Criminalistics (B.SC.FS 303)
Unit 1: Crime Scene Management
What is a Crime Scene?
A crime scene is a place where a crime has occurred (or another place where sign of the crime may be
establish), and includes the part from where maximum of the physical evidence is retrieved by law
enforcement personnel, crime scene investigators (CSIs) or in occasional circumstances, forensic
scientists. Crime scenes may or may not be where the crime has happened. Contamination of any crime
scene can easily occur if proper precautions, such as limiting the number of people inside the scene,
are not taken. For example, first responders, emergency medical personnel, patrol supervisors, crime
scene investigators, and medical examiners are all potential sources of contamination and/or loss of
evidence.
Types of Crime Scene
1. Outdoor Crime Scene: An outdoor crime scene is a location where a crime is committed in an open
area, like a field, park, or street. The outdoor crime scene is the most vulnerable to loss, contamination,
and deleterious change of physical evidence in a relatively short period of time. Individuals with access
to the scene can potentially alter, destroy or contaminate evidence. The risk is greatest when crime
scene investigators fail to secure the crime scene properly. Destruction or deterioration of evidence due
to environmental conditions such as heat, cold, rain, snow and wind are problems associated with
outdoor scenes. Evidence that cannot be protected under these conditions should be collected
expeditiously without compromising its integrity. Investigators who encounter a combination of an
indoor and outdoor scene should give priority to processing the outdoor component. Nighttime outdoor
crime scenes are particularly problematic. Regardless of the quality of the light source used to
illuminate the scenes, the lack of sunlight can lead to investigators inadvertently missing or destroying
evidence. Whenever possible, outdoor crime scenes should be held and secured until daylight for
processing.
2. Indoor crime scene: An indoor crime scene is a location where a crime has occurred within an
enclosed space, such as a room, hallway, or building. Evidence at an indoor scene is generally less
susceptible to loss, contamination and deleterious change. Indoor crime scenes are usually easier to
secure and protect, and securing a scene can be as simple as closing a door.
3. Conveyance crime scenes: These are offences done by means of transport, such as robbery or auto
theft. All type of crime scene, with the nature of the crime done (robbery, homicide, rape, etc.) has
diverse procedures. It is important that the crime scene investigator recognize that physical evidence
recovered from these scenes may extend well beyond the conveyance itself. The flight path of the
, perpetrator may reveal evidence important to the investigation. For example, impression evidence, such
as shoe or footprints in soil, may be found leading away from the scene, and property removed from
the conveyance may be deposited or dropped as the perpetrator flees the scene. Cigarette butts are
sometimes found in and around the conveyance. The nature of the crime may give the investigator an
idea of the type of evidence present. To protect the scene against inclement weather and other factors
that may contribute to evidence loss and/or destruction, a conveyance such as a vehicle may be
transported to the laboratory after proper documentation has been completed.
A crime scene can also be classified into primary and secondary scenes.
Primary Crime Scene: This is the location where the initial criminal activity or the core criminal act
took place. For example, in a homicide, the primary crime scene would be where the victim was killed.
Secondary Crime Scene: This refers to any other location related to the crime but not the primary
location of the criminal act. For example, if a body is moved after a murder, the location where the
body is found would be a secondary crime scene. Other examples of secondary crime scenes include
locations where evidence was discarded, or where the perpetrator may have fled.
Crime Scene Investigation/Management
An Effective Crime Scene Examination uses a stage of procedures in the detection, protection and
gathering of Physical Evidences. The Corpus Delicti of an offence i.e. “Body of the Crime” must be
clear. At a crime scene, before starting investigation it must be proved that a crime has occurred as well
as the person who is charged with the crime was accountable for the commission of crime. The aim of
a crime scene examination is to identify, document, and gather evidence at the scene of a crime.
Resolving the crime will depend on joining together the evidence to form an image of what take place
at the crime scene. The first individual to notice this condition was Dr. Edmond Locard, Director of the
world’s 1st forensic laboratory in Lyons, France. The Locard’s Exchange Principle said that when a
individual comes into interaction with an object or another individual, a cross transfer of physical
evidence will occur. The exchanged substances shows that two objects were in contact. The 2nd part
of Locard’s Principle says that the strength, period and nature of the constituents in contact decide the
extent of the transmission.
Crime Scene Team: A crime scene team includes
1. Team members
2. First police officer on the scene:- Protects the scene
3. Medics (if necessary)
4. Investigator(s)
Unit 1: Crime Scene Management
What is a Crime Scene?
