Do Now: Observation v. Inference

Provide 5 observations and 5 Inferences

Chapter 2Chapter 2““One chance to work a One chance to work a crime scene... ONE.”crime scene... ONE.”

Eyewitness Testimony

Faulty eyewitness testimony contributed up to 87% of wrongful convictions.

-1992 Innocence project

Observation v. Inference

Provide 5 observations

Observation v. Inference

Provide 5 observations

How information is processed in the brain

Observations Inferences Perception is limited and the way we view

Long term

memory

Short Term

memoryPerception

What WePay

Attention to

Infofrom our

senses

#1

#2

#3.

What do you notice?

Transparency On Perception video

#4

Why can Perceptions of witnesses be faulty?

Perception is Subjective Prejudicial Emotional state

Upset/anxiety, happy or depressed

Fear at the time of stress How humans are wired

Perception test video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udxOFMU46Lc&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=tDObotwpOPQ&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

Perception test video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=tDObotwpOPQ&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

Ugly to beauty video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAnRQncZ_uk&NR=1&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

How to be a good observer We know that we:

1. NOT inclined to pay attention to details Make a conscious effort to examine

systematically

2. Filter out unimportant material Instead cat like data gathering machines

3. Jump to conclusions We must make observations

4. Memories are faulty Documentation is paramount,

Narrative, Photographs, Sketches

4.

A. Processing the Crime scene:-What is a Crime Scene?

• All areas over which the victim, criminal and eyewitness move during the commission of a crime.

• Pathways to and from.

• The physical location at which an offense was committed; to include lines of approach and flight.

• The area of the crime scene can be relatively small or very large.

Events while approaching the scene

Securing and preserving the scene Search and collection

What is the ultimate goal of the CSI team?

The goal of an investigator is to:1. Recognize2. Document3. Collect evidence at the scene of a

crime

Remember Locard’s Exchange Principle?

It is impossible for a perpetrator to commit a crime without leaving or taking something at or from the scene of a crime.

The Seven S’s of crime-scene investigation

1. Securing the scene

2. Separating the witnesses

3. Scanning the scene

4. Seeing the scene

5. Sketching the scene, (documenting)

6. Searching for evidence

7. Securing & Collecting evidence

Kurt Cobain

Facts about Kurt Cobain's death Found April 8th 1994 dead in his home in

Seattle Washington on the second story of his garage (green house)

Shotgun wound to the head. face was still intact contrary to popular belief 3 times the lethal dose of heroin in his blood stream no finger prints on the gun, suicide note, or shell

casing [as if they had bin wiped clean]

TheCrimeScene

Tom Grant's sketch of the scene

Objective: Identify The Seven S’s of crime-scene investigation found within your narrative

1. Securing the scene

2. Separating the witnesses

3. Scanning the scene

4. Seeing the scene

5. Sketching the scene

6. Searching for evidence

7. Securing & Collecting evidence

Anything wrong in the excerpt from the Follow Up Report?

Obvious trauma to his head. There is a Remington m-11 20 gauge shotgun between the victim’s legs with the barrel pointed towards his head and his left hand wrapped around the barrel. The shotgun is inverted with the trigger and magazine trap door pointing up. The barrel end is just above his beltline. There is a sent 20 gauge shell casing on top of a brown corduroy jacket which is on top of a beige nylon shotgun case. These are just to the left of the victim and under one of the stainless steel garden trays.

Excerpt from the Follow Up Report

Remington m-11 20 gauge shotgun

The inverted shotgun distinguishing the orientation that relates to the scene diagram

Total length 45 in

Greenhouse door

Inside the Greenhouse

The stool police claim Kurt used to "barricade" himself in the room

greenhouse lock used to back up the story that Kurt "barricaded" himself in the Greenhouse

Suicide Note

IMMEDIATE AND/OR MAJOR GOALS (OBJECTIVES)

      Collection of physical evidence -record Chain of Custody      Establish that a crime has been committed

(corpus delicti _ elements of the crime)

