administration of justice ? PROTECTION AND COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE ?

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ADMINISTRATIONOFJUSTICE
PROTECTION AND COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE
PROTECTION AND COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE
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I. SECURING THE CRIME SCENE A. The most
important aspect of evidence collection and
preservation is protecting the crime scene.
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1. This is to keep the pertinent evidence
uncontaminated until it can be recorded and
collected. a. The protection of the scene
begins with the arrival of the first police
officer at the scene. b. The protection
ends when the scene is released from police
custody.
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B. Responsibilities of the first officer
arriving at the scene.  1. The first officer
on the scene of a crime should approach
the scene slowly and methodically. 
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2. The officer should immediately begin to
make mental and written notes about the
condition of the scene. a. A
record should be made of how it looked upon
arrival and after the scene was
stabilized.
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The officer should maintain a log of the
significant times involved in responding to the
crime scene a. time the call was received
from dispatch, b. time the response began
to the scene, c.  time of arrival at
scene, d.      time left scene, etc.
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4. An effort must be made to disturb things as
little as possible in assessing the situation.
a. Particular attention should be
paid to the floor since this is the most
common repository for evidence.
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b. It also poses the greatest potential for
contamination. c. Notes should also be
taken if the officer has to alter
something in the investigation. 
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C. Things that should be included in the
investigating officers notes 1. The
condition of the doors, windows, and lighting
(include both natural and manmade)  
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2. Are there any unusual odors present  
3.   Are there any signs of activity   4.  
How have EMS or fire personnel altered the
scene  
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5. Anything essential identified about
the suspect such as a a. description,
statements, physical condition, b. mental
condition, intoxication, etc.
6. Anything essential noticed about the victim
should be documented.
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 D. Once the scene has been stabilized
1. The scene and any other areas which may
yield valuable evidence (driveways, surrounding
yards, pathways, etc.) should be roped off.
a. This will prevent unauthorized
people from entering the area and
potentially contaminating it.
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2. Investigators and other necessary personnel
should be contacted and dispatched to the
scene. a. Under no circumstances should
the telephone at the scene be used.
 3. Record witness names and others who
may have entered or been at the scene.  
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4. Separate witnesses and suspect(s).  5.    Do
not discuss the events or the crime with
witnesses or bystanders or let the witnesses
discuss these events.
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6. Listen attentively but discreetly to
witnesses.  7. Protect evidence which may be
in danger of being destroyed.
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E. Only those people responsible for the
immediate investigation of the crime, the
securing of the crime scene, and the processing
of the crime scene should be present. 
1. Non-essential personnel should never be
allowed into a secured crime scene unless they
can add something to the crime scene
investigation.  
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2. Have only one entrance and exit into the
crime scene. a. An officer should be
placed at the entrance and exit with a
notebook to take the names of all of the
people entering and leaving the crime
scene.
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b. This will sometimes discourage
non-essential personnel from entering the
crime scene. c. The officer can also stop
unwanted visitors from entering the
restricted areas.
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F. Eating, drinking, or smoking should never
be allowed at a crime scene.   1. Failure to
adhere to this policy unnecessarily exposes
the crime scene to potential contamination.  
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2. A command post should be set up. a. The
command post should be set up somewhere
outside the restricted areas. b. It could
be a vehicle, picnic table, hotel room, tent,
etc.
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(1) It can be used as a gathering place for
non-involved personnel. (2) It may be used
as a place for investigators to take
breaks, eat, drink, or smoke. (3) It can
be the communication center, a place for press
conferences, a central intelligence area,
etc. 
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  G. Protection of the crime scene also
includes protection of the crime scene
investigators.   1. One person should never
be left alone while processing the scene.
a. There are many stories of suspects still
hiding at or near their area of misdeed.
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2. There should always be at least two people
working the scene. a. At least one of these
people should have a radio and a firearm. 
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II. CRIME SCENE PROCESSING PROTOCAL A. Examinati
on and processing of the crime scene. 
1. Step One - Before the investigators begin
examining the scene of the crime they should
a. Gather as much information as possible
about the scene.
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b. Use a slow and methodical approach to
search.c. Prevent the destruction of
valuable and/or fragile evidence such as
shoeprints and trace evidence.
