Crime Scene Investigation

 

Crime Scene Investigation

The crime scene investigation is based upon certain principles and procedures. The crime scenes are inconsistent and based upon their diversity, crime scenes can be classified as follows: The site of the first criminal activity is the primary crime scene and any later crime scenes are the secondary crime scenes.

Objectives: To find the sequence of events, decide the mode of operation, to find out what all the criminals may have done, to recover physical evidence from the scene of crime. Every effort should be undertaken to preserve the crime scene as Locard’s exchange principle states that when­ever an object meets another, there is an exchange of material between them. This implies that traces from the scene can be continued the body or tools of the criminal and traces from any of these may be left at the scene.

Steps of the Crime Scene Investigation

1.       Find Scene Dimensions.

2.       Establish Security

3.       Create a Plan & Communicate

4.       Conduct Primary Survey

5.       Document and Process Scene

6.       Conduct Secondary Survey

7.       Record and Preserve Evidence

 

Role of the first officer before the investigating team arrives: Names of the witnesses and other person who has entered the scene and who was at the scene before the arrival of the officer should be recorded. The time of examining the scene of crime should be recorded. Precise noting of the time is important. The time at which the crime was committed, the first officer was called, his arrival at the scene etc. are quite impor­tant.

At times, it happens that the victim or relatives try to clear up the scene. Such persons would like to conceal something or want that the things should be in proper order. It is often possible to recover physical evidence on damaged items that have been thrown in the trash.

Crime Scene Search methods

Various methods employed for searching crime scene are:

1. Spiral method: In this method the search is started from a central point in the scene and then the single investigator walks in an outward spiral covering the whole area.

2. Grid method: In this method the whole crime scene is divided into a grid and each of the grids are carefully searched for evidence. Multi­ple investigators can search the scene.

3. Strip or line search: In this method a single investigator starts searching the scene from one end and covers the whole scene in straight lines returning from side to side.

4. Quadrant search: In this method the whole area is divided into quadrants and each of the quadrants are searched by one or more inves­tigators.

 

Crime Scene Search methods

Final element in crime scene investigation is teamwork. The entire system of crime scene investigation should be purposefully designed, so that nobody can use independently. 

No person is more important than the other as each person has a vital role to play.

The crime scene should be secured and scanned by the crime scene examiner. There should be search for the potential evidence after separating the witnesses. 

#Crime Scene Investigation