Crime Scene Management PDF

**Crime Scene Management** **Crime --** An illegal act for which someone can be punished by the law. **Crime Scene** - A **crime scene** is any location that may be associated with a committed crime. Crime scenes contain physical evidence that is pertinent to a criminal investigation. This evidenc...

**Crime Scene Management** **Crime --** An illegal act for which someone can be punished by the law. **Crime Scene** - A **crime scene** is any location that may be associated with a committed crime. Crime scenes contain physical evidence that is pertinent to a criminal investigation. This evidence is collected by [crime scene investigators](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_scene_investigator) and [Law enforcement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement). The location of a crime scene can be the place where the crime took place, or can be any area that contains evidence from the crime itself. Scenes are not only limited to a location, but can be any person, place, or object associated with the criminal behaviors that occurred. **Types of Crime Scene --** 1. **Primary crime scene -** The original location of a crime or accident. 2. **Secondary crime scene -** An alternate location where additional evidence may be found. 3. **Indoor crime scene-** The crime scene that is found in a closed and confined space, such type of crime scene is known as indoor crime scene. Compared to an outdoor scene, evidence at an indoor scene is generally less susceptible to environmental loss and deleterious change. 4. **Outdoor crime scene -** The crime scene that is found in a open space and are not enclosed by the confined space. An outdoor crime scene is the most vulnerable to loss, contamination and damaging effects on biological evidence in a short period of time. Individuals with access to the scene can potentially alter, destroy or contaminate evidence. **Elements of crime --** The prosecution have the burden of establishing all elements of an offence in order to prove a person has committed the offence. The majority of offences have two elements: 1. **Mens rea - It** refers to the crime\'s mental elements of the defendant\'s intent. This is a necessary element---that is, the criminal act must be voluntary or **purposeful**. **Mens rea** is the mental intention (mental fault), or the defendant\'s state of mind at the time of the offense, sometimes called the guilty mind. 2. **Actus Reus -** It is the Latin term used to describe a criminal act. *An element of criminal responsibility, the wrongful act or omission that comprises the physicalcomponents of a crime.* **Crime scene investigation -** Crime scene investigation is the method of protecting, processing and reconstruction of a crime. **Steps of crime scene investigation --** These are few steps of crime investigation are as follows: 1. **Securing the Scene -** Responsibility of first responder to restrict unauthorized persons from entering the scene in order to avoid transfer, loss, or contamination of evidence. 2. **Photography of crime scene -** Crime scene photography is one of the most important duties that the crime scene investigator performs. Visual communications are substantiated and verified by quality, concise and accurate photographs of both the scene and the evidence as it was found. Photography of the scene and of evidence is one of the first procedures performed at a scene. This generally occurs after the note-taking process has begun. - Take the photographs so that the area and items of evidence will be identified and oriented with other areas in the overall scene. - The technique used at crime scenes is primarily a three-step process: i. A long or wide-angle view, sometimes referred to as an establishing shot. ii. A medium or midrange view which focuses on particular objects, areas or evidence items. iii. A close-up view that clearly shows what the item is, its condition and its position at the scene. - Photograph all collected evidence at its original location. - An extreme close-up photograph may be taken of a small item, such as a bloodstain, hair, fabric stain or fingerprint in blood. For an extreme close-up shot, the item should be photographed at least twice, once with a scale (ruler) and at least once without a scale. - Investigators should use rulers and markers at crime scenes to identify items or areas being photographed. The markers may be cones with numbers or letters affixed to the cone, plastic evidence cards or index cards which have been marked identifying the evidence being photographed. When using markers, take a photograph of the object or area with and without the marker. - When evidence has been identified as having been moved from its original position at a crime scene, the investigator should make note of that. If the investigator is directed to photograph the evidence item in its original location, a detailed note should be made that the item was photographed in the area where it was originally located. 3. **Note making of scene of crime-** Note taking at the scene must be a constant activity and should include: a\) Scene -- A detailed written description of the scene with the location of the items of physical evidence recovered. They should include: 1\) Time of discovery 2\) Who discovered it 3\) How it was discovered 4\) Who handled the item before packaging 5\) Who packaged and marked the item 6\) Disposition of the item b\) Details -- This may be the only record of the scene that exists after a period of time. The note taker should put down as many details as possible at the time the notes are taken. **Only contemporaneous notes are allowed as evidence in court**. 