SITUATION
Scene is secure
 Preliminary photography complete
 Rough sketch made
 Search method decided
 Assignments made
 Search ready to begin

CRIME SCENE SEARCH
After scene has been secured and recorded
THE SEARCH
To obtain physical evidence
 Not confined to area of crime itself

◦ May include approach and line of flight
Definite plans must be made
 Must know what to look for and where

THE SEARCH

Physical evidence may
◦ Determine facts of crime
◦ Identify the criminal
◦ Aid in the arrest and conviction of the
criminal
THE SEARCH
Must be undertaken with determination
and alertness
 No room for defeatist attitude
 No room for light-hearted attitude
 May be unpleasant
 Insignificant items may prove very
important

CRIME SCENE SEARCH
Must be thorough and systematic
 How to search depends on several
factors (locale, size, actions of persons)
 One person should be in control
 What to search for determined by crime
 As general rule fragile items first

SEARCH
Systematic search of scene conducted
 Type of search pattern may depend on
scene
 Be careful not to destroy evidence while
searching (walking about)
 Night time searches problem (put off till
day if possible)

search

Types of searches
◦
◦
◦
◦

Spiral
Strip
Grid
Zone
Be organized – Search everything
THE SEARCH
Search method must support what the
search is intended to accomplish: A
comprehensive accumulation within a
reasonable period of time of all available
physical evidence
 Should economize on movement and
avoid unnecessary disturbance

GENERAL METHODS
Evidence that is being significantly
deteriorated by time or elements has first
priority
 Major items are collected in order that is
most logical
 When deceased individual process area
between entry and body

General Methods
After processing obvious search for trace
material before dusting
 After trace removed process for latents
 Elimination prints and evidence standards
are collected last

OUTDOOR SCENES
Nature of site will influence types of
materials collected
 Fingerprints less frequent
 Recording more difficuld due to fewer
reference points
 Consider route to be taken to focal point

OUTDOOR SCENES
Almost all evidence on ground (easy to
overlook or step on
 Approach from route least likely to have
been used by suspect

◦ Examine vegetation for damage

Area under body should be given
attention
OUTDOOR SCENES
Careful search for tire or foot
impressions
 Soil samples collected from area of
impressions
 Broken limbs or twigs should be
examined carefully (trace)
 Is blood or semen suspected to be mixed
with soil

VEHICLE SEARCHES
Carefully planned
 Nature of case will dictate details
 Hit-and-run cases outside and
undercarriage examined carefully
 Homicide and other all areas of vehicle
should be considered

VEHICLE SEARCHES
Exterior searched first
 Look for broken or damaged areas
 Cloth impressions
 Trace (hair, fiber, fabric) clinging to car
 Last on outside fingerprint

VEHICLE SEARCH

Interior of vehicle
◦ Generally divided into five major areas
 Rt front, Lt front, rt back, lt back, back deck)
◦
◦
◦
◦
May divide floor from seat from instrument
Vacuum floor areas first
Seats swept next
Fingerprint interior next
VEHICLE SEARCH

Interior
◦ Search for hidden items inside vehicle
 Drugs, weapons, loot
◦ Trunk searched same way as interior
 (swept, fingerprints, hidden items)
◦ Under hood (usually not productive)
 Could have concealed tools, weapons, or drugs)
SEARCH OF VICTIM
Usually very limited
 May be only observation of dress
 If injured collection may be at hospital
 If deceased collection at medical
examiners office

EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Flashlight
 Containers
 Waterproof pens
 Metal Scribe
 Razor Blades
 Gloves
 Tweezers

LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

Fourth Amendment
◦ The right of the people to be secure in their
persons, houses, papers, and effects, against
unreasonable searches and seizure, shall not
be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but
upon probable cause, supported by oath or
affirmation, and particularly describing the
place to be searched, and the person or thing
to be seized
LEGAL

Warrantless Search
◦ Emergency Circumstances
◦ Need to prevent immediate loss or
destruction of evidence
◦ Incident to a lawful arrest
◦ Consent search
LEGAL
Supreme court addressed issue of
warrantless searches at crime scene
 1978
 Two cases

◦ Mincey v. Arizona
 Homicide
◦ Michigan v. Tyler
 Arson
Mincy v. Arizona
Four day search at homicide scene
 Undercover police officer killed after
forcing entry into house to buy drugs
 Police raided and spent four days
searching (bullets, drugs, paraphernalia)

Mincy v. Arizona
Mincy convicted
 Appealed – evidence gathered without
warrant or consent
 Court unanimously upheld Mincy’s
position

Mincy v. Arizona
Police may make warrantless entry to homicide
scene to see if other victims or suspect still
on premises
No exigent circumstances
No indication evidence would be lost or
destroyed
Mincy v. Arizona
Police had a guard at apartment
Warrant could have been easily and
conveniently obtained
Seriousness of the offence does not create
exigent circumstances
Michigan v. Tyler
Business destroyed by fire
 Fire extinguished in early morning
 Smoke, steam and darkness prevented
examination of scene
 Building left unattended until 8:00 am

Michigan v. Tyler
Officials returned at 8:00 am and
searched and removed evidence
 Returned 4, 7, and 25 days later, searched
and removed evidence
 Each search without warrant or consent

Michigan v. Tyler
Tyler convicted of arson
 Court reversed conviction
 Initial search proper but additional entries
inadmissible

LEGAL

Message of Supreme Court
◦ When time and circumstances permit - obtain
a search warrant.
EVIDENCE DEPOSITORIES
PHYSICALLY SECURE
 CAPACITY LARGE ENOUGH
 SHELVES TO ALLOW FOR SEPARATION
