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Crime Scene Investigation - Coggle Diagram
Crime Scene Investigation
Types of Crime
Major Crime - Homicide, Sexual Assault, Major Fraud and Armed Robbery
Volume Crime - B&E's Car Theft, Petty Theft and Vandalism
Advancements - originally B&E's and car theft did have forensic procedures as not enough resources - Petty crime team set up which showed community was happier, able to link offender to a range of crimes as it built up the database
Generally a digital SLR camera is used, mobile phones do not get enough detail of the evidence.
Police First Responders are to preserve life, assess risk, secure scene, record witnesses, protect any evidence that could be immediately destroyed (due to weather etc)
The crime scene must be cordoned off immediately that the scene has been identified as a crime scene, the first officer on the scene will determine the status of the site and enable SOPS
Example - Drug Lab - high risk as it can explode, fully trained chemist that goes in first, renders the scene safe before investigators go through
Priority is given to any victim who requires first aid attention and access for first aid and medical teams takes priority. Any unnecessary people to be removed from the site
CSI
RECOVER
RECORD
PRESERVE
DETECT
Practices are always changing to attempt to prevent a backlog of forensic items to be processed
Crime Scene Functions
Establish forensic intelligence to assist the investigation
Examine, reconstruct or analyse physical evidence
Detect, recognise, preserve, develop, record and recover evidence
Bring aspects of the scene to court
Determine whether a crime has been committed
Crime Scenes
Primary - where the incident occurred
Secondary - Location of evidence that is related to an incident, vehicles used in a crime, victims or suspects (inc post mortems of deceased victims)
Objectives with Evidence - Evidence reveals facts, offenders are prosecuted based on the evidence, innocent suspects are excluded by the evidence, just obtaining the evidence is not the objective, the objective is to detect and process evidence in a lawful and procedurally correct manner
Types of Evidence
Evidence of an offence
Identified Evidence
Victim
Offender
Item (shoe, tool, weapon etc (source of that mark)
Visual Evidence (CCTV)
Linkage evidence
Evidence Integrity
Contamination
Avoid (if possible) attending multiple scenes, restrict entry onto scene, use approp disposable clothing, bag protective clothing when leaving scene, always use clean (new) clothing for each scene
Pack evidence in appropriate storage containers and seal containers EG - blood does into paper bags not plastic (will break down the blood)
Evidence storage
Security of the scene, items of evidence (tamper proofing)
Collection method (including sampling
Required, grip kit, disposable suit, mask, hood, booties, gloves, protective eyewear
OJ Simpson Case
Mark Fuhrman attends crime scene, no protective gear, shouldn't of been in scene as not an investigator
Not guilty as crime scene was not procesed correctly,
Mark Fuhrman attends crime scene at Bundy Drive - finds two deceased victims, blood evidence, hair and fibre evidence and single glove + he travels to Rockingham to OJ's residence - finds at Rockingham Ford Bronco, Blood Evidence, Hair and Fibre Evidence and the Other Glove + then he returns back to Bundy Drive, the blood evidence was strong but there was cross contamination
In the Bronco, blood was found in car of OJ's - Nicoles and Ronald Goldmans - the police entered the property without a warrant (lawfully did so to see if OJ was OK
Missed Evidence - Photo shoed blood stains on Nicole that were consistent with someone with a hand injury dripping blood over her (once body moved, evidence was lost)
Evidence Contamination
Contamination can occur for the following reasons; secondary transfer of material, inappropriate practice when dealing with evidence items, incorrect or poor packaging of evidence items
Example - assault occurs, and victim is taken to police station in car, makes statement and then they go and collect the suspect in the same car (transfer occurs)
Scene Security
Prevent the movement of evidence, prevent the destruction of evidence, prevent loss of evidence
Plan CSI examination
Minimise SOCO presence at the scene + use stepping pads in critical areas of the scene + establish "Common Approach Pathways"
Example of Issue - AFP - code one police officer down, shot in car, deceased shot shells were crushed into ground
Scene Processing
Scene search and processing must be systematic, must be documented accurately using; contemporaneous notes, photographs and sketches, evidence must be collected and accounted for, chain of evidence must be maintained throughout
Defence will question officers to see if there was a break in the chain of evidence (will try and go with this method)
Scene Recording - provides a permanent record of the scene in the original state, provides a record of the steps used to process the scene, provides documentation of fragile and perishable evidence
Notes
Sketches
Video
Voice recording
Photography
Journals and logs
Impression casting
Specialised recording - photogrammetry, draftsman survey, VR
Contemporaneous Notes (at the same time) They are a critical component of crime scene investigation, notes must be contemporaneous which means the are made at the same time the activity is carried out, notes should be written in the order work was carried out, clear notes are essential, notes should be signed and dated and the can be subpoenaed