Investigating a Crime Scene Essay

On TV shows like CSI, viewers get to watch as investigators find and fore run across shew at the impression of a offense, do agate line f entirely out as if by magic and swabbing all in all mouth in the vicinity. Many of us believe we have a pretty bang-up grip on the movement, and rumor has it criminals atomic number 18 getting a pop on the good guys by using the tips they pick up from these shows. plainly does Hollywood get it right? Do criminal offense word-painting investigators wonder suspects and catch the bad guys, or is their job all about hive a substance physical reason? In this paper, Ill examine how a offense picture investigation really takes rate.When fiting a discourtesy covering fireground there ar many steps that essential take place in order for any investigation to hold up in court. A proper investigation dismiss take hours, but the wind up result end lead to a conviction of the guilt-ridden and nicety for victims families. The first officer at the iniquity ikon should do everything they can to keep all picture in its master copy state. The aversion paroxysm must be blocked off at present to avoid any contamination or loss of enjoin. Boundaries should be naturalized for each bea of the word picture that studys to be secluded.This leave intromit any paths of entry or exits and res publicas where evidence has been discarded or setd. on the whole areas of the offence guessing should be blocked off using tape, ropes, or traffic cones. If the detestation took place indoors, a single room can be blocked off depending on the place of the crime and where it occurred. patrol barricades and guards can help with securing the view as well. This is a good way to monitor the area to make sure no unwanted battalion get through and cause loss of evidence. This will allow in officers that are not involved in the national, neighbors and the family of the victim.Securing the crime scene must be done in a t imely manner and all persons debut the scene should be recorded, and times of the entry should be taken as well. Before anyone can enter the scene, the responding officer must first pass a walk way. This is done to ensure that no evidence is organismness touched and is out of the way before walking into the scene. This will hold investigators or medical examiners that need to get to any victims that may be injured. Once the crime scene has been blocked off and secured, the investigators will process the area.At this time a strategy is put into place. This will start the examination of the area and memorialation of all evidence at the scene. A walk through of the scene will take place by the lead investigator to establish how the scene was entered and exited at the time that the crime took place. Once the points of entry are established, the investigator will find the spirit of the scene using the path that the first officer established. A crime scene is three dimensional s o that when making their way to the philia(a) of the crime scene, evidence will be located.It is the investigators responsibility to photograph and document these items as they are seen. There are many questions that will need to be answered during the investigation such as but not modified to did this crime involve violence, or are there any dangerous conditions that they should be aware of? The scene should be looked over as if trying to put a puzzle together. Looking around at determinations in the crime scene can tell a whole hook as to the time the accident occurred or if objects seem like they are missing.There are two categories a crime scene can fall under one is a primary crime scene where the crime occurred or a secondary crime scene where evidence was taken to and is now a part of the crime scene. A take center needs to be put into place outside the crime scene. This is where the investigators receive their assignments, store the equipment that will be needed or w here they gather to discuss or go over the compositors case. Tasks are assigned to all of the investigators which will ensure that all aspects of the area are covered. Tasks include locating, processing, accessing, photographing and sketching the evidence at the scene.Searching a crime scene and how a crime investigation is carried out depends on the size and area of the scene being investigated. The diverse broad of crime that was committed can have a great toll on how the investigation is carried out as well. When doing a search of the crime scene, different kinds of flash or illumination are apply to show fingerprints, handprints or other things that may be poised as evidence. There are different patterns in which a crime scene is investigated or searched. Each pattern depends on the scene and what kind of evidence is suspected to be found at the scene.This could include a line or strip search where two investigators walk in straight lines across the crime scene and search f or evidence, a control grid search where investigators form a grid throughout the scene making overlapping lines, a spiral search where an investigator works in a spiral motion from the outer part of the scene or vice versa, a wheel ray search which is done by a group of investigators that move from the boundary of the crime scene and work their way to the middle of the scene, or a quadrant or govern search where the crime is separate into sections and is split up between investigators and divided again to search more thoroughly through that section.When searching a crime scene at night difficulties will come up due to lighting. Boundaries of the scene are hard to see when trying to locate evidence. The search of evidence is determined by each crime scene, because every crime is different in its own way. Locating evidence includes footprints, weapons, blood spatter, trace fibers or hairs. When an investigator locates evidence everything should be recorded. Exact view in notes, p hotos and sketches must be done, and all evidence must be marked with an evidence marker once it is recorded.A search will end when all evidence is located. Once a decision has been do that the investigation has come to a close, the team will conduct a final survey. This survey will include an overview of the scene and all evidence is collected and bagged. Taking notes at a crime scene begins the effect an investigator gets a call. tout ensemble notes must be specific. Notes should begin with all the teaching of the person who has called in, the time the call was placed and all of the information that is given about the crime, as well as the assigned case number that is given. When an investigator arrives at the scene, date, time and all persons present must be recorded.All notes should be in detail, and all movements that are taken should be documented. The lead investigator will do a walkthrough of the scene and at this time notes are taken with details of the condition of the scene. All notes taken should be in blue or black ink. Notes are very important to the investigation, and all notes should be taken at the scene and not remaining up to memory. This ensures that all information is recorded and zipper is left out. Notes should include all documentation of the victims, witnesses, evidence collected, tasks being performed, and when and how an object is packaged. There should be no task, detail or movement left out when taking notes at a crime scene.Photographing a crime scene is extremely important in a crime scene investigation, and should be of high quality and very clear. These photos will be utilise in court, so when taking the photos you need to keep in straits that the person or persons viewing the photos should be able to understand where the photos were taken and should be able to tell the story through them. The overall area of the scene should first be photographed such as lane signs, street lights, addresses, and identifying objects. P hotos should be taken in a clockwise direction to preserve any information from being left out. Different lenses should be used when photographing different parts of the scene as well as different illuminations, flashes and filters.The first photo should consist of a photography log that includes that case number, type of scene, date, location of scene, type of camera used, photographers name and title. Photos should be of the scene before it has been altered in any way. The photos should include the area that the crime took place, and areas where other acts occurred. Pictures should be taken from the outside of the scene working towards the middle of the scene. The photographer must be consistent when working through the scene as this will ensure that all evidence is photographed from all angles and nothing is left out. Photos should include overview photographs which consist of the entire scene and surrounding area. These photos include all exits and entries, and should start fr om the outside of the scene and in all angles.And forte range photographs which show smaller areas of the crime scene. These photos should be taken with evidence markers. Sketching the crime scene is done after all notes and photographs are taken of the scene. A sketch will show the layout of the area or abode where the crime was committed, as well as where the evidence was located. It is used to back up all notes and photographs already taken. All aspects of a crime scene will be shown in court and used to convict the guilty therefore, it is extremely important that all steps of the investigation are followed on the dot and with as much detail as possible to ensure that evaluator can be served.