JS 96GY General Crime Scene Searching and Documentation

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JS 96GY- General Crime Scene Searching and
Documentation

• Pre class activities
• Return Quiz
• Announcements and Assignments
• Acknowledgements
• II. Crime Scene Investigation
• a. Conducting a Systematic Search
• - Search Patterns
• - Macro and microscopic searching
• b. The Golden Rule- Leverite
• c. Documentation of the Crime Scene
• Photography
• Sketching
• Note Taking

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Announcements and Assignments

• Assignments-Required
• Read Chapters 2 and 3 in Houde
• Optional reading Crime Scene Investigation- NCJRS
  document http//www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/20016
  0.pdf
• Announcements
• Forensic Investigator Rosa Vega
• Santa Clara ME Office Mon 15 Sept- 1200-1315
• Santa Clara County Crime Laboratory Weds 17
  Sept TBA

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Acknowledgements and References

• South Carolina Criminal Justice Association
• http//www.scdps.org/cja/csr-csmgmt.htm
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police photo training site
• http//www.rcmp-learning.org/docs/ecdd1004.htm
• THOMAS R. O'CONNOR- Department of Justice Studies
  Applied Criminology- North Carolina Wesleyan
  College JUS 315 information
• http//faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/315/315lect04.htm
  
• NCIT- Joe Rynearson web site for sketching
• http//www.ncit.com/Tips___Tricks/Sketching/sketch
  ing.html
• Sgt. Bruce Wiley- SJPD

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Role of the Crime Scene Investigator

• Crucial step in investigation
• Four Basic Fundamental Concepts (Rynearson)
• Secure- preserve evidence, safety
• Search Critical v Supporting v Property
• Record sketching, measuring, photography,
  videography etc
• Reconstruct- final goal
• From the analysis of the crime, an experienced
  CSI will determine what type of physical
  evidence, where and how to recognize it, how best
  to collect, preserve and process the evidence and
  combined with laboratory examinations,
  reconstruct the crime

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Crime Scene InvestigationWhat it is!

• More than processing (searching) and documenting
  (notes, photos, sketches), and certainly more
  than bagging (collecting) and tagging (preserving
  evidence). 
• CSI is Slow, methodical, systematic, and orderly
  process. 
• Have a game plan protects against charges the
  scene was ransacked or dropsied. 
• Restrict the flow of information from a crime
  scene.  This often takes the form of keeping
  journalists and the media away, as well as
  keeping valuable, timely information from other
  law enforcement personnel.  It's far better to
  set up a media liaison post along with a command
  center near the outer perimeter. 
• Communication and team work are the hallmarks of
  good crime scene analysis.
• Remember to maintain the Chain of Custody

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Details of SSRRSecure, search, record and
reconstruct

• APPROACHING AND STABILIZING Secure
• A. OBSERVE PERSONS AND VEHICLES NEAR SCENE
• B. NOTE TIME, ADDRESS, WEATHER, AND ANY ODORS
• Transient, Conditional Evidence
• C. DIVIDE UP DUTIES/DIVISION OF LABOR. Talk with
  first responders to ascertain extent of
  contamination. Identify principal and lead
  investigator and other officials at scene to work
  out your role in the investigation.
• D. ESTABLISH SCENE SAFETY PRIOR TO ENTRY.
  Protect integrity of the scene from contamination
  by people, animals, elements. Remove risks from
  hostile crowds, collapsing structures, traffic,
  and environmental threats.

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Searching- Walk through

• II. PRESERVING AND INTERVIEWING Searching and
  Establishing boundaries
• A. ESTABLISH PERIMETERS, COMMAND POST, GARBAGE
  DUMP, AND MEDIA CENTER (Set up boundaries and
  staging areas by conducting scans, surveys, or
  "walk throughs" without actually walking through
  anything)
• B. INSPECT FOR SUSPECT ENTRY AND EXIT POINTS
  (Document the scene's location, address, mile
  marker, or building name)
• C. DETERMINE YOUR ENTRY AND EXIT POINT (Usually
  not the same as the suspect's unless the
  situation dictates otherwise)
• D. RECORD INITIAL ACCOUNTS OF THE INCIDENT FROM
  WITNESSES (Engage in briefings with other
  personnel as needed keep eyewitnesses separate
  so they don't talk to one another)

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Fundamental practices Conducting a Systematic
Search for Evidence

• Thorough and systematic search for evidence
• Considerations- Resources, time and talent,
  locale, size, actions of suspects and victims
• Need a supervisor with a plan
• What and where to search depends on crime, theory
  and experience
• Homicide weapon and any evidence of contact of
  victim/assailant
• Burglary- point of entry, fingerprints
• Hit and Run- vehicle outside and undercarriage of
  car, blood, tissue, hair fibers, fabric, paint on
  victim