4. **Search for the evidence --** One of the major activities by the investigating officer at crime scene is to make a thorough search for the potential evidence that have some probative value in the crime at hand. There are different types of search method are as following: a. Strip method            b. Wheel method   c. Spiral method d. Zone method   e. Grid method   f. Line method   5. **Sketching of crime scene -** Sketches are used to supplement photographs, especially spatial relationships between objects. Sketches should depict the overall layout of the scene and contain all the necessary information for the investigator to complete a final version. Types of sketches may include the following: - Entire scene (the complete scene with measurements). - Bird\'s-eye view (an overhead view of the scene). - Elevation sketch. - Cross projection sketch (walls, windows, and doors are drawn as though the walls had been folded out flat on the floor). - Three dimensional sketch. - Triangulation method (two or more reference points are located. The item of evidence or interest is then documented by measuring along a straight line from the reference points to the item).. 6\) **Collection and Packaging of Evidences-** Physical evidence must be handled and packaged in a way that prevents any change from occurring. The evidence must be properly packaged according to type and properly labeled and sealed with appropriate initials to maintain chain of custody. The integrity of evidence is best maintained when it is kept in its original condition as found at the crime scene. Trace evidence should not be removed from the objects they are found on unless it is impossible to transport the item. **Proper Packaging** -- The crime scene investigator should bring several different types of packaging with them to the scene. Small packages to contain hairs, fibers, bullets, glass or other items should be available typical types of small packaging include: a\) screw-cap or pressure-lid plastic bottles b\) Coin envelopes/manila envelopes c\) Small pill boxes d\) "Druggist fold" paper bindles While these types of sealable packages are good for powders and other dry trace, bloodstains and bloodstained evidence is different. Bloodstained evidence should not be packaged in airtight containers due to the moisture content of the blood. The blood will start to mold very quickly and this mold will damage the evidence item and the associated bloodstains. For damp or bloody items one should use: a\) Brown paper bags of appropriate size b\) earth guard bags c\) Butcher paper that can be folded and properly taped shut. **Proper Labeling** -- Once items have been properly packaged, they must be properly labeled. Proper labeling includes the following: a\) The investigating agency's case number b\) The scene site (especially if more than one scene is involved) c\) A brief description of the evidence or the evidence item number which correlates to an evidence log d\) The location where the evidence was obtained within the scene e\) The collector's name or badge no. and initials f\) The date and time collected **7) Chain of Custody** -- Once items have been properly packaged and labeled, they must be transported to the crime lab for further evaluation. A complete and correct chain of custody must be maintained for all items. Often it is not the evidence collector who transports the evidence to the lab so a chain of custody log must be maintained indicating the transfer of custody to and from every individual who is involved in transporting or storing the evidence until it gets to the crime lab. These include: a\) The collecting officer b\) The transportation officer c\) Any evidence storage officer if the evidence is stored prior to taking it to the lab. d\) Any further transportation officer e\) Anyone who gets into the evidence for any reason f\) The laboratory evidence collection person(s) **[Locards principle of Exchange -]** It is a concept that was developed by Dr. Edmond Locard (1877-1966). Locards speculated that every time you make contact with another person, place, or thing, it results in an exchange of physical materials. He believed that no matter where a criminal goes or what a criminal does, by coming into contact with things, a criminal can leave all sorts of evidence, including DNA, fingerprints, footprints, hair, skin cells, blood, bodily fluids, pieces of clothing, fibers and more. At the same time, they will also take something away from the scene with them. When a crime has occurred, the goal of a Crime Scene Investigator is to recognize, document, and collect evidence from both the scene of a crime, and anything or anyone that may have come in contact with the crime scene. Solving the crime is then dependent on the investigators ability to piece together the evidence to form a picture of what happened. **Famous cases -** The case studies below show how prevalent Locard\'s Exchange Principle is in each and every crime. The examples using Locard\'s Principle show not only how the transfer of trace evidence can tell the tale of what happened, but also how much care is required when collecting and evaluating trace evidence. 