NCJ Number
47046
Date Published
1978
Length
334 pages
Annotation
THIS TEXT OFFERS BASIC GUIDANCE FOR POLICE OFFICERS IN CONDUCTING CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATIONS -- DETERMINING WHAT EVIDENCE IS IMPORTANT, COLLECTING IT, AND GETTING IT TO A CRIME LABORATORY.
Abstract
THE BOOK IS INTENDED FOR OFFICERS PROCESSING CRIME SCENES WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF HIGHLY SKILLED LABORATORY OR OTHER TECHNICAL PERSONNEL AND PROVIDES AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PROPER PROCEDURES. IT STRESSES PRACTICAL WORK AND GIVES STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONDUCTING EACH STAGE OF THE INVESTIGATION. PROPER TECHNIQUES FOR TAKING USEFUL NOTES AND WRITING EFFECTIVE REPORTS ON PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS AND INTERVIEWS ARE PRESENTED, EMPHASIZING CLARITY, DETAIL, ACCURACY, AND COMPLETENESS. VARIOUS METHODICAL CRIME SCENE SEARCH PATTERNS ARE ILLUSTRATED, AND METHODS FOR SKETCHING THE SCENE, MEASURING THE LOCATION OF EVIDENCE, AND LABELING ALL DRAWINGS ARE DESCRIBED. TOOLS USEFUL IN COLLECTING, PROTECTING, AND PROCESSING ITEMS OF EVIDENCE ARE LISTED AS ARE VARIOUS TYPES OF EVIDENCE AND QUANTITIES NECESSARY FOR ADEQUATE LABORATORY ANALYSIS. THE ESSENTIALS OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND ITS APPLICATION TO CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATIONS ARE EXAMINED IN DETAIL, INCLUDING THE BASIC PROCESS, EQUIPMENT, AND UNIQUE PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN PHOTOGRAPHING DIFFERENT TYPES OF CRIME SCENES, AS WELL AS GUIDELINES FOR TESTIFYING IN COURT CONCERNING PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. A DISCUSSION OF FINGERPRINT EVIDENCE BRIEFLY DESCRIBES PRINT CLASSIFICATION AND DETAILS THE PROCESS OF COLLECTING AND DEVELOPING LATENT PRINTS. FIREARMS EVIDENCE -- TYPES OF WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION AND THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF EACH -- IS ALSO EXAMINED. COLLECTING, ANALYZING, AND PROCESSING OF TOOLMARK EVIDENCE, CATEGORIZED AS IMPRESSION, SLIDING CONTACT, FRACTURE, AND INTRINSIC PATTERN MARKS, ARE EXPLAINED. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS INVOLVED IN THE INVESTIGATION OF SUSPECTED ARSON AND BOMBINGS ARE EXAMINED, WITH DESCRIPTIONS AND ILLUSTRATIONS OF COMMON INCEDIARY DEVICES, HOMEMADE BOMBS, AND OTHER SIGNS THAT A FIRE OR EXPLOSION MAY HAVE BEEN DELIBERATE. FINALLY, A SECTION DISCUSSES THE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE PERTAINING TO SERIOUS INJURY AND DEATH -- BLOOD AND OTHER STAINS, GUNSHOT AND STABBING WOUNDS, AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT INJURIES, AND SEXUAL ASSAULTS. STUDY AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ARE PROVIDED AT THE END OF EACH CHAPTER TO REVIEW THE MATERIAL. APPENDIXES CONTAIN A BASIC VOCABULARY OF TERMS FREQUENTLY USED IN POLICE REPORTS; AND OUTLINE OF A COURSE IN PRACTICAL PHOTOGRAPHY; AN OUTLINE OF A PROJECT TO PROVIDE PRACTICE IN DEVELOPMENT AND LIFTING LATENT FINGERPRINTS; AND A GLOSSARY OF SEX CRIMES. AN INDEX IS PROVIDED. (VDA)