Unit 9 Assignment
CJ328-01: Forensic Fingerprint Analysis
Kaplan University
Abstract
Little is known about the decision-making processes of homicide detectives or crime scene investigators. Within the lines of this paper I will be responding to a homicide scene at a convenience store/gas station at 3 a.m. Within this store I will find a deceased victim with an apparent gunshot wound in the chest along with eight different visible items where I have to address the different process I will use at the scene on each item listed. I will attempt to tell you where each item will be process and if possible can it be processed at the scene where this gruesome homicide took place.
The Evidence
Upon arriving on the scene I am met with the first piece of evidence in the parking lot, a Fresh-looking cigarette butt only half smoked outside the store in a parking space near the entry to the store. This cigarette butt to me is known as a Porous Surfaces. These types of surfaces absorb water and water soluble deposits in the sweat very quickly after deposition. Even though we don’t deposit sweat on cigarette butts we do deposit DNA and or Prints from where we handled them and place them on our lips. Even though the evidence could be processed at the scene it would be better if it was processed in a lab because if we did anything to gain the prints we would lose the DNA factor. To package this evidence it should be placed in a small paper bag and labeled so that it will not fall victim to cross contamination. After processing the Cigarette butt I notice that there is a ripped open cardboard carton on the floor in front of the counter. I figure since this piece of evidence could possibly have prints on it I would first conduct a visual examination. I would do this first because the cardboard from what I learned earlier this semester is referred too as a porous surfaces. This means that these types of surfaces absorb water and water soluble deposits in the sweat