Final
Phase 5 Individual Project
CJUS448-02
Elizabeth Passer
Professor Anthony Nici
June 25, 2012
Re: Final
Processing the crime scene will be essential to bringing forth criminal charges against any assailant of the crime of rape. In the case of a rape the prime crime scene is the rape victim. Biological evidence is inevitably left behind. There could in this instance be evidence left behind on sheets. In this scenario the bed of the ‘No Tell Motel’ will likely have some physical evidence such as hairs, bodily secretions, possibly condoms left behind in the trash or flushed down the toilet, clothing of the victim or the assailant. The crime scene has been contaminated by sightseers from the motel (management), and visiting officers which will open up the defense to alleging destructive, tampering of evidence and evidence tampering. Evidence will have been destroyed. In this case statutory rape charges will likely be the charge involved, endangering the welfare of a child, or both. Rape charges would be contingent on the cooperation of the victim. It will be necessary to have a degree of cooperation from the victim and or witness in this type of case. In the case of a rape of this nature there are actually two crimes scenes, the hotel room and the victim. If the victim cooperates, there may be bodily fluids left on both of them and at the scene of the crime/ attack. The room should be sealed off and access denied to non-essential officials and personnel of the motel. Pictures should be taken of the scene from various angles to establish where all evidence collected was (Nici, Live Chat 7, 2012). All bed linens should be gathered by officers using established and standardized evidence collecting methods. The linens and clothing of the victim and the perpetrator should be bagged, sealed and marked as to where they were obtained upon viewing the crime scene. Any other potential evidence should be collected that may be present such as used condoms.
CJUS448-02
Elizabeth Passer
Professor Anthony Nici
June 25, 2012
Re: Final
Processing the crime scene will be essential to bringing forth criminal charges against any assailant of the crime of rape. In the case of a rape the prime crime scene is the rape victim. Biological evidence is inevitably left behind. There could in this instance be evidence left behind on sheets. In this scenario the bed of the ‘No Tell Motel’ will likely have some physical evidence such as hairs, bodily secretions, possibly condoms left behind in the trash or flushed down the toilet, clothing of the victim or the assailant. The crime scene has been contaminated by sightseers from the motel (management), and visiting officers which will open up the defense to alleging destructive, tampering of evidence and evidence tampering. Evidence will have been destroyed. In this case statutory rape charges will likely be the charge involved, endangering the welfare of a child, or both. Rape charges would be contingent on the cooperation of the victim. It will be necessary to have a degree of cooperation from the victim and or witness in this type of case. In the case of a rape of this nature there are actually two crimes scenes, the hotel room and the victim. If the victim cooperates, there may be bodily fluids left on both of them and at the scene of the crime/ attack. The room should be sealed off and access denied to non-essential officials and personnel of the motel. Pictures should be taken of the scene from various angles to establish where all evidence collected was (Nici, Live Chat 7, 2012). All bed linens should be gathered by officers using established and standardized evidence collecting methods. The linens and clothing of the victim and the perpetrator should be bagged, sealed and marked as to where they were obtained upon viewing the crime scene. Any other potential evidence should be collected that may be present such as used condoms.
References: Abbott, B. (2012). New York State Laws on Rape. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from eHow Legal: http://www.ehow.com/list_6777316_new-york-state-laws-rape.html Cops Alive.com. (2011, October 11). A Stress Management Prescription for Law Enforcement and Police Officers. Retrieved June 25, 2012, from Cops Alive.com: http://www.copsalive.com/a-stress-management-prescription-for-law-enforcement/ MirandaWarning.org. (2010). Custodial Interrogation. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from Mirandawarning.org: http://www.mirandawarning.org/custodialinterrogation.html New York State Crime Victims ' Board. (undated). Sexual Assaults / Sexual Offenses. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from New York State Crime Victims ' Board: http://www.ovs.ny.gov/Files/Sexual%20Assault-Sex%20Offenses.pdf Nici, A. (2012, June 12). Live Chat 7. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from Colorado Technical University Online: http://ctuadobeconnect.careeredonline.com/p12221060/?session=breezzdc9uddrsheofqz2 Nici, A. (2012, June 13). Live Chat 8. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from Colorado Technical University Online: http://ctuadobeconnect.careeredonline.com/p40409790/?session=breez7v2shdtvkg68ppoi