Crime Scene Investigations Exam 2

According to the text, which of the following are techniques for handling supervisors or politicians at the crime scene?

To enforce the use of standard personal protective measures
To enforce the use of scene entry logs
To consider creating walking routes or observation points for authorized visitors

The composition of the crime scene team is first defined by whether the teams approach is one of area or function. In the [a] approach, a single team handles all activities associated with processing. In a [b] approach, the team leader designates different teams to do different activites.

area, functional

In considering scene isolation, the crime scene team should employ [a] isolation and [b]; two [c] should be established, which in effect will create three areas of [d].

multilevel, containment, perimeters, access

The crime scene entry control log is intended as a means of providing a running record of everyone who entered the scene, when they entered, why they entered, and what time they left.

True

No matter how many crime scene perimeters are created, once the purpose of the perimeter is defined, it is imperative that all parties be held accountable for respecting its purpose; this includes other police officers.

True

Some factors to consider before making a determination as whether your crime scene team should take a area v. functional approach include: (select all that apply)

Physical size of the scene
Order of activity involving specialty examination needs.
Single or multiple scenes
Available resources (equipment or personnel)

Upon arrival at the scene, the crime scene team must seek out the initial responding officer. Once found, this individual should be interviewed to determine which of the following? Select all that apply

Scene security: the initial responding officer should describe the steps taken to secure the scene, including those efforts the officer feels are necessary to enhance security.
Changes to the scene: the initial officer should quickly highlight significant changes to the scene by the police, fire, or EMS personnel.
Status of involved parties: the status of victims, significant witnesses, and any suspects should be made known to the investigator.
Scene scope and nature: the initial officer should clearly define the scope of the scene, identifying specific boundaries and reasons why areas were included or excluded in the initial perimeter.

Which of the following are crime scene search considerations?

Lightning conditions
Size of the item being searched for
Nature of the ground being searched
On-scene environmental conditions

In the case example on pages 96-98 " Case Example: Things are not always as they initially appear," a point the author made is that:

when investigators arrive at a scene, they are often provided with inaccurate information so the crime scene team must evaluate everything they are told.

[a] are the most common concern of crime scene investigators, particularly when dealing with violent crime or death scenes where the technician is likely to encounter blood, urine, fecal matter, sputum, or vomit

Biohazards

The rule of thirds relates to background placement, where the subject is placed to the far left of the background in the photograph

False

Photographic composition involves which of the following: (select all that apply)

applying the rule of thirds
properly framing the subject
controlling contrast

Road mapping involves which of the following steps: (select all that apply)

Placement of appropriate labels and scales
Creation of close-up photographs of individual stains, defects, or details with labels in place.
Creation of overall photographs of an area with labels in place

According to the text, graphic information is far easier to comprehend and integrate than testimonial information.

True

Which of the following are key elements in crime scene documentation?

Reports
Sketches
Photographs/video
Notes

Which of the following are significant comprehension problems in crime scene photography? Select all that apply

Confusion problems
Identification problems
Orientation problems
Incomplete documentation

____________ is affected by the amount of light a lens allows into any exposure. The f-stop helps determine this.

Depth of field

Match the photographic comprehension problem with the correct description

Incomplete documentation
D.
failure to photograph a critical item or crime scene condition
Confusion problems
A.
photographs of the scene in an altered state, or shooting poorly referenced photographs of a number of similar items
Identification problems
C.
when the viewer has no idea what the item is or why the photograph was taken
Orientation problems
B.
when there is no way to distinguish left from right or up from down

Video photography is an acceptable replacement to crime scene photography.

False

According to the text, there is a slight advantage of shooting overall photographs from the four corners of the room as compared with shooting straight across from one wall to the other.

True

Which crime scene mapping method is most accurately described by the following: this method beings with setting a datum point; whatever sighting device is used the datum point is at ground level directly beneath it; once the sighting tripod is in place, the technician uses a laser devise or a plumb line to ensure that the rebar is directly beneath the point of rotation on the sighting device.