      Reconstruction of the crime      Identification / Link suspect to the crime

scene      Establish probable cause

Physical Evidence

Any object that can establish a crime has been committed

can provide a link between a crime and its victim or

between a crime and it’s perpetrator Direct vs. circumstantial Physical vs. biological Class vs. Individual

Trace

Comparison:Two types of characteristics

Class characteristics: Substances can be associated with a group but

not individual source Blood types: use factors in blood These can ID suspects at a crime scene

Individual characteristics: Substances that are related at almost 100%

probability Fingerprints are 1x1060 that 2 peoples are the

same

The Crime Scene Investigation team

1. Police officers: first arrival, DA if warrant was needed

2. CSi: document the scene +collect evidence, recorders for: photograph, narrative, sketch Evidence collectors

3. Medical examiner/ coroner Detectives: interview witnesses

4. Specialists: specialized forensic specialists Entomology, serology, anthropology

Secure and Isolate the Crime Secure and Isolate the Crime SceneScene

  There are three phases of crime scene management. Initial Notification and Response Securing, Searching the crime Scene and Documenting Disposition

These three phases can be identified in 16 basic steps.

Crime scene search case lawCrime scene search case law

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS:Ability to identify each item of evidenceDescribe exact location of evidenceReconstruct crime sceneMaintain chain of custodyExplain any changes that might have occurred between the collection and preservation of the evidence.

Objective: Role Responsibilities

Please assign a minimum of three Responsibilities to each member your team.

1. 1st Officer (+facilitator)

2. Recorder

3. Photographer

4. Sketch Artist

5. Narrative

6. Evidence Collectors

http://www.thebonecollector.com/home.html

“The Bone Collector”

If at anytime you feel threatened or uncomfortable, feel free to close your eyes! If you feel this approach will not work not you, you may sit in the hallway,

Absolutely ALL alone where the murder may still be!

2. Record the scene

• The opportunity to permanently record the scene in it’s original state must not be lost.

1. Photography2. Sketches3. Notes

Record the scene: Photography

• Conducted before anything else is done to the crime scene.

• Crime scene photographs can: • Refresh the memories of investigators and

witnesses • Provide powerful evidence to a jury

• Details positions and locations of evidence

• The crime scene and all physical evidence should be photographed from all angles.

• Videotaping of the crime scene is acceptable, not a replacement for 35mm

Record the scene: Photography

Cardinal Rules of Photography

1. Nothing moves until it is photographed!2. Film is cheap -- you can't take too many crime

scene photographs.

Once the scene has been photographed, the investigator will need to sketch the crime

Record the scene: Sketches

• The Four Keys to Crime Scene Sketch1. Dimension2. Distance3. Context4. Relationship Among Items of

Evidence

* Record the exact location and relationship of pieces of evidence to surroundings.

* Refresh the memory of the investigator.* Provide permanent record of conditions not

easily recorded.* Assist prosecutor, judge, and jury to

understand conditions at the crime scene.* Help in questioning suspects and witness.* Plan raids and roadblocks.* Help correlate testimony of witnesses.* Eliminate unnecessary and confusing details.

Purposes of Sketch

Record the scene: Rough Sketches

Record the scene: Final Sketches

Systematic searches

Need to be done so that no accusations of a cover up arise or overlook of evidence

Need one person in control to coordinate collection of evidence

Four main types Spiral Strip or Line Grid quadrant

Four main types

Spiral Strip or Line

Grid quadrant

Four main types

Spiral Strip or Line

Grid quadrant

Mobile crime scene laboratories

Protect the scene, photograph, evidence collection and packaging, latent fingerprinting.

Microscopic or Undetectable at the scene Ex. Hair, blood, fibers from clothes, Fabric

impressions, traces of paint

DO NOT carry out the functions of a chemical lab Crime scene search vehicles

Vacuum Sweeping

Critical areas of a crime scenes should be vacuumed and swept.*Looking for

traces evidence.

Collect and Package Physical Evidence Crime scene safety ALWAYS a concern!

