In class on Thursday October 1st, Ken Louis came to visit our class, Principles of Investigation, presenting over crime scene investigation. He has worked with the sheriff’s office doing crime scene investigation for the past eighteen years. While he introduced himself to the class he touched over his past history and how he got to where he is now and really accredited himself.
Sargent Louis began his PowerPoint touching on his first topic of physical evidence and trace evidence. He as well touches on the first responder and the steps they take before apprehending the evidence. Next he went over first responder duties using the acronym ‘adapt’ to explain these responsibilities. This information was interesting to hear from him as an officer in Topeka and comparing it to what we learned in class about a first responder and their steps they take when they arrive to a scene. He as well touched on his own personal experience as a first responder and gave a testimonial story
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After crime scene logs he went over evidence, recognition of evidence with the class, and areas of possible evidence location. Some types of evidence that were covered were weapons, blood, body fluids, tools, etc. Following, diagrams were shown of how you are to record evidence visually by using scene diagrams for example right angle coordinate and straight line. Part of the evidence recognition includes photography procedures/ ‘painting with light’, methodology, and recording by the use of cameras which he explained in detail as he touched on photo equipment and lighting. For example, the use of different kinds of lighting to lift certain evidence was explained including the use of black light to view body fluid evidence. The idea of photo methodology includes the use of tools to measure evidence in photos and to do this accurately for labs. The ideal way to do this is to use a one to one
To record a crime scene, forensic scientist can use photography, drawings, and videography. Photographs are an important record of the unaltered crime scene, Drawings or sketches provides valuable information when a photograph cannot accurately depict the scale of a room or the relationship of items to each
As I make my way through the college experience, it is crucial that I take advantage of all opportunities available to me, especially within my desired field. Therefore, as a criminal justice major I would be most interested in becoming involved in activities such as when Lt. Ross Dillingham visited a victimology class. Lieutenant Ross Dillingham had the students look through unsolved homicide cases and provide their input. The students were able to review autopsy reports, crime scene photographs, police reports, and witness accounts that allowed them to have firsthand experience with the criminal justice system. Considering my desired career choice, a homicide detective or a forensic analysis, an experience such as this one would greatly benefit me. I would be able to learn the importance of thorough investigation and the need for accurate police reports.
Instruct students to elaborate one of the crimes. They are to take the role of a police officer that has interviewed witnesses. They are to use this information to complete a police report this week.
By now the crime scene has been labeled a homicide and detectives have been dispatched to the scene. When the detectives arrive the lead officer will then provide a detailed crime scene briefing to the detective in charge of the scene. This briefing will be the only opportunity for the detective to receive the initial aspects of the crime scene prior to subsequent investigation. Since the crime scene and any/all evidence collected are the key factors in making a case, the crime scene must be documented as soon as possible including, appearance and condition of the scene upon arrival, lights on/off, shades up/down, doors, windows open/closed, any unusual smells, ice, liquids, weather conditions, temperature, and any personal items that may have been left behind. Once the lead detective has been briefed and evaluates the scene him/herself, he/she will then need to determine if consent to search and/or obtaining a search warrant is needed. The scene assessment allows the lead detective
Forensic science technicians are vital on a crime scene because the collect and analyze physical evidence. Evidence is one of the most important factor of a crime scene because this puts in investigator a step ahead in finding the suspect of a crime. Crime scene specialists help to collect and preserve evidence in a crime scene. There are rules concerning the collection of data in order to preserve its natural state. For example, “all non-movable items, such as fingerprints, at a crime scene should be processed at the scene using gray powder, black powder, or black magnetic powder. Polaroid 665 black and white film loaded in a Polaroid CU-5 camera with detachable flash should be used to make one-to-one photographs of prints which do not readily lift.” (Schiro, n.d.) Also in the case where there is a computer involved, if it is turned on, it must not be turned off until all the information is properly collected and stored on a file for later use. DNA examiners usually search for anything that could possibly contain DNA. These include fingerprints, hair, blood, semen, bite marks, and dead skin found under fingernails. Tests can be done to determine whether the DNA is the victim’s own or the possible suspect. The coroner’s role is to certify the death of an individual and if unknown, to gain the identity of the victim. These agencies
Behind every court case there’s a train of forensic science evidence and research. Forensic science is the application of scientific principles of criminal justice. In many court cases a forensic scientists is the one on the scene collecting finger prints, photos, blood samples and other evidence. Unfortunately one of the controversial issues in the forensic world is the evidence and its lack of verification of its reliability. In the field of forensics there are issues in finding proof in generating conclusion, fundamental knowledge to solve problems, and the whole false memory defense in the court. These issues can be solved in many ways like extensive research, preparation and training. These issues
