Crime Scene Invest.

When searching a scene for evidence, an officer should use a __________________or _______________________.

a systematic approach or established pattern.

Officers should never handle evidence with their ___________________.

bare hands

blood, semen, saliva, bones, teeth, body tissues, hair, and DNA are all examples of what type of evidence?

biological evidence DNA

The most common method of sketching is using the ____________________or downward observation perspective.

birds-eye-view

Although generally invisible to the naked eye, latent prints result from ___________________ left behind when the friction ridges of the hands or feet make contact with a surface.

body residues

Officers should avoid including _________________ or _______ in crime scene photographs. (LE114.4.)

bystanders or pets

A _________________ is documentation of everyone who handled the evidence as well as when, why, and what changes, if any, were made to it.

chain of custody

A ____________________ is a person who alleges that a crime has been committedAn officer may also learn from dispatch if someone is injured.

complainant

Unnecessary people (officers, bystanders) on the scene can be counterproductive, and increase the possibility of _____________________________. (LE162.3.)

contaminating evidence

The first step in preparing to interview victims, complainants, or witnesses at a crime scene is to determine to what extent the ________ will be investigated.

crime

There is no______________exception to the Fourth Amendment search warrant requirement. (LE089b.3.)

crime scene

_____________ are a means of documentation that aid in the reconstruction, explanation, and permanent recording of an incident.

crime scene sketches

_____________________allow fingerprint analysts to distinguish between prints belonging to the victim or witnesses and possible suspects. Inked fingerprints must be taken from innocent parties who may have been at the crime scene in order to eliminate their prints from the scene. (LE109.9.)

elimination prints

It is easier to reduce the size of a perimeter than to __________ it.

enlarge it

Other pieces of ___________that may contain saliva and require examination are cigarette butts, drinking straws, soda and beer cans, masks, bottles, etc. Bite marks may also contain saliva.

evidence

_______________ is anything that tends to prove or disprove an alleged fact.

evidence

A person occupying private property has an _____________________ that may not be violated without a search warrant or a valid exception to the warrant requirement. Even though an area is a crime scene, a search warrant may still be needed.

expectation of privacy

A few examples of evidence that might be found and collected at a crime scene are_________________________________________.

fingerprints, shoe prints, blood, fibers, hair, tool marks, paint scratches, broken glass, body fluids, controlled substances, electronics equipment and computers, firearms, broken or damaged materials, tire tracks, documents, and bones.

weapons, projectiles, gunshot residue, cartridge cases, tool marks, database information are all examples of what type of evidence?

firearms evidence

The ___________________officer should make an initial determination regarding the type of crime committed and define the appropriate extent of the crime scene.

first responding

______________________often used indoors; a variation of the strip/line search pattern. It overlaps a series of lanes in a cross pattern, making the search more methodical and thorough.

grid search pattern

Officers have the authority to arrest any individual who crosses an area marked by crime scene tape after ________________________. (LE089b.1.)

having been warned

An _________________ is a label used to illustrate size and provide scale and other valuable information relevant to the scene. Most agencies provide cards with a ruler printed on them.

identifier

When photographing specific items such as blood drops, weapons, or tire marks, an officer should place an _________________ with the evidence to establish the original positions for photographing and sketching.

identifier

fingerprints, tire tracks, footwear impressions, footprints, bite marks, tool marks are all examples of what type of evidence?

impression evidence

An __________________ occurs when an officer makes detailed and systematic inquiries or observations.

investigation

Crime scene perimeters should be _________ rather than ___________.

larger, smaller

Lifting _______________ is a basic skill of law enforcement, and the ability to lift a latent print directly relates to an officer's attention to detail.

latent prints

______________________are among the most valuable types of physical evidence and one of the most common types of evidence an officer will recover at crime scenes.

latent prints

Sketches should include the statement "____________________" unless the officer is prepared to testify that every item is precisely drawn to scale on the sketch.

not to scale

_____________________ can also be jeopardized by the entry of unauthorized people into a scene.

officer safety

The primary officer or investigator will designate _____________of access to the crime scene and assign an officer to maintain a crime scene log at that location.

one point

________________are transferred from the friction ridges on fingers by a foreign substance (not a body residue), like blood, paint, or dirt, and are readily visible.

patent prints

The crime scene must be protected until it can be __________________ and ________________.

photographed and documented.