Hepatitis, HIV, AIDS, Bio-hazardous pathogens Use forceps, doubled gloves, tyvek or kleengard

type suits NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THEN:

The chain of custody A record denoting the location of the evidence

Maintain Chain of Custody

A list of all persons who came into possession of an item of evidence. List provides:

DateLocation of evidenceId # Collectors initialsPersons who handled or examined

Collect and Package Physical Evidence

Must be handled and processed in a way that prevents ANY change, between the time it is removed and the time it is received by the crime scene lab. Contamination, breakage, evaporation,

scratching, bending, LOSS Evidence should be collected intact

Collect and Package Physical Evidence

Must be organized: Packaged separately in:

Plastic pill bottlesManila envelopes Screw top glass vialsCardboard

Mailing envelopes not recommended

•Please have ready your Please have ready your crime scene reportscrime scene reports

Obtain Standards/Reference Samples

Standards/reference: Physical evidence whose origin is known, blood, hair, DNA

Buccal Swab: swab of inner portion of cheek, for cheek cells DNA profile or blood

Substrate Control: uncontaminated surface material close to an area where physical evidence has been deposited.

Obtain Standards/Reference Samples

DNA profile

Crime Scene Admissibility

Michigan v. CliffordMichigan v. TylerMincey v. Arizona

Crime Scene Admissibility

Michigan v. Clifford -Investigators searched an arson fire scene five hours after the fire was put out, withoutconsent or warrant. Incriminating evidence was recovered and used in the conviction.The US Supreme Court reversed the decision citing the need for a warrant five hoursafter the fire was put out.

Crime Scene Admissibility

Michigan v. Tyler -Arson investigators conducted three separate searches of a fire scene. The first was oneand one-half hours after the fire, but dense smoke caused the search to wait until fourhours later (the second search). The third search was weeks later. Evidence from the firsttwo searches was held admissible, but evidence from the third search was excluded.

Crime Scene Admissibility Mincey v. Arizona – investigating the shooting death of an undercover police officer in the residence of the suspect. * The police established a crime scene, conducted a thorough search of the scene and found evidence of other crimes. ** The police charged the suspect with those crimes as well and the court rejected it. *** The court recognized the need of the police to control the situation upon their arrival, and the need to establish a crime scene. But as soon as there was no more danger of evidence loss, removal or destruction, there was ample time to obtain a search warrant, particularly when evidence of other crimes was inadvertently discovered.

What is a Crime Scene?

What is a Crime Scene?

What is a Crime Scene?

What is a Crime Scene?

Lack of evidence IS evidence. •No scratches on the arms, defense wounds, could be evidence of suicide. •Must prove intent, to prove suicide.

WHAT HAPPENED HERE?

Pictures pagePictures page

Major stages in crime scene processing, (Initial and response)

1) Receive call and make initial response

2) Make careful approach to crime some

3) Establish control/jurisdiction

Major stages in crime scene processing, (Initial and response)

1) Receive call and make initial response

2) Make careful approach to crime some

3) Establish control/jurisdiction

16 STEPS (Secure, Document and Search)

4) Secure and protect, 1st officer

5) Establish/confirm crime scene perimeter, 5) Establish/confirm crime scene perimeter, assisted by multiple officersassisted by multiple officers

6) Conduct preliminary survey6) Conduct preliminary survey

7) Write narrative description

8) Photograph crime scene

9) Sketch crime scene

6) Conduct preliminary survey**6) Conduct preliminary survey**

First responding investigator should note: Who made the notification? What time did the 1st officer arrive How long did that take? “arrival lag” Weather conditions, visibility Persons on scene, at, left, or passed through Who facts ascertained by first officers Observations of “key items of evidence” Takes responsibility form officers from the scene

16 STEPS (Secure, Document and Search)

10) Evaluate for latent impressions

11) Evaluate physical evidence

12) Conduct detailed examination

13) Collect, record, mark, and preserve evidence

14) Conduct final survey of scene

15) Review documentation and process

16 STEPS IN CRIME SCENE PROCESS, (disposition)

16) Release and/or secure the scene