Crime-Scene

Investigation &
Evidence Collection
Forensic Science
Mrs. Leazard
  Whenever 2 people come into contact with one another, or with
an object, a physical transfer occurs.

 To a Forensic examiner, these transferred materials constitute

what is called trace evidence.

The Principle
 Examples include:
of Exchange  Pet hair on clothes or rugs
 Hair on brushes
 Finger prints on glass
 Soil tracked into hoes or buildings on shoes
 A drop of blood on a t-shirt
 A used tissue
 Broken glass
  Locard’s Principle of Exchange states that when a person comes
into contact with an object or another person, a cross-transfer of
physical evidence can occur.
 The exchange indicates that 2 entities were in contact
 Trace evidence can be found on both entities because of this
contact.
The Principle  Bares a silence witness to the criminal act
 Ex: materials found under a females fingernail to link to her attacker.
of Exchange
 The second part of Locards Principle states that intensity,
duration, and nature of the entities in contact determine the
extent of the transfer .
 Ex: more transfer would occur from a fistfight that if they simply
brushed past each other.
  Classified into 2 types:
 Direct
 Circumstantial

 Direct Evidence : includes firsthand observations such as

Types of eyewitness accounts or police dashboard video cameras
Evidence  In court direct evidence involves testimony by witness
 Confessions are also in the category

 Circumstantial Evidence: is indirect that can be used to imply a

fact but that does not prove it
 No one other than the suspect and/or the victim actually know when
circumstantial evidence is produced
 Found at the crime scene
 May provide link between crime scene and suspect
  Can be either be physical or biological in nature

 Physical Evidence includes:

 Impressions (fingerprints, footprints, shoe prints, tire
Circumstantial impressions, and tool marks)
Evidence  Glass
 Soil
 Fibers
 Weapons/bullets/shell casings
  Biological Evidence includes:
 DNA in tissue
 Bodily fluids
Circumstantial  Hair
Evidence  Plants
 Pollen
 Natural fibers
  Most physical evidence, the exception of fingerprints,
reduces the number of suspects to a specific , small
group of individuals

 Biological evidence (i.e. blood) may make the group

Circumstantial very small
 DNA may reduce the group to a single individual
Evidence
  Class Evidence
 Narrows an identity to a group of people or things
 Ex: Knowing type A blood was found at a scene

 Individual Evidence
Evidence  Narrows an identity to a single person or thing
 Ex: unique combo of characteristics that could on belong
to 1 person (DNA)
 Evidence

Direct Circumstantial

Physical Biological
  Police Officers
Crime Scene  Crime-Scene Investigators
Investigation  Medical Examiners
Team  Detectives
 Specialists
 1. Securing the Scene
2. Separating the Witnesses
The Seven S’s 3. Scanning the Scene
of Crime Scene 4. Seeing the Scene
Investigation 5. Sketching the Scene
6. Searching for Evidence
7. Securing and Collecting Evidence
  This is the responsibility of the first-
responding law-enforcement officer
 Keep a security log

1. Securing the  The safety of all individuals in the area is the 1st
Scene priority

 Preservation of evidence is the 2nd priority

 Restricting all unauthorized person from entering
 Transfer, loss, or contamination of evidence can
occur if left unsecured (Principle of Exchange)
  Witnesses must not be allowed to talk to each other
 Collusion= working together to create a story

 Crime Scene Investigator will compare the witnesses’

accounts of the events
2. Separating
 The following questions need to be asked of each
the Witnesses witness
 When did the crime occur?
 Who notified law enforcement?
 Who is the victim?
 Can the perpetrator be identified?
 What did you see happen?
 Where were you when you observed the crime scene?
  The forensic crime-scene examiners first need
to scan the scene to determine where photos
should be taken
 Then a determination is made of the primary crime
scene, secondary crime scene, and priorities are
3. Scanning assigned regarding examination.
the Scene
  The examiner needs to see
the scene
 Photos:
 Overall area
4. Seeing the  Close up (with or without
ruler)
Scene
 Triangulation should be
included
 A mathematical method of
calculating the location of
an object from the
locations of other objects
  Must make an accurate sketch of the crime scene,
noting the position of the remains (if any) and any
other evidence

 All objects should be measured from 2 immovable

5. Sketching landmarks
the Scene  North should be label on sketch

 Distance scale should be provided

 Also included should be:

 Doors, windows, furniture (inside)
 Trees, vehicles, hedges, and structures (outside)
  Type of search pattern varies depending on the size of
the area and the number of investigators
 Single investigator:
 Gridded, linear, or spiral
6. Searching  Group of investigators:
for Evidence  Linear, zone, or quadrant

 Patterns are used systematically ensuring that no area

is left unsearched
 All evidence should be photographed, sketched,
labeled, and documented
  Additional light sources (flash light or black light) are
used to locate:
 Hair
 Fibers
 Body fluids

6. Searching  New technologies can be used to locate remains and

for Evidence other evidence
 Thermal
 Satellite imaging
 Ground-penetrating radar
  All evidence must be properly packaged,
sealed, and labeled

7. Securing and  Specific procedures and techniques must be

Collecting followed
 Liquids and arson remains: stored airtight and in
Evidence unbreakable container
 Moist biological evidence: stored in breathable
container (to dry out- reduce mold)
 Once air dried, its packaged in a paper bindle
  Paper Bindle
 Can then be placed in a
plastic/ paper container
 The outer container is
sealed with tape and
7. Securing & labeled with a signature
Collecting of collector
Evidence
 An evidence log and
chain of custody
document must be
attached to the evidence
container
 Must include:
 Case number
 Item inventory number
 Description of the evidence
 Name of suspect
Evidence Log
 Name of victim
 Date and time of recovery
 Signature of person recovering the evidence
 Signature of any witnesses present during
collection
  The individual who finds evidence, bags the evidence in
a plastic or paper container (bag or box)
 Must be labeled with all pertinent information
 Then sealed and signed across the seal
 The container is then given to the next person– that
person takes it to the lab and signs it over to a
Chain of technician
Custody  The technician opens the package at a location other
than the sealed edge.
 On completion of the examination, the technician
repackages the evidence in it’s original packaging,
inserts and reseals the evidence in a new packaging–
signs the log attached