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2. Step Two - Once all of the information has
been gathered a. A mental plan should be
formulated as to how the crime scene will
be analyzed. b. Ample notes and relevant
times should be kept on every aspect of the
crime scene investigation.
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c. The examination of the scene will usually
begin with a walk through of the area along
the "trail" of the crime.   (1) The crime
trail is that area which all apparent actions
associated with the crime took place.
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(2) The trail is usually marked by the
presence of physical evidence. (a) the
point of entry, (b) the location of the
crime, (c) areas where a suspect may
have cleaned up, (d) the point of
exit.
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d. In some cases, a walk through may become
secondary if potential evidence is in danger
of being destroyed.   (1) This evidence
should be preserved, or documented
and collected as quickly as
possible. 
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B. Crime scene walk through procedures. 
1. Primary purpose of the walk through is to
note the location of potential evidence
a. This stage of investigation allows the
investigator to mentally outline how the
scene will be examined.  
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2. The walk through begins as close to the
point of entry as possible. a. The first
place the investigators should examine is the
ground on which they are about to tread.
b. If any evidence is observed, then a marker
should be placed at the location as a warning
to others not to step on the item of interest.
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3. A good method to use indoors on hard
floors is the oblique lighting technique (also
known as side lighting). a. A good
flashlight with a strong
concentrated beam is the only
tool needed.
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b. The room should be darkened as much as
possible. (1) Make sure the room light
switch has been dusted for fingerprints
before touching. c. Do not close any
blinds or shades until after all general
photographs have been taken.
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d. In the side lighting technique, a
flashlight is held about one inch from the
floor.   (1) The light beam is angled so
that it just sweeps over the floor surface
and is almost parallel to the surface.
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(2) The light is then fanned back and forth.
(3) Any evidence, such as trace
evidence and shoeprints, will show up
dramatically.
e. Under normal lighting conditions, this
evidence may be barely visible or completely
invisible.
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4. Investigators should take care in order to
prevent depositing of unwanted fingerprints at
the scene.
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5. Investigators should examine whatever is
over their heads (ceiling, tree branches,
etc.). a. These areas may yield such
valuable evidence as blood spatters and
bullet holes. 
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6. Once the walk through is completed, the
scene should be documented with
videotape, photographs, and/or sketches. 
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III. FIVE BASIC FUNCTIONS OR TASKS OF CRIME SCENE
PROCESSING A. Interview the first step in
processing a crime scene. 
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1. The crime scene technician must interview
the first officer at the scene or the victim to
ascertain the "theory" of the case.
a. What allegedly happened? b. What crime took
place? c. How was the crime committed? 
2. This information will give the crime scene
investigator a base from which to start.
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B. Examine the crime scene the second step in
the protocol. 1. To ascertain if the
"theory" of the case is substantiated by what
the crime scene investigator observes.
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2. Examining the scene to identify possible
items of evidentiary nature.   3. To
identify point of entry and point of exit. 
4. To get the general layout of the crime
scene. 
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C. Photograph the crime scene the third step
in the protocol. 1. Photographing the
crime scene to record a pictorial
view. a. Provides a record of what the
scene looks like. b. Visual record of
possible evidence.
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2. Crime scene photographs are generally
taken in two categories a. Overall views of
the scene. b. Items of evidence found at
the scene.  
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D. Sketch the crime scene the fourth step in
the protocol.   1. A rough sketch should be
completed by the crime scene investigator.
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2. A crime scene sketch may not need to be
completed on every case.
a. This provides a visual record of the
layout of the crime scene. b. It can be
used to identify the exact position of
evidence within the crime scene at a later
date.
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E. Process the crime scene the last step in
the protocol. 1. The crime scene
investigator will process the crime scene
for both physical and testimonial evidence.
 
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a. It is the investigators responsibility
to identify, evaluate and collect physical
evidence from the crime scene.
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IV. COLLECTION PROCESS AND PROPER HANDLING OF
EVIDENCE.  A. After the crime scene has
been thoroughly documented and the
locations where evidence was found has been
noted the collection process begins.  
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1. The collection process will usually start
with the collection of the most fragile or most
easily lost evidence. a. Special
consideration can also be given to any
evidence or objects which need to be moved.
