BCI CH.3

triangulation method

A bird's-eye view of the crime scene using fixed objects from which to measure.

finished sketch

A completed crime scene sketch drawn to scale.

best evidence rule

A legal doctrine of evidence that says that no evidence will be admissible in court if it is secondary in nature.

crime scene sketch

A scale drawing that locates evidence in relation to other factors.

evidence

A statement, object, or other item bearing on or establishing the point in question in a court of law.

motion

A written request (also called a petition) or an oral request made to the court anytime before, during, or after court proceedings.

face sheet

An "at-a-glance" summary of the investigation.

initial page

An "at-a-glance" summary of the investigation.

digital recorder

An electronic device that can digitally record audio or video.

field notes

An investigator's most personal and readily available record of the crime scene search.

Which of the following is a feature shared by both rough and finished sketches?

Both are admissible in court. Correct. The officer should remember that both the rough and finished sketches are admissible in court if they are prepared or witnessed by the investigator, provided that they both portray the crime scene accurately.

Which of the following is the documentation of all who handle evidence in a criminal case?

Chain of custody Correct. Chain of custody is the documentation of all who handle evidence in a criminal case. For example, in a drug case, the report should reflect how the drugs were collected, who handled them after seizure, where and how they were stored, and who now has possession of them.

baseline technique

Crime scene measuring technique in which a line is drawn between two known points.

Daniel, a criminal investigator, is collecting evidence at a crime scene, in which the dead body of a man is lying near a bloodstained hammer on the ground. Daniel needs to capture evidence of the murder scene in its unchanged state. Daniel has both a digital video recorder and a camera. Which of the following methods should Daniel adopt in this scenario?

Daniel should use both digital video and digital photography. Correct. Daniel should use both digital video and digital photography. A panoramic video view of the dead body can show proportional distance between the hammer and the body. In conjunction with the video, a close-up photograph can further depict details of bloodstains, possible powder burns, and wounds on the victim.

Which of the following is true about the use of digital video recording at the crime scene?

Digital video can easily be used in the courtroom because many video players can play back such recordings. Correct. Digital video can easily be used in the courtroom because many video players can play back such recordings.

chain of custody

Documentation of all who handle evidence in a criminal case.

Which of the following is an investigator's most personal and readily available record of the crime scene search?

Field notes Correct. Field notes are an investigator's most personal and readily available record of the crime-scene search. Field notes have many benefits for both the officer and the department.

digital imaging

Generally referring to photographs taken with a digital camera and stored on digital media.

Dan, a law student, is curious about a burglary that occurred in his neighbor's apartment. If he wants to gather insight on how the case is being handled by law enforcement officers, which of the following documents should he read?

Investigative report Correct. Dan can gain the required information from the investigative report. To many readers, the investigative report represents their only opportunity to learn about the background of an investigation.

Which of the following statements is true of an official investigative report?

It can be used as evidence during trials. Correct. The report informs others of what events have occurred and provides a permanent record useful in numerous ways as evidentiary matter at trial, intelligence information, and crime-analysis data.

Which of the following statements is true regarding the admissibility of photographs as evidence in court?

It is not necessary for the person taking the photograph to be the one to testify about it in court. Correct. It is not necessary for the person taking the photograph to be the one to testify about it in court. Evidence must be offered to show that the photograph is an accurate representation of the object(s) portrayed. Such evidence is usually given by an officer who was present at the crime scene and who can vouch for the validity of the photo.

markers

Items placed in crime scene photos that call attention to specific objects or enable the viewer of the photo to get a sense of the size of the object or the distance between objects.

Joe returns to his house to find his door kicked in. He informs the police and finds footprints and other prints leading away from the door. He takes photographs of the marks on the ground in a hurry, as it is cloudy and he feels it is about to rain. When trying to use these photographs to assist in the investigation, the investigator cannot accurately estimate the size of the footprints and the distance between them. Which of the following, if used while taking the photos, could have prevented this issue?

Markers Correct. Markers are items placed in crime scene photos that call attention to specific objects or enable the viewer of the photo to get a sense of the size of the object or the distance between objects.

coordinate method

Measuring an object from two fixed points of reference.

field interview card

Method of documenting information on the street.

Blake is an investigator from the narcotics department who is investigating a case that involves the smuggling of drugs. During the process, he considers the connection of this case to another case which was solved earlier. He decides to compare the composition of the drugs seized in both cases. Which of the following will give him the required details of the earlier case?

Supplemental report Correct. A supplemental report will give Blake the required information. Supplemental reports will include the field test results of drugs seized. They go into much greater detail on pertinent aspects of a case.

surveillance

Surreptitious observation.

method of operation (mo)

The behavior of the criminal during the commission of the crime.

rough sketch

The initial crime scene sketch drawn by officers on the crime scene.

