CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

BY
AKANYA M. AUGUSTINE
BEING A PRESENTATION DURING A STEP
DOWN TRAINING TITLED SEX CRIMES AND
CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, AT THE
EFCC ACADEMY, KARU
ON 6TH 7TH AUGUST, 2014

EXPECTED OUTCOMES
At the end of this presentation, participants will be
able to
Identify, preserve, collect, process and properly
document physical evidence.

CRIME SCENE:
Location where crime was committed
Primary
Secondary
Duty of Crime Scene Investigator:
Examination and evaluation of a Scene to recover
physical evidence and its context.
Physical Evidence: Any object that can prove or
disprove material fact.

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE:
ANY OBJECT THAT CAN PROVE OR
DISPROVE MATERIAL FACT.
Objective
Speaks for itself
Does not lie
Not subject to human emotions

Purposes of Physical Evidence:

To establish the elements of a crime
Corroboration
Reconstruction
Investigation leads
Investigative Linkage

Crime Scene

Suspect
Common physical Evidence:
Impressions
Latent Print Impressions
Trace materials

Victim

COMMON
EVIDENCE:
Biological
Ballistic
Questioned documents
Digital
Chemical

PHYSICAL

CRIME SCENE MANAGEMENT

Contact first Responder

Access Scene Security
Crime scene preservation
Secure Large perimeter
Identify entry and exit points
Secure people
Conduct preliminary interview of witnesses (victims,
witnesses and suspects)
Gather as much information as possible before walk
through
Evidence recognition and identification (use markers)
Access forensic and equipment needs

CRIME SCENE PHOTOGRAPHY

Provides a fair and accurate visual depiction of
the crime scene and associated physical evidence.
Generally the most effective method of
documentation.
CAMERA:
Check battery
Install Media card
Focus control (automatic A or or manual M)
Activate camera flash

FORENSIC PHOTOGRAPHY
Show context of evidence
Examination Quality
Maximum detail of forensic evidence

Examination Quality Images:

Latent print evidence (finger, palm and bare foot
impressions)
Footwear impressions
Tire impressions
Bite Marks
Blood stain patterns

STEPS IN EXAMINATION QUALITY

IMAGES
Closeup lens
90 degrees perspective
Stabilize camera (use tripod if available)
Place marked scale adjacent to evidence
Manually focus
Set continuous lighting source
Capture Image with lighting in place

LIGHTING:

Front Lighting May cause reflection problems

Oblique lighting Avoids reflection, visualizes
texture better.
NOTES:
Format memory card
Do not delete images
Backup image file

TRACE AND BIOLOGICAL

EVIDENCE

Very broad definition

Transferred through interchange and can be traced
back to source
Includes many types of small and microscopic items
Principle of Interchange: It is highly improbable
that someone can enter an environment and leave
that environment without leaving something of
themselves or taking something of the environment
with them. Dr. Edmund Locard

COMMON TYPES OF TRACE

EVIDENCE
Hairs (Human and Animal)
Fibers (Natural and Synthetic fiber)
Paint
Glass
Biological evidence
Soils
Gun powder residue
Others

BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE: MATERIALS

AND FLUIDS SECRETED FROM

THE HUMAN BODY.
Types of Biological evidence:
Blood
Semen
Urine
Saliva
Touch DNA
Vaginal secretions
Others

LATENT PRINT IMPRESSION

EVIDENCE:
These are objects or materials that have retained the
characteristics of other objects or materials through
direct physical contact.
Friction Ridge Skin
Medium of transfer:
Natural oils
Contaminants:
Foreign oils, greases etc
Ink, blood, others

METHODOLOGY

Search
Develop
Preserve
Physical Development (Powders)
Types:
Conventional Powders
Magnetic Powders
Powders may be white, Black, fluorescent or
Biochromatic

STEPS:
Avoid dipping brush into Jar
Apply powder to brush tips only
Lightly brush surface until ridges appear
Add powder to attain contrast

PRESERVATION OF LATENT
PRINTS
Photography
Capture context photos
Capture content (Examination Quality)
Lift Powder Impressions
Tape lifting
Rubber gelatin
Casting
Bag and Tag

EXERCISE 1

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

State True or False:

Contaminant is a medium of transfer for Latent
Impressions.
Front lighting is preferable for Examination quality
images.
Powders are used for physical development of Latent
impressions.
Physical evidence is not subject to human emotions
Soil is not a trace evidence

PRACTICAL EXERCISE 2

Using the methods taught during this training,

You are to Search and develop the latent Print
impression on the crime scene.