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.
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