ALT-2 A Career in Crime Scene Investigation
The patrol officer, who is usually first on the scene, and the detective are responsible for protecting and processing the crime scene. In major criminal investigations such as homicide, rape and assault, the services of more specialized personal may be required.
The objective of investigators is to reconstruct the scene, determine the sequence of events, determine the mode of operation, determine a motive, determine the criminal's actions during the crime and to recover the evidence.
Often the public think of the crime scene investigator as a crime-solving machine like those portrayed on television. This can hinder the case when it goes to trial as the jury sometimes has difficulty understanding why the scene did not magically offer complete information about the crime and the person who committed it.
The crime scene investigator must proceed calmly and deliberately. He must not approach his task with preconceived ideas or draw premature conclusions. A generally rule is to process far more of the crime scene than would be required for this reason: Better safe than sorry. There is no room for mistakes in the business of crime scene investigation. Unfortunately, crime scene investigators are only human.
On arriving at the crime scene the investigator should try to obtain as many facts as possible from the first officer on the scene and any other officers who are also present. The investigator should be well briefed before beginning his task.
Before any work begins the crime scene investigator should stand back and formulate a systemic plan of how the evidence should be collected, what should be photographed, and where sources of physical evidence might be located.
The start of the investigation begins with documenting the scene: photography, sketching and note taking. The investigators should think through and reconstruct events. If inconsistencies exist or the reconstruction doesn't make sense, investigators must consider starting over and reevaluating the facts.
When entering the crime scene, the investigator should be cautious since reckless actions can spoil the evidence and ultimately destroy a case. The investigator should consider potential clues on floors, doorknobs and light switches. Could the criminal have left evidence in these areas?
At the start of the investigation, investigators should designate a trash area where all objects not associated with the crime scene will be deposited. One would be surprised at how much waste can be accumulated from empty film packs, blood-testing materials, etc. Also, a work area is required for personnel to fill out evidence tags, develop fingerprints and so forth.
Personnel at the crime scene should never share information regarding the investigation to reporters. Only lead detectives or a public affairs office should be responsible for revealing such information. The rule is that investigators should avoid giving out information that may be key to solving the crime. Since, during initial investigations, what one thought was an insignificant piece of evidence may prove to be the most important piece of evidence during trial, it is very important that all information regarding the investigation remain confidential. If a suspect has yet to be arrested, revealing such information may tip him off for escape.