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Crime scene search patterns

• Link method- Teams or alone
• Linkage leads to search
• Find blood, look for injured person
• Find tool mark, look for tool
• Line/strip method- Teams available
• Outdoor crime scene
• Team searches on series of lines (1-2 or
  hundreds)
• Use of volunteers requires directions
• Grid method- Teams available
• Modified line
• Advantage, two people search same area
• More time, more thorough
• Zone method Teams Available
• Indoor crime scene eg one room at a time
• Good as zones can be prioritized and re-searched
• Good for trace
• Spiral method Alone
• Trace regular pattern
• Fixed diameter

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Fundamental practices Conducting a Systematic
Search for Evidence

• Physical evidence may be macroscopic or
  microscopic eg traces of blood, fibers
• Collect carriers of trace evidence
• May need to take custody of all clothing
• Wrapped separately to preserve trace
• First use Tape roll critical areas- Then consider
  using a vacuum for areas where critical evidence
  may have fallen (deep shag rugs)
• Collect and package trace from separate areas
  separately

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Fundamental practices Collecting and Packaging

• Prevent changes to physical evidence. Integrity
  maintained in original condition (PIP for wet
  evidence except?)
• Changes can occur due to contamination, breakage,
  evaporation, accidental scratching or bending,
  improper or careless packaging.
• Submit intact if possible, not removed
• Each different item or similar items collected at
  different locations must be placed in separate
  containers. Packaging evidence separately
  prevents damage through contact and prevents
  cross contamination

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Fundamental practices Collecting and Packaging

• Need packaging materials and tools- Forceps,
  bottles with lids, manila envelopes, glass vials.
  Envelopes should not be used to collect powders-
  why? See appendix I.
• Bloodstained materials and other biological
  evidence should not in airtight containers why?
  Instead use paper bags with air circulation and
  thoroughly dry
• Charred debris must be enclosed in air tight
  containers- why?- Use new paint cans or tightly
  sealed jars
• Gloves, masks, coveralls, eyewear etc. to protect
  evidence and you!

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Fundamental practices Chain of Custody

• Documentation of every person who handled or
  examined the evidence
• Failure to substantiate chain may lead to
  questions regarding authenticity and integrity
• Includes recording location, marking it for
  identification, completing evidence submission
  forms
• Collectors initials, date, case number, item
  number, inscribed on evidence (if appropriate)
  and on container
• If evidence is turned over to another individual,
  transfer must be recorded-every individual must
  maintain written records and may be requested to
  testify

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Fundamental PracticesObtain Standard/Reference
Samples

• Comparison to known standard requires collecting
  standard or reference samples
• Reference samples from victim and/or suspect
  and/or other known source-
• eg hit and run case- remove paint from suspect
  vehicle
• Hair/blood/buccal swabs from victim and suspect
• Quality and quantity of standards is as important

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Fundamental PracticesObtain Substrate Control
Samples

• Substrate controls may also be required-
  materials adjacent or close to physical evidence
  areas
• Eg arson- substrate controls thought not to be
  doused with accelerant
• In bloodstain evidence, unstained area collected
  to determine if material itself may interfere
  with interpretation

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Evidence beyond the crime scene- Medical
examiner- More next Monday from the expert R.
Vega

• Victims clothing
• Fingernail scrapings
• Head and pubic hairs
• Blood
• Vaginal, anal and oral swabs
• Recovered bullets
• Hand swabs from shooting victims for gunshot
  residue

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Fundamental practices Recording the Scene

• Limited time in untouched state
• Document condition of crime scene and delineate
  location of physical evidence
• Three methods
• Photography Overview, midrange, and close-ups
  (wide-angle, scales, complete, markers may be in
  the way)
• Sketches Measure distances of impt evidence and
  juxtaposition- Coordinates and triangulation
• Notes on interviews and observations

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"Golden Rule" of Crime Scene Investigation/Managem
ent

• "Never touch, change, or alter anything until it
  has been documented, identified, measured, and
  photographed . . . when a body or article has
  been moved, it can never be restored to its
  original position.
• Exceptions
• (1) If the potential exists that an item of
  evidence (weapon) could be used to cause
  harm/death to someone at the scene.
• (2) If the potential exists for an item/evidence
  to be lost, contaminated or destroyed "Transient
  evidence" is that type of short-lived evidence
  subject to damage or destruction by exposure to
  the elements." "Evidence which changes with the
  passage of time."

