Homicide Investigation Collecting Evidence
Nothing is more crucial to any investigation than the actions of the first officers on the scene and the actions they take regarding the preservation of the crime scene, detention of witnesses and an arrest if possible. The immediate objective of the first officers on the scene must be the safety of all parties involved and all else follows Crime scene preservation should be the most important step to any first responder. This protocol should continue to be followed by anyone who processes the scene. From the moment the first responder arrives at the scene, he/she should exercise a pertinacious attitude to insure that curious onlookers and personnel who are not involved in a task related to the scene, remain outside the cordoned perimeter. Without this first step, evidence found at the scene can be compromised or worse destroyed which could result in possibly ruining any opportunity to create a strong case to arrest and convict a suspect. Once secured, the crime scene can be processed.
There is a basic protocol that all investigators follow and even though each crime scene is different with a vast array of circumstances the basic procedures remain the same. “Evidence used to resolve an issue can be split into two areas. Testimonial evidence and physical evidence. The testimonial evidence would be any witnessed accounts of an incident. The physical evidence would refer to any material items that would be present on the crime scene.” (Amos, 2011) These items would be presented in an issue or incident to prove or disprove the facts of the issue. What will evidence collected at a scene do for the investigation? It proves that a crime has been committed, establish any key elements of a crime, link a suspect with a scene, establish the identity of a victim or suspect, corroborate verbal witness testimony, and exonerate the innocent. This would be the first task to perform. The investigator would interview the first responder and gather
There is a basic protocol that all investigators follow and even though each crime scene is different with a vast array of circumstances the basic procedures remain the same. “Evidence used to resolve an issue can be split into two areas. Testimonial evidence and physical evidence. The testimonial evidence would be any witnessed accounts of an incident. The physical evidence would refer to any material items that would be present on the crime scene.” (Amos, 2011) These items would be presented in an issue or incident to prove or disprove the facts of the issue. What will evidence collected at a scene do for the investigation? It proves that a crime has been committed, establish any key elements of a crime, link a suspect with a scene, establish the identity of a victim or suspect, corroborate verbal witness testimony, and exonerate the innocent. This would be the first task to perform. The investigator would interview the first responder and gather
References: Amos, K. (2011) Investigator at the County Sheriff`s Department, Retrieved February 10, 2011 at 3:00pm during an interview in his office. Brown, J. (2010) Attorney at Law. Retrieved via phone on February 11, 2011 Brunet, J. (2008) Forensic Science of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, Retrieved February 11, 2010 From: http://www.suite101.com/content/forensic-bloodstain-pattern-analysis-a167891 Davies, K. (2008). The Murder Book. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc Fielder, M Retrieved February 10, 2011 at 3:50 pm interview conducted at his office. Geberth, V. (2006) Practical Homicide Investigation: Tactics, Procedures, and Forensic Techniques, Fourth Edition retrieved from Hardin County Library, February 12, 2011