CJA Signature Assignment
CJA Signature Assignment
1. Scenario: You are the first responding officer to a “dead body” call. The body is located on a dirt road in a remote area that can be best described as “desert terrain.” As you approach the crime scene in your patrol vehicle, you notice the body lying in the middle of the road. Around the body are numerous large rocks and bushes. You also notice the following in and around the crime scene:
Footprints
Tire tracks
Personal belongings of the victim strewn about
A beer bottle in the road
Dried blood on the sand and on several rocks
Considering the above, what steps would you take to secure this crime scene?
As I pull up to the crime scene as the first responder, I would check to make sure there are no other people in a life threatening state as that would be the only reason why I would not secure the crime scene right away. After determining no one in critical condition, I would tape off and secure an adequate amount of space around the scene. I would first collect the bloodstains and place them in a plastic bag to keep them from molding. Then I would move to the personal belongings of the victim. I would collect them in separate bags to avoid contaminating any evidence if there is any different DNA on the different items. I would also collect the beer bottle in a separate bag and send it out for any kind of DNA testing such as saliva or fingerprints. Next I would move to the foot prints and tire tracks as I would take multiple pictures of them with something such as a ruler next to them that way we can scale them when looking at the pictures. Last but not least I would take samples of the surrounding soils and gravel. If we do find a possible suspect that happens to have matching tires on their vehicle with gravel wedged between the tread of the tires or dirt under their shoe we can compare them to the same soils in the area.
2. Scenario: You are investigating an outdoor crime
1. Scenario: You are the first responding officer to a “dead body” call. The body is located on a dirt road in a remote area that can be best described as “desert terrain.” As you approach the crime scene in your patrol vehicle, you notice the body lying in the middle of the road. Around the body are numerous large rocks and bushes. You also notice the following in and around the crime scene:
Footprints
Tire tracks
Personal belongings of the victim strewn about
A beer bottle in the road
Dried blood on the sand and on several rocks
Considering the above, what steps would you take to secure this crime scene?
As I pull up to the crime scene as the first responder, I would check to make sure there are no other people in a life threatening state as that would be the only reason why I would not secure the crime scene right away. After determining no one in critical condition, I would tape off and secure an adequate amount of space around the scene. I would first collect the bloodstains and place them in a plastic bag to keep them from molding. Then I would move to the personal belongings of the victim. I would collect them in separate bags to avoid contaminating any evidence if there is any different DNA on the different items. I would also collect the beer bottle in a separate bag and send it out for any kind of DNA testing such as saliva or fingerprints. Next I would move to the foot prints and tire tracks as I would take multiple pictures of them with something such as a ruler next to them that way we can scale them when looking at the pictures. Last but not least I would take samples of the surrounding soils and gravel. If we do find a possible suspect that happens to have matching tires on their vehicle with gravel wedged between the tread of the tires or dirt under their shoe we can compare them to the same soils in the area.
2. Scenario: You are investigating an outdoor crime