ Chain must show: ♆ Details of Evidence Collection ↬ Who collected this evidence? When? ♆ Subsequent Contact with the Evidence ↬ At what time? ↬ Under what circumstances? ↬ Changes made to the evidence ♆ Where the Evidence was Stored ✦ Chain of Custody Documentation ♆ Evidence exhibits are labeled during packaging/preservation ♆ Chain of Custody Documentation: ↬ Evidence Labels ↬ Notes or Logs ↬ Final Reports ♆ Information Required to Prove Chain of Custody: ↬ Name or initials of individual collecting evidence (and each subsequent contact) ↬ Date of collection, date of transfer ↬ Agency, case number, type of crime ↬ Storage location ↬ Description of item  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ The Body as a Crime Scene: Death Investigation & Forensic Pathology★ 8 October, 2024 ★ Pronouncing Death at a Crime Scene ✦ First responders called when a crime scene or body is discovered ✦ Upon arrival, priority is to preserve life ♆ Must assume person is alive ↬ Providing life saving measures or procure emergency medical assistance until qualified expert pronounces death ✦ Police and other investigators not authorized to pronounce death ♆ Only qualified medical practitioner ♆ Are exceptions… ✦ Police may pronounce death where person “obviously dead” ✦ “Obviously dead” refers to: ♆ Decapitation (removal of the head from the body) ♆ Transection (the body is transected—often at the waist) ♆ Visible decomposition ♆ Gross rigor mortis ♆ Gross outpouring of cranial (brain) or visceral (guts) contents ♆ Grossly charred body (fire) ♆ (Ontario, Ministry of Health, 2010)  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Death Investigation ✦ Once death declared must notify coroner or medical examiner (ME) ✦ Coroner/ME have legal jurisdiction over the body ♆ Body may not be searched or moved without consent ♆ Exception: Transient evidence (with permission) ✦ In Canada, coroners/ME’s are responsible for overseeing the investigation into sudden death ♆ Coroners Act ♆ Fatality Inquiries Act ↬ i.e. Medical Examiners Act ✦ In Ontario, s.10(1) of Coroners Act (1990) requires deaths be reported if occurring: ♆ As a result of: ↬ Violence ↬ Misadventure ↬ Negligence ↬ Misconduct ↬ Malpractice ♆ By unfair means ♆ During or following pregnancy in circumstances that might reasonably be attributable thereto ♆ Suddenly or unexpectedly ♆ As a result of disease or sickness not being treated by a legally qualified medical practitioner ♆ As a result of any cause other than disease ♆ Under any circumstances that may require investigation  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ In addition, must report: ♆ Deaths of inpatients at designated institutions ↬ Children’s residence, psychiatric facilities, etc ↬ Where you are an in-patient ♆ Deaths in long-term homes ♆ Deaths on premises of a detention facility ♆ Any death during detention ♆ Deaths that occurred while a person is restrained in a psychiatric facility, hospital, or secure treatment program ♆ Work-related accidents at construction or mining areas ★ Coroner versus Medical Examiner ✦ Coroner ♆ Elected or appointed ♆ No requisite educational standard, i.e., may or may not have a medical degree ♆ Canadian provinces: ↬ ON, BC, SK, QC, NB, PE, YT, NU, NT ♆ Attends the scene ✦ Medical Examiner ♆ Legally appointed ♆ Medical degree with specialization in forensic pathology ♆ Canadian provinces: ↬ AB, MB, NS, NL, ♆ Does the autopsy  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Death Investigation: Stages of Death Investigation ✦ In Ontario, occurs in five stages: ♆ (1) Death reported to the coroner ↬ Coroner decides whether to investigate ↬ Attends scene to conduct preliminary examination ↬ May call an expert (e.g., forensic anthropologists) - Transfer of legal authority of body via issuance of coroner’s warrant ♆ (2) Coroner decides whether autopsy required ↬ If yes, coroner issues coroner warrant to forensic pathologist authorizing postmortem examination ↬ Forensic pathologist considers all information - Circumstances surrounding death, autopsy results, etc. ♆ (3) Forensic pathologist advises coroner of results of their investigation ♆ (4) Coroner issues death certificate ↬ Forensic Pathologist issues cause of death ↬ Considers pathologists report and information from police ♆ (5) Regional coroner determines if case should be reviewed, or a coroner’s inquest held ↬ Coroner’s inquest: conducted after accident or unnatural death - A judicial inquiry (hearing) among ~ 5 jury members - Not adversarial - Highlight safety issues and prevention recommendations  The Real CSI [FSC100] ✦ Following analysis of the body at the scene, it must be transported to the morgue ♆ Body Removal Services ↬ Typically placed inside a body bag ✦ Continuity is important (chain of custody) ♆ Police seal on bag zipper ♆ In death investigation cases, often write on the body bag: ↬ Scene location (address) ↬ Case number(s) [QUINC number] ♆ Officer assigned to accompany the body to the morgue ♆ Center of Forensic Sciences (Coroner’s Complex) ★ The Body at The Crime Scene ✦ Evidence on the body, around the body, or the body may serve as evidence itself ♆ Do not remove evidence from the body unless unstable ✦ The body at the crime scene can provide important information: ♆ Location and position of the body ↬ E.g., Positional asphyxia? ↬ [Head faced down on a pile of plastic] ♆ Relationship of the body to other pieces of evidence ♆ Environmental conditions at the death scene ↬ E.g., Temperature, humidity, etc ↬ Postmortem conditions that are sped-up or delayed ♆ General conditions of the death scene ↬ E.g., Has the mail been picked up? Lights on or off? ♆ Their Importance [especially last two points] ↬ Post-mortem interval (time since death), manner of death  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Defining Forensic Pathology ✦ “A branch of medicine that applies the principles and knowledge of the medical sciences to problems in the field of law” (DiMaio and DiMaio, 2001) ★ The Body as The Crime Scene: Forensic Pathology ✦ Forensic Pathologists: ♆ Medical doctors with specialization ♆ Perform autopsies ♆ May have expertise in other areas to assist in death investigation process ♆ Seek to answer Five Main Questions: ↬ Who died? - Identifying the deceased ↬ When did they die? - Post-mortem interval, time since death ↬ Where did they die? - Is it consistent with where they are found? ↬ How did they die? - Cause of death ↬ By what means did they die? - Manner of death  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ Forensic Pathologist: PPE ✦ CSI Effect ♆ Crime scene investigators in attendance [NOT TRUE] ↬ Criminal investigator - major crime ↬ Forensic identification (not usually) ✦ Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) ♆ Scrubs ♆ Medical scrub cap covering all hair ♆ Tyvek or similar ‘apron’ ♆ Tyvek booties ♆ Mask (N95) ♆ Goggles ♆ Gloves (multiple) ★ The Medicolegal Autopsy Process ✦ Comprehensive medicolegal autopsy has three phases (Gardner and Bevel, 2009): ♆ (1) Pre-morgue analysis ↬ Knowledge of death scene, witness statements, and circumstances surrounding the death ↬ Police, forensic nurses [It’s an interdisciplinary analysis] ♆ (2) Morgue analysis (the autopsy) ↬ Examination of body and associated trace evidence ♆ (3) Post-morgue analysis ↬ Microscopic and laboratory examinations following the autopsy ✦ Final Autopsy Report ♆ Goes to coroner who signs the death certificate  The Real CSI [FSC100] ★ The Medicolegal Autopsy Process: Phase 2 Morgue Analysis ✦ When body remo