Why Evidence Is Important In Criminal Investigation

Any evidence collected at a crime scene will be under scrutiny when presented in court, that is why it is important for the investigator to maintain the integrity of the evidence at all cost. The investigator must know how to properly document, photograph, collect, and preserve each individual piece of evidence he or she is faced with. Although each crime scene is unique and varies from one another a visual image can be obtained through digital images. It is important though to know that proper steps should be followed in order for the images to be admissible in court. Some scenes can contain such as fingerprints, DNA, trace evidence, tool- mark impression, or the perpetrator could have left behind his firearm and must be handled with care. Evidence can easily be contaminated unintentionally that is why the investigator should document and photograph all that happens when in a crime
Evidence can easily be altered and can cause a problem that would ruin the evidence permanently causing it to jeopardize the case. Contamination can occur by either the number of personnel at the scene or the environmental conditions. When dealing with a death investigation it might be hard to prevent the amount of personnel. The first ones to arrive on the scene would be the first responders, along with paramedics, then followed by the investigators, coroner or medical examiners, at times the prosecuting attorneys and possibly supervisors would show up. Family members, friends and neighbors of the victim may also be present. With a number of people there the chances of contamination increase. Unintentionally, personnel can deposit hairs, fibers or trace material from their clothing, or destroy latent shoe prints or fingerprints. They can also deposit additional shoeprints when they enter the crime scene. The problem alone is not the potential trace evidence that can be left behind, but also the risk of taking away evidence from the scene. In