Upon D/CPL. Case’s arrival at the crime scene there is no documentation in the crime report that he had contact with the first responder, PFC Malcolm. The first responder should brief the primary investigator as it is the only opportunity for the next in command to obtain initial aspects of the crime scene prior to subsequent information (Technical Working Group on Crime Scene Investigation, 2000). Conversing with first responders is vital to providing information to substantiate investigative considerations and is a priority in any properly sanctioned investigative plan (Technical Working Group on Crime Scene Investigation, 2000). Prior to D/CPL. Case’s arrival, key pieces of evidence had already been collected despite the mild and clear weather conditions; the victim’s jacket and two neoprene skullcaps that had been tied together. D/CPL. Case was not able to conduct a walk-through of the crime scene with the individuals responsible for processing the scene because in the one hour and fifteen minutes it took D/CPL Case to
They have to make sure that before they entered the crime scene, nothing in the scene should have been moved. While they are going through a walk-through, they may have to construct theories about what happened in the crime scene based on visual examination. Investigators have to take photographs of the scene and will later on be collected. Taking photographs of the scene will help them solve the crime because there are some points of the investigation that investigators may have overlooked evidence, and that evidence could be found in the photographs. After taking photographs of the scene, they will start to collect clue and evidence that may lead them to their possible suspect(s). What they may find in the crime scene are fingerprints which can be done using colored powder and a brush, other thizngs such as blood, firearms, hair, glass and many more things that can be found in the crime scenes.
I have always loved suspenseful whodunit television shows, movies, and books that use forensic science to crack the cases. My favorite television show is The First 48, my favorite movie is The Silence of the Lambs, and my favorite book is The Body Farm. Therefore, I was excited to have the opportunity to take this course and learn even more about the subject of forensics. This essay gives a summary of N. E. Genge’s book, The Forensic Casebook: The Science of Crime Scene Investigation, and includes the things I disliked and liked about the book.
Since CSI, television has seen a plethora of forensic shows to include dramas and reality crime shows. This paper will address an episode of one such show called Crime Scene 360. Keywords: crime, detective, evidence,
My initial reaction after reading the case study was how impressed I was. Even though the responders expressed their inexperience with handling a real life mass casualty event, they were able to plan and conduct their triage smoothly. They were able to quickly set up a designated area for the minimal and no injuries individuals to stay while they assessed the more serious individuals. After reading the chapter, I noticed some areas of improvement that could have occurred during the response phase of the incident. There were some personnel resources that were not being utilized correctly in triage efforts. For instance, half went to the minimal and no injuries area to triage while the other half went to triage the more serious individuals.
The purpose of this project is to provide the reader of this paper with a descriptive analysis of an episode of Crime Scene Investigations (C.S.I.). The intent is to show what is provided by the television series of what happens in a crime and what is supposed to happen during a crime scene investigation. The reader should be able to understand during this analysis to what in fact is non-realistic in this television episode and what is reality as determined by what has been researched. This will show what really happens in a crime scene investigations lab.
A visual recording can make the crime scene more realistic shoeingan advantage over photographs. To add on, photographs may not capture all the evidence within the cime scene, therefore a visual recording can be seen as more effecive on many occasions. Many of these visul recorings ca also help incarcerate suspects with narcotic buys payoffs and other illegal activty. Despite this, this modern use of equptment has enhanced a part of crimnal
In the documentation stage of an organized approach for processing the crime scene all functions have to correspond and be consistent in depicting the crime scene. The final results of a properly documented crime scene are the ability of others to take the finished work and reconstruction the events that occurred at the scene and make a court room presentation. In the Scene Documentation stage there are three simple steps to properly document the crime scene written notes and reports, photographs, sketching.
Forensic science involves the use of science to solve criminal and civil crimes but mostly lies on the side of criminal investigations. It makes it possible to identify the criminals based on the DNA traces they leave behind. It involves analyses of blood, DNA and other evidences and later on uses the findings as evidence in the court of law. It helps in solving the various crimes in the world and this has been the greatest contributor to the growth of the sector. Cases that were previously considered impossible due to lack of evidenced tracing to the victim can now be solved using forensic science evidences. The essay aims at analyzing the different aspects of forensic science that are used in the process of solving criminal activities. It will also look at the different cases that forensic science was used to solve crimes in a court of law.