1. The Weimar children murders 2. The Westerfield-van Dam case **Elements of Crime Scene --** There are different types of elements of crime scene. These are as follows- 1. Witnesses 2. Victims 3. Suspects **[Witnesses -]** A witness in a criminal case is someone who testifies at a court hearing because they observed and/or have direct knowledge of a crime or significant event. They help lawyers verify versions of the events at trial and play an essential role in the administration of justice in a criminal case. A witness may have seen a crime, heard a shout during a crime or may be commenting on the character of someone. At the court hearing, witnesses take an oath and are expected to tell the truth (\"the truth, the whole truth and nothing but truth\" as you may be familiar with in crime television shows). If you are a witness in court, fail to tell the truth (lying) on the stand and are caught, you will be charged with perjury. There are several types of witnesses that may provide testimony in a court hearing: a. **[Eye-witnesses]**- You may be called as an \"eye-witness\" if you personally witnessed something happens that is relevant to the case. You may be called by either side in the case, whether it is a criminal case or a civil case. [When you take the stand](http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/witnesses/the_procedure_for_being_a_witness.html), a Bible will be handed to you and you will repeat the oath or affirmation that you will **\"tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth\".** You will then be asked a series of questions to allow you to describe what you witnessed. Your evidence as an \"eye-witness\" will be confined to the facts, i.e. what you actually saw, rather than any inferences or assumptions you have made from what you saw. You will then be cross-examined by the other side. b. **[Expert witnesses]-** You may be called as an \"expert witness\" by either side in a case about a matter that is outside the ordinary knowledge of the judge or jury. For example, you may be called as a handwriting expert or as a doctor to give an opinion on something that is relevant to the case. Your opinion is accepted as evidence because you are an expert on the subject and because the court does not have the knowledge or expertise itself to form a reliable opinion on the facts. As an expert witness, you must also take the oath or affirmation. You will then be asked to explain why you are an expert in the particular area, i.e. to outline your qualifications or work experience. You will then be asked a series of questions to allow you to give your opinion about certain facts. Finally, you will be cross-examined by the other side. c. **[Character witnesses]** There are different situations where you may be called as a \"character witness\": - You may be called as a character witness to give evidence of the good character of the accused in a criminal case. You will take the oath or affirmation and you will then be asked a series of questions to allow you to describe the accused. The purpose of your evidence is to show that the accused is less likely to have committed the offence because he or she is a person of good character. - You may be called as a character witness to give evidence of the good character of a person who has already been convicted of a criminal offence. The purpose of your evidence is to help the judge decide which [sentence](http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/criminal_law/criminal_trial/sentence.html) to impose. - You may be called as a character witness to give evidence about the good or bad character of a party in a civil trial if that party\'s character is an important issue in the case. For example, in a defamation case where a newspaper stated that a person was a \"rogue\", you may be called to give evidence about an incident you witnessed that tends to show that the person in question was of dubious character. **[Victims-]** Mendelsohn had six categories, ranging from the completely innocent (such as young children) to the 'most guilty victim' (such as the aggressor who subsequently gets killed). 'Victim is classified into six types based on the culpability of the criminal vis-à-vis victim.30 His typology distributes responsibility of culpability along a continuum marked by the degree of the victim's contribution to the crime. : \(i) Completely innocent victim. \(ii) Victim with minor guilt and victim due to her own ignorance. \(iii) Victim as guilty as the offender (e.g., Voluntary victim) \(iv) Victim more guilty than the offender (e.g. the provoker or imprudent victim who encourages someone to commit a crime). \(v) Most guilty victim and victim who is guilty alone (e.g. the violent perpetrator who is killed by another person in self-defense. \(vi) Simulating and imaginary victim (e.g., the paranoid, hysterical persons or senile individuals). **Stephen Schafer's** (1968) typology classifies victims on the basis of their "functional responsibility." Victims' dual role was to function so that they did not provoke others to harm them while also preventing such acts. Schafer's seven-category functional responsibility typology ranged from no victim responsibility (e.g., unrelated victims, those who are biologically weak), to some degree of victim responsibility (e.g., precipitative victims), to total victim responsibility (e.g., self-victimizing). These are : 1. Unrelated Victims 2. Provocative Victims 3. Precipitative victims 4. Biologically weak victims 5. Socially weal victims 6. self-victimizing victims 7. Political victims.