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Recording and Processing

• III. PROCESSING (PHOTOGRAPH, SKETCH, SEARCH) -
  Recording
• A. PHOTOGRAPH ENTIRE SCENE (with wide-angle
  views), TELL A STORY, PHOTO OBJECTS TWICE AND
  WITH SCALES (Begin to establish a chain of
  custody by identifying what kind of evidence is
  at the scene and who will be the custodian of it)
• B. SKETCH TO SCALE OR NOT TO SCALE ACCORDING TO
  APPROPRIATENESS OF SITUATION (This becomes part
  of written narrative which correlates with
  photographic documentation and denotes any
  evidence that has been moved)
• (1) COORDINATE METHOD IF FIXED POINTS, INDOORS
  USUALLY
• (2) TRIANGULATION METHOD IF REFERENCE POINTS,
  OUTDOORS USUALLY
• (3) CROSS-PROJECTION METHOD IF WALLS RELEVANT,
  INDOORS ALWAYS
• (4) COMPUTER SKETCHING SOFTWARE
• C. SEARCHING- see above
• D. COLLECTING EVIDENCE (Following local, State,
  and Federal laws for collection and
  admissibility) In presence of a witness,
  INVENTORY, COLLECT, and SAFEGUARD any drugs,
  paraphernalia, medication, money, valuables, or
  personal property. Participate in any scene
  debriefing to determine post-scene
  responsibilities, share data, and determine need
  for specialists.
• We will cover this section in detail in
  subsequent lectures

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Photography

• Unaltered state Do not move!- Admissibility
• Complete photo documentation-
• All areas where important events may have
  occurred
• Overview, points of entry/exit, body position and
  location relative to the entire scene,
  perspective, elevation, side views, close up
  views, after body removed photo surface beneath
• Physical evidence
• show position and location and close ups
• Size using scale
• Digital photography and videography
• Same principles apply, long shots and close ups
• Slow systematic panning
• Narration and sound possible-still doesnt
  replace still photography

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Other considerations

• Sharpness
• Lighting
• Background
• Exposure (with available light)
• Steps to Follow to Obtain Proper Exposure
• Exposure Using a Flash
• Equipment Maintenance

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Sketches

• Rough sketch
• accurate depiction of dimensions of the scene and
  location of objects
• Show location of physical evidence
• Distances need to be accurate with tape measure
• Designate numbers or letters for items with
  legends
• Finished sketch
• Templates and drafting tools
• Computer Aided drafting (CAD)

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Crime Scene Sketching http//www.ncit.com/Tips___
Tricks/Sketching/sketching.html

• Use a measurement table for the evidence in your
  sketch. The table is adaptable to any coordinate
  system (triangulation, rectangular, baseline or
  even radial). The table may help in reminding
  you to measure the height, which is frequently
  overlooked. Eliminating needless measurement
  lines will rid confusion by making your sketch
  look cleaner.

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Crime Scene Sketching

• Instead of the walls you can use corners for
  triangulation. You are not limited to two
  reference points. Note the above "relationship"
  measurements. These measurements cannot
  accurately be made on a "scale" drawing at a
  later time. Always think of the height of the
  objects! NOTE the trick of using the same
  orientation of a wall or a corner even though the
  room changes and the specific wall does too!
  (Isnt it obvious that the North wall in the
  bathroom is a different one than used in the
  bedroom? Incidentally... this sketch was drawn
  in 5 minutes with a program costing less than
  40. Try 3D Home Architect by Broderbund as an
  introduction to sketching... it is worth it!

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Notes

• Taken throughout the process
• Written description of the scene and location of
  physical evidence recovered
• Time physical evidence discovered, by whom, how,
  who packaged and marked and disposition after
  collected.
• Notes may be the only source of information for
  refreshing memory, months and perhaps years after
  a crime is processed
• Tape recording can be useful - faster than notes

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Summary

• Physical evidence includes any object
  establishing a crime has been committed or
  providing a link between crimes, victims and
  perpetrators
• The first officer is responsible for securing and
  isolating the crime scene
• Recording the crime scene using photographs,
  sketches and notes
• Before collecting, a preliminary exam of the
  scene should be conducted. Search pattern will
  depend on size, locale and resources
• Trace evidence may only be visible at the crime
  laboratory. Collect possible carriers of trace
  such as clothing vacuum sweepings and fingernail
  scrapings
• Pack in separate containers to prevent damage
  through contact and cross contamination
• Chain of custody must be maintained documenting
  location and transfer between individuals and
  agencies
• Standards and reference samples must be collected
  from appropriate subjects and objects
• Removal of evidence must be done legally

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