Crime scene investigation is the use of physical evidence at the scene of the crime committed, also reasonable and unreasonable reasoning to gain knowledge of the events surrounding the crime Throughout this paper I have shown you how to successfully conduct a crime scene investigation. After reading this paper thoroughly you should know to secure a crime scene, collect the evidence the proper way and how to take the crime scenes.
There are many steps that have to be taken when leading a criminal investigation and investigating a crime scene. Firstly, detectives have to try and figure out why and how a crime was committed. They examine a crime scene looking for information or clues such as fingerprints, weapons, and DNA. They investigate the victims’ history to define why someone would want to harm them. After they have formed a hypothesis, they try to find proof that somebody committed a crime so that they can arrest the suspects. They look at both the cause and the actual evidence of the crime and try to see if their hypothesis makes sense. The suspects then enter the criminal justice system where they are tried using the evidence collected at the crime scene.
Forensic psychology is a continually adapting sphere. It is hard to have one solid definition for the field, as there are so many aspects that interlock. Within each attribute of the forensic psychology has roles and responsibilities to sustain. The rapid growth and emerging importance of this field volumes of information will be developed in the next decade.
Wound specimen vary from crime scene to crime scene such as; gunshot wound, stab wounds, defense wounds, rape wounds, blows from blunt objects, poisoning, strangulation, hanging, burns, explosions, electrocution, lightning, burning, hanging, and smothering, just to name a few. There are numerous classifications of wounds, most of which can let qualified investigators know more about the manner of death. Forensic pathologists' have the role in investigating medical examination of the body. They also assist investigation by relating the evidence to the autopsy findings. They will examine the wound, and tell if it was inflicted the wound and what instrument caused it. Pretty much all of the evidence that guide the examiner to consummate that the death was murder also allows for it to be sustainable evidence for the investigation and prosecuting the case; so that pathologists and investigators work closely together (Orthman-Hess, 2013).
Dutelle, Aric W. An Introduction to Crime Scene Investigation. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett, 2011. Print.
They need to collect any left-behinds that were left by criminals like finger-print, saliva, semen and not to forget, shoe or foot print left by criminals. Although these things are considered frivolous by people, collecting these items can help to lessen the range of people who commit the crime. When processing a crime scene, many variables are usually not known about the suspect. There may be few witnesses and the criminal seldom leaves behind specific identifying information. Information about the perpetrator’s identity is therefore deduced from the evidence left at the scene. A person’s height is one identifying characteristic that is often
Let me start with the crime scene of a television show. The investigator arrives at the crime scene where they begin to investigate the crime scene themselves. As others are blocking off where the crime was committed keeping people from
For instance, upon reaching the crime scene, crime scene investigators must manage and reconstruct the ‘event’ that happened by isolating the area, documentation, and organization. They will have to walk through the scene and determine how the evidence should be collected. They will also take photographs of the crime scene and the evidence. Moreover, crime scene investigators have to note down every single detail of their observations and findings. Furthermore, they collect all physical evidence that are relevant to the case by using tweezers, black light for latent fingerprints or bodily fluids, and specialized kits. This is a very important procedure that they have to follow because any contamination of the evidence can jeopardize the case. These are accurately represented because in TV shows they show it at the start of a
Interior and exterior crime scenes are almost as similar as they are dissimilar. For instance, both have concerns regarding; scene safety, scene control, climate changes, evidence contamination, disturbance or destruction via accidental contact or uncontrollable external circumstances (pets, wild animals or weather) (Fisher, B., Fisher, D., 2012). On the other hand, the interior scenes usually allows for climate control, at some level, were exterior climates are at the will of nature. Interior also provides barrier, although not impenetrable, against external circumstances, where exterior scenes tend to have large areas of openness, making the area more susceptible to someone or something entering regardless of the scene markers (Richard, S.,
When there is no body present in a murder case, the prosecution must first prove the victim was killed and the death was the result of a criminal act by establishing evidence other than what would have been on the missing body. Since a defendants’ confession to a crime where there is no body present is not sufficient evidence to convict, the prosecution must provide substantial independent evidence which would tend to establish trustworthiness of the confession. The prosecution could accomplish this by establishing a violent history between the defendant and victim, producing eyewitnesses to the crime, proving the defendant was the last one to see the victim prior to their disappearance, and producing the existence
Another problem in Crime scene investigation is lost evidence. Often wide spread trampling of evidence in a crime scene can show to be very damaging. Also, implicating practice in a crime scene office can be hurtful if the rules are not regulated. Also, showing examples of detectives showing positive good examples for other officers to follow (Byrd 2).
By reconstructing the crime scene using bloodstains (blood spatter), the investigators can learn many useful things to aid in their investigation. They can learn what weapons were used and the location, type, and number of wounds caused by that the weapon. Whether the victim defended or tried to escape the perpetrator, if the victim’s body was moved when deceased, and if the victim experienced postmortem violence (Swanson,
Establishing time of death plays an important part in solving a murder; this helps investigators narrow down a suspect list. With the time of death, investigators are able to ascertain the victim’s movements leading up to their death. This paper describes how the medical examiner determines the time of death. After death the human body goes through stages of decomposition; this paper will define those stages.
Though it is an unpleasant thought for an average person to consider, but an autopsy is an essential part of the investigative process. An autopsy is defined as an examination of a body after death to determine the cause of death or the character and extent of changes produced by disease (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). It is often used as means to gather evidence, access trauma to bodies, and or diagnose diseases or pathology to a deceased person. It is often used in conjunction with police investigation in the quest for justice in the court system. This, sometimes, involves cutting into the body to retrieve evidence or determine the cause of death. Many times, this isn’t a feasible option, either for religious reasons or family wishes. However, the how and why of the death still has to be ascertained. A valuable tool that many death investigators use is radiographs. It is non-invasive, and allows the examiner to have a preliminary place to start. A new innovation in this mode of inquiry is called a Virtual Autopsy or “Virtopsy”.
if unidentified, and the period of death or injury. The forensic autopsy may comprise collection of evidence from the body, which could be used to either implicate or exculpate an individual charged with a crime; finding that a crime had or had not been taken place and provide clues towards a issue if it has. Because of the likely medicolegal implications of forensic cases, not only these outcomes have to be made, but the findings or lack of findings must be written. In many cases the reason and manner of death may be understandable. It is the records of the injuries or lack of them as well as the elucidation of how they occurred and the fortitude or exclusion of other causative or causative factors that is important. The forensic autopsy includes just