Processing a Crime Scene Essay -- Crime Scene Investigation

There are several steps that need to be taken in order to process a crime scene. Some of the steps include: securing the scene, a detailed search, documenting the crime scene, collecting and preserving evidence, and finally releasing the scene. All of the following steps are crucial to avoid any possible contamination or otherwise compromise the scene before it can be released. Few, if any additional opportunities exist when processing a crime scene, so the first time is most pertinent. First responders play a crucial role in the establishment of a crime scene. Upon arriving at the scene, the first responders have checked for living victims and have rendered aid. It’s important to create a perimeter around the crime scene (this can be altered if additional evidence is found outside the initial crime scene). Only emergency personnel should enter and exit from the central entry point to control contamination, by creating an exit point; it helps avoid any excessive traffic through the crime scene. By secure the scene to ensure that no evidence is misplaced or damaged, or otherwise compromised. Do a cursory check of the crime scene to obtain any transient evidence and secure any weapons found at the scene (in this case it was already at the scene with the suspect). Crime scene analysts and investigators communicate with first responders and are quickly briefed on the situation, and now a more thorough search can be conducted. A scene search is necessary to find evidence such as shell casings, biological evidence etc. At the time, a more detailed, extensive search will begin. Investigators have made their initial notations of the scene and created their hypothesis of the crime. The survey is an organizational stage to plan ... ...ditional visits to the crime scene could cause a compromise if entered into evidence at trial. Works Cited Gaensslen, R. E., Harris, H A., & Lee, H. (2008). Introduction to Forensic Science and Criminalistics. New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. . National Institute of Justice (2004, June). Crime Scene Investigation: A Reference for Law Enforcement Training. Retrieved June 3, 2011, from http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/200160.pdf Razzaq, N. Z. (2008). Visual Documentation in Crime Scene Investigations. Retrieved June 3, 2011, from http://policelink.monster.com/training/articles/17221-visual-documentation-in-crime-scene-investigations Technical Working Group on Crime Scene Investigation (2000, January). Crime Scene Invesitgation: A Guide for Law Enforcement. Retrieved May 26, 2011, from http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/178280.pdf