While writing a police report, which of the following should be considered by an investigating officer?

The investigating officer should include factual information and not conclusions based off of presumption. Correct. A police report should be factual and not contain hearsay information, speculation, or opinions of the investigator. Facts are generally defined as information learned personally by the investigator and not conclusions presumed by him or her.

Which of the following is true of field notes?

The note-taking process should begin as soon as an officer gets a call to the scene of a crime. Correct. The investigative process begins as soon as an officer gets a call to the scene of a crime. Accordingly, the note-taking process also begins at this time.

A patrol officer is interviewing witnesses at a crime scene. Upon seeing the officer taking notes, one of the witnesses refuses to speak. In such a situation, which of the following actions should the officer take?

The patrol officer should wait and make notes immediately after the interview. Correct. If a subject refuses to talk while comments are being recorded, this may be a sign that they feel a sense of intimidation. It is best that the officer wait until the interview has concluded to finish his/her note taking.

beyond a reasonable doubt

The standard of proof in a criminal case in which the deciders of fact are entirely satisfied that the defendant is guilty as charged.

Which of the following is true regarding the use of field notes in investigation?

The use of a spiral-bound notebook is recommended for writing field reports. Correct. It is recommended that notes be taken in a spiral-bound notebook that is accessible to the officer at all times.

Which of the following is true about capturing the details of a crime scene in investigation?

The video recording process should precede the taking of still photos. Correct. It is important to capture the scene in its unchanged state before crime scene technicians enter the scene and begin the process of photography.

Identify a factor associated with the use of digital video cameras in capturing crime scene evidence.

They are faster than photographs and are widely used. Correct. Digital video cameras are easy to use and relatively inexpensive. Unlike photographs, the evidence obtained from them can instantly be used.

Tim, a criminal investigator, is sent to a crime scene where an unidentified object crashed into open land. The area of the crash consists of a few scattered trees and boulders. Which of the following sketching methods should Tim adopt in this situation?

Triangulation method Correct. Triangulation method is particularly useful for sketching outdoor crime scenes where there are no easily identifiable points of reference. In this procedure, two or more widely separated points of reference are required. The item of interest is then located by measuring along a straight line from the reference points.

An investigator is making a rough sketch of a crime scene. Being outdoors makes his task more challenging. As such, he uses fixed objects, such as a shed, a fence, and a few trees as reference points from which he will measure the distance between them and the body of the victim. This method of sketching, in its finished state, provides viewers with a birds-eye view of the crime scene. What sketching method is the investigator using?

Triangulation method. Correct. The triangulation method is often used to sketch outdoor areas that have no easy-to-identify points of reference.

cross-projection method

Used in indoor crime scenes, it is basically a top-down view of the crime scene where the walls of the room have been "folded" down to reveal locations of bullet holes, blood-spatter evidence, and so on.

An investigator is studying the finished sketch of a house that was used by terrorists to hold hostages. The sketch is a top-down view of the house and shows the locations of bullet holes, temporarily constructed walls inside the house, and positions and postures of the dead bodies. The sketch was drawn using the ________ method.

cross-projection Correct. The cross-projection method is basically a top-down view of the crime scene where the walls of the room have been "folded" down to reveal the locations of bullet holes, blood-spatter evidence, and so on, which, otherwise, would not be apparent.

A criminal investigator is examining his understudy's documentation of a drug case investigation. He finds that the initial complaint is too long and suggests to his understudy that some of the information be moved to the supplemental report. He is most likely to recommend that the ________ be removed from the initial complaint.

details of additional identifiers Correct. In the initial complaint, the name of the victim(s) and address(es) are included; additional identifiers are not required.

A ________ depicts an "at-a-glance" summary of an investigation.

face sheet Correct. The initial complaint, also called a face sheet or initial page, depicts an "at-a-glance" summary of an investigation.

The preliminary information for a report includes ________.

identification of the location, time, and nature of the crime Correct. Preliminary information includes the time and manner in which the complaint was received; identification of the location, time, and nature of the crime; and full identification of the victim.

A ________ photograph is one that relates to and makes a substantive contribution to the specific case in question.

material Correct. This sort of photograph is considered to be material and relevant to the case at hand.

An investigator was chasing a suspect's car when the car crashed into a tree. After arresting the suspect, he took a photograph of the wreckage from a 15 foot distance. This is an example of a ________ view photograph.

medium-range Correct. This is an example of a medium-range view photograph. Medium-range view photos should be taken at a distance no greater than 20 feet away from the subject or item being photographed. The intent of the medium-range photo is to depict specific items or objects in the scene.