 
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2. Collection can then continue along the crime
scene trail or in some other logical manner.
 3. Most items of evidence will be collected
in paper containers such as packets, envelopes,
and bags. a. Liquid items can be
transported in non- breakable, leak
proof containers.  
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4. Arson evidence is usually collected in
air-tight, clean metal cans. a. Only large
quantities of dry powder should be collected
and stored in plastic bags.
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5. Moist or wet evidence (blood, plants,
etc.) from a crime scene can be collected in
plastic containers at the scene.
a. Transported in this manner to prevent
contamination of other evidence. b. The
storage time in plastic is two hours or
less.
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c. Once in a secure location, wet evidence,
whether packaged in plastic or paper, must be
removed and allowed to completely air
dry. (1) When dry evidence may be
repackaged in a new, dry paper container.  
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d. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD EVIDENCE
CONTAINING MOISTURE BE PACKAGED IN PLASTIC OR
PAPER CONTAINERS FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS.
(1) Moisture allows the growth of
microorganisms that can destroy or alter
evidence.
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6. Any items which may cross contaminate each
other must be packaged separately.
a. Containers should be closed and
secured to prevent the mixture of
evidence during transportation.  
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(1) Each container should have (a) the
collecting person's initials (b) the
date and time it was collected
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(c) a complete description of the evidence
(d) where it was found (e) the
investigating agency's name and the case file
number. 
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B. Each type of evidence has a specific value
in an investigation.   1. The value of
evidence should be kept in mind by the
investigator when doing a crime scene
investigation.
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a. When investigating a crime more time would
be spent on collecting good fingerprints than
trying to find fibers left by a suspect's
clothing. (1) The reason is that fingerprints
can positively identify a person as having
been at the scene of a crime.
(2) Fibers could have come from anyone
wearing clothes made out of the same material.
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2. Obvious or numerous fibers found at the
point of entry, or on a victim's body, etc.,
should be collected in case no fingerprints
of value are found.
3. It is wise to collect more evidence at
a crime scene than not to collect enough
evidence.
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V. PROPER TAGGING AND LABELING OF INDIVIDUAL
PIECES OF EVIDENCE FOR LATER IDENTIFICATION
  A. The primary purpose in tagging and
marking Items of evidence is to be able to
easily identify those items at a later date
in court.
Off Jim SalyerID 35624DATE 5/2/07
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1. The tagging, labeling and marking of
the evidence adds credibility and control to
the ability of identifying the item.
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B. Chain of custody is the important chain of
possession for the evidence collected at a crime
scene.  1. It usually starts with the
collection done by the investigator.
2. The marking and labeling begins control
and custody of the items of evidence.
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C. Chain of custody is defined as the
witnessed, written record of all of the
individuals who maintained unbroken control
over the items of evidence. 1. It establishes
the proof that the items of evidence
collected at the crime scene are the same
evidence being presented in a court of
law. 
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D. Chain of custody establishes  1. who
had contact with the evidence,   2. the
date and time the evidence was handled,  
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3. the circumstances for the evidence
being handled,   4. what changes, if any,
were made in the evidence.
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VI. INFORMATION THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED ON
EVIDENCE TAGS. A. All evidence collected at the
crime scene should be tagged.   1. If the
item cannot be tagged then it should
be labeled or marked.
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2. Consistency should always be adhered to in
the information that is used for marking and
labeling the evidence. a. Include a
description of the evidence collected. b. Inc
lude the police case number.
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c. The date the evidence was collected.
d. List the location where the evidence was
found. e. Include the name of the person and
agency of the person who collected the
evidence. f. List the brand name and any
serial number or garment information.
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B. Properly marking and labeling evidence
packages  1. The information recorded on
the outside of the evidence package is
just as important as information recorded on
each piece of evidence.   
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  2. Information similar to that which is used
to tag the individual pieces of evidence should
be marked on the outside of the packaging
mediums.   a. The type of case involved.
b. The date evidence was collected.
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c. The location where the evidence was
collected. d. Description of item(s) in the
package. e. The police case number or
identifier.
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f. The serial number or garment
identifier. g. Collector's name and
identifier information. h. Where the
item is being routed to for analysis.   
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this concludes Protection and
Collection of Evidence
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