CSI Baltimore HW

Baltimore Crime Scene Unit is made up of (civilian/sworn) crime scene technicians

civilian - don't carry a firearm, have arresting authority, or go through the Police Academy

some agencies have sworn CSI’s and some have both

(T/F) novice crime scene technicians require supervision by one of the veteran crime scene technicians

true - they must complete FTO (field training officer) program before they're able to work solo

crime scenes don't remain pristine for long before it's ___

a) documented

b) associated

c) contaminated

d) photographed

c) contaminated - maintain integrity of the chain of custody. contamination can come from first responders, detectives, by-standers, etc.

Who is in charge of securing the scene and protecting the scene?

police officers put up barriers (crime scene tape) and record entry/exit of the crime scene, keep unauthorized people

Who does the chain of custody start with?

the first one who obtains the evidence - it includes everyone who has possessed each evidence

What happens if the chain is broken?

evidence may be ruled as inadmissible in court

(T/F) Crime Scene Technicians meet with the Officer or Detective to retrieve case information before beginning their investigation.

true - they must meet with the first responder/detective to determine who/what/where/when/how

Who gets to the scene first during the 'First Response'?

1. police, EMT, paramedics

2. detective

3. CSI

(T/F) CSI can go in any crime scene

false - they need a search warrant or consent to search

What amendment protects us from unreasonable search and seizure?

a) 1st

b) 4th

c) 8th

d) 14th

c) 4th - protects persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures without a warrant

Who obtains a search warrant?

detective - must show probable cause to present in affidavit (written statement).

(T/F) search warrants have to be specific in the place to be searched and the items to be seized

true

(T/F) Crime Scene Technicians are responsible for all aspects of the investigation?

false - detectives are the lead investigator, but they aren't responsible for all duties (ex. SANE nurses for SA, forensic anthropology for bones, CSI for evidence collection and processing)

What do CSI's do?

document the crime scene, collect, and analyze evidence

(T/F) The public is always happy to see the Crime Scene Technicians in their neighborhood.

false - crime scenes can be very dangerous and the civilians may be hostile

(T/F) Fingerprints are not always recovered from crime scenes

true

What can be used to process fingerprints?

Porous: ninhydrin, DFO, physical developer

Non-porous: black powder, magnetic powder, fluorescent powder, cyanoacrylate fuming (superglue)

Bloody prints: LCV, amido black, coomassie blue

Adhesive: sticky side powder, wet wop

What are the 3 classes of fingerprints?

1. loop

2. arch

3. whorls

What are the individual characteristics of a fingerprint?

points of minutia

1. bifurcations

2. enclosures

3. short ending ridge

4. hook

5. spur

6. bridge

7. lake

8. dot

Who is responsible for washing body fluids away after the crime scene is completed?

a) detective

b) first responder

c) crime scene technician

d) fire department

d) fire department

Who is responsible for cleaning private property?

the owners - can pay crime scene clean up and dispose of biohazards

Crime Scene Technician Stephanie Peterson recommends riding with partners at night for ____.

a) spiritual reason

b) companionship

c) mentorship

d) safety reasons

d) safety reasons: some agencies have CSI do scenes solo or in partners. for the most part, sworn officers have to stay at the crime scene but do not always follow the CSI to where they go

(T/F) Crime Scene Technicians may have to work long hours over their shift to finish a case.

true - may take multiple days to process, find secondary scenes, perform autopsies, conduct search warrant, etc.

may also be on-call

(T/F) Often a suspect is never apprehended or has enough to be tried, therefore, CSI's many times don't even know the disposition of a case.

true

Crime Scene Technicians use various coping methods to deal with being exposed to gruesome scenes, some coping methods include ___.

a) use humor

b) be spiritual

c) use it as motivation to complete a challenging scene

d) insert the family/friends as the victim

e) all of the above

e) all of the above - coping mechanisms are used to prevent burn out

What type of personal habits can change due to working as a CSI?

a) eating

b) drinking

c) social

d) health

e) all of the above

e) all of the above

Decomposing bodies can "(pop/twitch)" in which body fluids and gases are released.

pop - body fluids form under the skin and the epidermis and dermis separate, which cause the "pop"

(T/F) never use chalk to make a chalk outline of a body.

true. it's better to create an outline of a body by taking measurements, notes, and photos of the body instead

Who has jurisdiction of the body?

medical examiner is responsible to touching and transporting the body - police or CSI have no jurisdiction

(T/F) The cause of a fatal fire must be determined

true

(T/F) The fatal fire must determined to be accidental or intentional

true

(T/F) Photographs are essential for evaluating fatal fires

true

(T/F) Fatal fires are sometimes challenging, but more often than not they are straight forward

false - they are very challenging cases to solve with a lot of nuances

(T/F) CSI's will only contact the Fire Marshalls in cases where they cannot solve arson cases

false - CSI's work with fire marshalls all throughout arson cases

Bodies line in (anatomical/pugilistic) stance in fatal fires

pugilistic. muscles stiffen and shorten due to high heat

When is it appropriate to CSI to smoke near a crime scene?

a) before the scene is secured

b) whenever the scene is secured, as long as they move outside of the scene from a safe distance away

c) it isn't appropriate for CSI to smoke near a crime scene?

c) it isn't appropriate for CSI to smoke near a crime scene

What type of equipment is used for personal protective equipment (PPE)?

gloves, masks, boots, hair nets, tyvek suit, googles, respiration

(T/F) A Philly Blunt cigar is composed of marijuana

true

(T/F) cigars with "green leafy substances" must be tested for controlled substance testing

true

(T/F) CSI complete their own computerized sketches

true - FARO laser scanner also helps

What is a known sample?

a piece of evidence from a confirmed location/person

What is an unknown sample?

evidence recovered from a crime scene in which the identity or origin is not known