Polar Coordinates

Which of the following crime scene methods are most accurately described by: "the baseline is created across the field of evidence... once established, both ends of the baseline are triangulated to surrounding landmarks, fixing the position of the baseline in the scene;the technician then marks reference points at recurring points along the baseline" then evidence is triangulated to those reference points using standard triangulation rules.

Triangulation on a baseline

Crime scene ___________ is the process the technician uses to identify the information in a sketch that defines the size of the scene and where in the scene various items were.

mapping

Match the sketch element with its description: (no partial credit)

Heading
B.
A notation that indicates why the sketch was created.
Diagram area:
E.
The drawing itself.
Legend
D.
Defines the labels used in the diagram.
Scale and direction notation:
C.
identifies the orientation of the sketch in relation to compass direction and informs the viewer of any reference scale.
Title Block
A.
Provides the location of the sketch and who created it.

What type of sketch is drawn depicting a side view of a portion of the scene?

Elevation sketch

Which type of sketch typically requires software, using a virtual camera, to accurately depict the scene?

Three-dimensional sketch

Which type of sketch is often referred to as a "bird's - eye view?"

Cross projection sketch

Which of the following make up the basic elements of a formal crime scene sketch? Check all that apply, no partial credit.

Title Block
Diagram Area
Legend
Scale and direction notations
Heading

Whatever the quality of the crime scene ____________, it serves as a graphic document to show the layout, orientation, and interrelationships of the scene and evidence.

sketch

[a] stations are [b] surveying systems that use [c] very similar to [d] coordinates.

total stations are automated surveying systems that use methods very similar to polar coordinates.

The crime scene report is a [a] product, created as a result of effort and [b] made on scene and from the detail found in [c] notes, [d], or sketches.

The crime scene report is a postscene product, created as a result of effort and observations made on scene and from the detail found in contemporaneous notes, photographs, or sketches.

According to chapter 8 of your text, crime scene documentation in the form of narrative descriptions is produced at two distinct periods. The first includes all of the crime scene [a] taken [b] while conducting investigative efforts on scene. The second includes the crime scene [c], which [d] and synopsizes the relevant details the technician thinks are important.

According to chapter 8 of your text, crime scene documentation in the form of narrative descriptions is produced at two distinct periods. The first includes all of the crime scene notes taken contemporaneously while conducting investigative efforts on scene. The second includes the crime scene report, which consolidates and synopsizes the relevant details the technician thinks are important.

Crime scene notes must be retained even after creating the crime scene report.

True

Which of the following may be described in the "Additional Examinations" section of your report?

Electrostatic lifter examination for footwear.
Specialized chemical enhancements (luminol, amido-black, or fluorescein enhancements) and their results.
Evident fire patterns and fire flow evaluations at fire scenes.
Bloodstain pattern analysis in violent scenes.
Trajectory analysis in shooting scenes.

Notes and crime scene reports share some common characteristics, these include: (select all that apply)

They are accurate.
They are detailed.
They are understandable.

Your text provides a suggested format for organizing the crime scene report. Place the report sections in the recommended order.

1.
Introduction
2.
Characteristics of the Scene
3.
Conditions of the Scene
4.
Environmental Conditions
5.
Factors pertinent to entry and exit
6.
Scene documentation
7.
Collection of Physical Evidence
8.
Search for Latent Prints
9.
Additional Examinations

True or False. The Environmental Conditions section of the crime scene report is used merely to discuss the exterior conditions (e.g. raining, snowing, sunshine).

False

Any observation made at the crime scene and recorded in notes could be of significance at a later date.

True

Crime scene notes are generally more detailed than the resulting crime scene report.

True

The Condition of the Scene section of a crime scene report is intended to describe the building, any doors and openings and the static conditions found at the scene.

False

The crime scene report should be synopsized and report only that information that ultimately supports the conclusions of the technician.

False

True or False. Good crime scene photographs eliminate the need for detailed notes in the overall observation phase of crime scene processing.

False

It is imperative to restate in the Collection of Evidence section of the crime scene report all facts pertaining to what evidence was recovered by whom and exactly where, even if the organization uses a consolidated evidence collection log.

False