___________________________should take place before any detailed investigation begins.

photographing

________________ consists of objects or things such as fingerprints, blood, or tire tracks.

physical evidence

____________________ entails dividing the area into a number of pie-shaped sections, which are usually searched using the strip/line search pattern. This method should be used for extremely large search areas. (LE078.7.)

pie/wheel search pattern

___________ are molded or imbedded fingerprints created by touching an impressionable surface such as wet paint or mud and are easily seen.

plastic prints

__________________ belongs to an individual and is not open to the public.

private property

Prior to searching a potential crime scene, an officer should determine if the scene location is ____________ or __________ property.

public or private

__________________ is designed for the use and enjoyment of the public and is open to the public.

public property

The log should include the name, rank, and agency of each person entering or leaving the scene; the date and time of the person's entry or exit; and ____________________________________________.

reason the person was at the scene.

A person occupying private property has an expectation of privacy that may not be violated without a search warrant or a valid exception to the warrant requirement. Even though an area is a crime scene, a ____________________may still be needed.

search warrant

It is extremely important to keep witnesses______________ in crime scene investigations.

separated

___________ can show relative positions (spatial relationships) of objects within the crime scene that are not readily seen in photographs. T

sketches

____________ usually used outside by one person. The searcher begins at a certain point and walks in increasingly larger circles to the outermost boundary of the search area.

spiral search pattern

_______________usually used outside by several people. The search area is divided into lanes that are searched by one or more people in both directions until the entire area has been examined.

strip/line search pattern

A _____________ is a person believed to have committed a crime or offense.

suspect

_________ can be used in some cases for identification and evidence. In the event an officer discovers human skeletal remains, a supervisor should be contacted so that agency policy and procedures can be followed in processing the scene.

teeth

_____________evidence is gathered from witnesses, _______________ evidence is generally less reliable than physical evidence because people perceive events differently, do not remember accurately, or lie. When physical evidence is correctly handled, preserved, maintained, and scientifically analyzed, it cannot give false results.

testimonial

What are the two kinds of evidence?

testimonial and physical

The sketch should show, room by room, ________________________________of entrances, exits, and contents.

the size and relationship

hairs, fibers, clothing, glass, wood, soil and dirt are all examples of what type of evidence?

trace evidence

________________ is the most common method of surveying (measuring and documenting) objects within the crime scene. The method measures objects from at least two fixed points forming a triangle.

triangulation

An officer will need to be able to testify that the photographs are a _________ and ___________ representation of the scene as it appeared when the pictures were taken. All objects pictured must be material or relevant to the scene.

true and accurate

Curious, ___________________ can damage, contaminate, or destroy evidence at a scene, and should not be allowed to enter the secured crime scene area.

unauthorized people

A _____________ is a person harmed by a crime.

victim

For example, ____________________, such as items soaked with body fluids or living plant material, must either be air-dried, packaged in breathable containers such as paper bags, or both. If packaged improperly, wet items will deteriorate to a point where they have no evidentiary value. An officer must pay particular attention to the proper collection of evidence.

wet evidence

A _________________ is a person who sees, knows, or vouches for something and makes a sworn statement about that information.

witness

Keep ____________ separated so they cannot discuss the incident together and coordinate their accounts of what happened.

witnesses

______________________ used outdoors or for an area that is large. The area should be divided into four different sections and searched using one of the patterns above.

zone/quadrant search pattern

_______________, a pioneer in forensic science, formulated the fundamental principle of forensic science: "Every contact leaves a trace." Referred to as Locard's Exchange Principle, this contends that everyone who enters a crime scene will both bring something into and take something from it.

Dr. Edmond Locard

_____________________(PPE) must be used whenever evidence is handled or collected.

Personal protective equipment