THE CRIME SCENE

“Never touch, change, or alter anything until it has been documented, identified, measured, and photographed … when a body or article has been moved, it can never be restored to its original position”

3

As automobiles run on gasoline, crime laboratories “run” on physical evidence.

Physical evidence encompasses any and all objects that can establish that a crime has been committed or can provide a link between a crime and its victim or a crime and its perpetrator.

But if physical evidence is to be used effectively for aiding the investigator, its presence first must be recognized at the crime scene.

THE CRIME SCENE THE SUSPECT THE VICTIM

“Physical evidence can’t lie, quit, forget or get fired.”

BEFORE AN OBJECT CAN BECOME EVIDENCE, IT MUST BE RECOGNIZED BY THE INVESTIGATOR AS HAVING A RELATIONSHIP TO THE CRIME COMMITTED

ADMINISTER FIRST AID

ARREST PERPETRATOR

REQUEST AID

DETAIN AND IDENTIFY WITNESSES

SAFEGUARD CRIME SCENE

DETERMINE CRIME SCENE AREA EXCLUDE ALL PERSONS BLOCK OFF BOUNDARIES IDENTIFY AND SEGREGATE

WITNESSES NOTE DETAILS FOR LATER AVOID UNNECESSARY WALKING

ABOUT DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING PROVIDE INFORMATION TO

INVESTIGATORS

Photography

Sketching

Notes