PHOTOGRAPHING, SKETCHING, AND SEARCHING THE CRIME SCENE

Investigators must ... to document evidence.

work against the clock

What factors can affect the amount of time that investigators have at a crime scene?

the location, the weather, and the time of day

Evidence must be … before it’s photographed.

preserved

Why are crime scene photographs important?

They’re used in court as documentation and reference.

The crime scene must remain ….

unaltered

If objects are removed, positions are changed, or stuff is tampered with, the evidence may not be … in court.

admissible

What places/things should be photographed?

• the area of the crime

• adjacent areas

• points of entry/exit

• the body

• evidence

How should things be photographed?

• with an item of scale

• at three different angles

• at three different distances

Why is physical evidence photographed after it’s discovered?

in an attempt to show its position and location relative to the entire scene

What is oblique lighting?

It uses a light source positioned at a low angle and can be used to photograph things like dusty footwear impressions, indented writing, tool marks, and certain types of fingerprints.

What can oblique lighting help investigators with?

making evidence more visible for photography

How does oblique lighting show detail?

by creating shadows on the surface(s)

What are the disadvantages of photos to record crime scenes?

They have a lack of depth and are overall inaccurate when capturing three-dimensional scenes.

What are the advantages of sketches to record crime scenes?

They’re often more accurate, usually admissible in court, and assist in interviews and interrogating.

What must be included in a sketch of a crime scene?

1. the location

2. the date

3. the artist’s name

4. the true North

5. all measurements

6. the legend

7. the scale

8. the type of crime

9. the case number

10. the victim’s name

11. other officers’ names

How do you draw fixed objects (doors, windows, stairs, etc.)?

• Doors have curved lines toward the way they swing open.

• Windows have little lines on the perimeter.

• Stairs have an arrow showing their direction.

How do you draw movable objects (furniture, evidence, etc.)?

as they are, matching with the legend

Include the … of the room or area drawn.

dimensions

Include dimensions of ….

large pieces of furniture

Have another officer ….

verify your measurements

Include a disclaimer if “…”.

not to scale

In the legend, indicate the location of any item that may be ….

moved or removed

What are rough sketches?

They’re drawn at the scene, are not to scale, and can be drawn with any medium.

What are final sketches?

They’re the finished product(s), should include disclaimers if not to scale, should have perfect lines and curves, should have their words typed out, can be easily duplicated, and should be drawn with permanent marker.

What are courtroom sketches?

They’re presented in court, are different from rough sketches, and aren’t as detailed as final sketches.

A … investigation of the crime scene must be completed.

thorough

The only consistent thing about crime scenes is that they’re always …, presenting new challenges to investigators every time.

inconsistent

What is a primary crime scene?

the initial location of a crime

What is a secondary crime scene?

the secondary location of a crime

What is a tertiary crime scene?

any crime scene location after the secondary location

What is a spiral search?

It starts at an outer point and gradually moves toward the center.

What is a grid search?

It’s divided into a grid and each grid segment is searched.

What is a line/strip search?

It’s divided into strips and each strip is searched.

What is a zone/quadrant search?

It’s divided into four quadrants initially and each quadrant is searched.