Crime Scene Investigation and Evidence Collection Procedures

Vocabulary flashcards covering crime scene investigation procedures, documentation techniques, photography, sketching standards, search patterns, evidence packaging, chain of custody, and constitutional protocols based on GSCI 115 lecture materials.

First Responding Officer

The initial police officer arriving at a crime scene, responsible for acquiring medical assistance for injured victims, detaining potential suspects or witnesses, securing the scene boundaries, and calling for additional personnel.

Lead Investigator

The investigator responsible for determining scene boundaries, establishing possible entry and exit routes of the perpetrator, maintaining security protocols, and selecting the appropriate search pattern.

Crime Scene Log

A detailed record kept at a secured crime scene that documents all movement of personnel into and out of the area, including individual names and exact entry and exit times.

Physical Evidence

Any object, ranging from massive items to microscopic traces, that can establish that a crime has been committed or can link a crime to its victim or perpetrator.

Crime Scene Notes

Documentation initiated upon initial contact, recorded concurrently in a bound notebook with blue or black pen using a uniform layout, including details on contact time, arrival time, preliminary case info, personnel present, and a personal log.

Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera (DSLR)

A camera type used in forensic photography to document an unaltered crime scene in a logical succession, starting from overview shots down to individual pieces of evidence.

Visual Tag

An object recorded across multiple overview photographs to help viewers visually piece together different perspectives of the overall crime scene.

Overview Photographs

Photographs taken from outside the crime scene boundaries at various angles to capture the entire scene, surrounding area, points of entry and exit, and the location of a body relative to the surroundings.

Medium-Range Photographs

Photographs showing the layout of smaller significant areas within a crime scene, taken with evidence markers in place to illustrate spatial relationships, including at least one photo of the center of the scene.

Close-Up Photographs

Photographs taken last at a 90° angle to depict greater details of specific items such as injuries or weapons, recorded both with and without evidence markers and measurement scales placed close by.

Body-Worn Camera (BWC)

A wearable camera worn by law enforcement personnel acceptable for recording audio-visual documentation of a crime scene.

Basic Sketch Kit

A collection of tools including a clipboard, graph templates, measuring tapes, compass, pencils, dividers, and rulers used to document crime scene measurements and spatial layouts.

Rough Crime Scene Sketch

An accurate, hand-drawn diagram created at the crime scene that contains dimensions and locations of pertinent objects and evidence; it is not drawn to scale and must include a title block, legend, compass north, and sketch body.

Finished Crime Scene Sketch

A precise diagram constructed from the rough sketch that is drawn to scale with clean visual presentation, commonly generated using Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) software.

Walkthrough

The initial survey of a crime scene during which investigators identify entry and exit points, take an indirect path to the scene's center, locate obvious evidence, and document general scene conditions.

Crime Scene Search Patterns

Systematic search paths—including strip/line, grid, spiral, wheel/ray, and quadrant/zone methods—selected by the lead investigator based on scene size and location to prevent overlooking evidence.

Trace Evidence Carriers

Items such as clothing, vacuum sweepings, and fingernail scrapings that are collected during investigation because they potentially hold undetected microscopic trace evidence.

Druggist Fold

A specialized paper folding technique used to securely hold small, delicate, or scraped trace evidence samples without allowing particles to escape.

Biological Evidence Packaging

The technique of air-drying wet biological or bloodstained evidence prior to sealing inside porous materials like butcher paper, manila envelopes, or paper bags to prevent moisture accumulation and mold growth.

Chain of Custody

A continuous chronological log detailing every individual who held possession of an item of physical evidence, including times and locations, required for court admissibility.

Standard / Reference Sample

Physical evidence of known origin, such as a blood sample, buccal swab, or hair collected from a suspect or victim, used to compare against evidence recovered from a crime scene.

Fourth Amendment

The U.S. Constitutional provision protecting citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures, mandating that search warrants must be based on probable cause.

Warrantless Search Exceptions

The four legal conditions allowing search and seizure without a warrant: emergency circumstances, preventing immediate loss/destruction of evidence, search incident to a lawful arrest, and consent of involved parties.

Primary Crime Scene

The specific location where the actual crime occurred.

Secondary Crime Scene

A location related to the crime being investigated, but not the place where the crime actually took place.

Separating Witnesses

The protocol of keeping witnesses isolated from each other to prevent collaboration, sharing of details, or creation of a cover story.

The 7 S's of Crime Scene Investigation

The standard sequential framework for crime scene management comprising: Secure the Scene, Separate the Witnesses, Scan the Scene, See the Scene, Sketch the Scene, Search for Evidence, and Secure and Collect Evidence.