A crime scene is a place where a crime has occurred (or another place where sign of the crime may be
establish), and includes the part from where maximum of the physical evidence is retrieved by law
enforcement personnel, crime scene investigators (CSIs) or in occasional circumstances, forensic
scientists. Crime scenes may or may not be where the crime has happened. Contamination of any crime
scene can easily occur if proper precautions, such as limiting the number of people inside the scene,
are not taken. For example, first responders, emergency medical personnel, patrol supervisors, crime
scene investigators, and medical examiners are all potential sources of contamination and/or loss of
evidence.
Types of Crime Scene
1. Outdoor Crime Scene: An outdoor crime scene is a location where a crime is committed in an open
area, like a field, park, or street. The outdoor crime scene is the most vulnerable to loss, contamination,
and deleterious change of physical evidence in a relatively short period of time. Individuals with access
to the scene can potentially alter, destroy or contaminate evidence. The risk is greatest when crime
scene investigators fail to secure the crime scene properly. Destruction or deterioration of evidence due
to environmental conditions such as heat, cold, rain, snow and wind are problems associated with
outdoor scenes. Evidence that cannot be protected under these conditions should be collected
expeditiously without compromising its integrity. Investigators who encounter a combination of an
indoor and outdoor scene should give priority to processing the outdoor component. Nighttime outdoor
crime scenes are particularly problematic. Regardless of the quality of the light source used to
illuminate the scenes, the lack of sunlight can lead to investigators inadvertently missing or destroying
evidence. Whenever possible, outdoor crime scenes should be held and secured until daylight for
processing.
2. Indoor crime scene: An indoor crime scene is a location where a crime has occurred within an
enclosed space, such as a room, hallway, or building. Evidence at an indoor scene is generally less
susceptible to loss, contamination and deleterious change. Indoor crime scenes are usually easier to
secure and protect, and securing a scene can be as simple as closing a door.
3. Conveyance crime scenes: These are offences done by means of transport, such as robbery or auto
theft. All type of crime scene, with the nature of the crime done (robbery, homicide, rape, etc.) has
diverse procedures. It is important that the crime scene investigator recognize that physical evidence
recovered from these scenes may extend well beyond the conveyance itself. The flight path of the
, perpetrator may reveal evidence important to the investigation. For example, impression evidence, such
as shoe or footprints in soil, may be found leading away from the scene, and property removed from
the conveyance may be deposited or dropped as the perpetrator flees the scene. Cigarette butts are
sometimes found in and around the conveyance. The nature of the crime may give the investigator an
idea of the type of evidence present. To protect the scene against inclement weather and other factors
that may contribute to evidence loss and/or destruction, a conveyance such as a vehicle may be
transported to the laboratory after proper documentation has been completed.
A crime scene can also be classified into primary and secondary scenes.
Primary Crime Scene: This is the location where the initial criminal activity or the core criminal act
took place. For example, in a homicide, the primary crime scene would be where the victim was killed.
Secondary Crime Scene: This refers to any other location related to the crime but not the primary
location of the criminal act. For example, if a body is moved after a murder, the location where the
body is found would be a secondary crime scene. Other examples of secondary crime scenes include
locations where evidence was discarded, or where the perpetrator may have fled.
Crime Scene Investigation/Management
An Effective Crime Scene Examination uses a stage of procedures in the detection, protection and
gathering of Physical Evidences. The Corpus Delicti of an offence i.e. “Body of the Crime” must be
clear. At a crime scene, before starting investigation it must be proved that a crime has occurred as well
as the person who is charged with the crime was accountable for the commission of crime. The aim of
a crime scene examination is to identify, document, and gather evidence at the scene of a crime.
Resolving the crime will depend on joining together the evidence to form an image of what take place
at the crime scene. The first individual to notice this condition was Dr. Edmond Locard, Director of the
world’s 1st forensic laboratory in Lyons, France. The Locard’s Exchange Principle said that when a
individual comes into interaction with an object or another individual, a cross transfer of physical
evidence will occur. The exchanged substances shows that two objects were in contact. The 2nd part
of Locard’s Principle says that the strength, period and nature of the constituents in contact decide the
extent of the transmission.
Crime Scene Team: A crime scene team includes
1. Team members
2. First police officer on the scene:- Protects the scene
3. Medics (if necessary)
4. Investigator(s)
