Mark Ball - Burglary
Importance of Crime
Scene Processing
1. Criminal cases can be won or
lost at the scene of the crime
2.The heart of a successful
prosecution is in a careful,
accurate, thorough
investigation and gathering of
evidence
3.Evidence must be obtained
legally in a way which can be
used in a courtroom
Importance of Crime
Scene Processing
4.
Anything found at the crime
scene should be considered evidence
until you determine otherwise
5.
The investigation of almost every
crime employs similar steps in order
to prevent mistakes
6.
Every police officer should
become familiar with good
investigative techniques
Purpose of Investigation
1. The primary purpose of any
type investigation is to gather
information and evidence
2. Evidence consists of all means
by which an alleged fact is
proven or disproven
3. Never touch, move, or alter
anything until it has been
identified and photographed
Protection of the Crime
Scene
1. The chain of custody is important
2. It allows an officer to explain and
document what has happened to
evidence from the time it was
discovered until its presentation in court
3. Avoid unnecessary number of people
in chain of custody
4. Every item must be considered as
potential evidence
5. It is better to have “too much” than
not enough
First Responder
Responsibilities
1. Initial receipt of information-record
a. Date and time
b. Method of transmission
1. Radio call
2. Telephone
3. Bystander
4. Pager/Cell
First Responder
Responsibilities
c. Identity of person giving information
d. Weather conditions
e. Location of dispatch
f. Brief details ???
2. Scene arrival
a. Record exact location
b. Record exact time of arrival
c. Record description of scene and
surroundings
First Responder
Responsibilities
d. Weather/temperature conditions
e. Lighting conditions
f. Be cognizant of others present at
the scene:
1. Police personnel
2. Non-police personnel
3. Suspects may linger as
well as witnesses
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
FIRST RESPONDER TO A CRIME SCENE:
• ASSIST THE VICTIM
• PROTECT THE CRIME SCENE
• DENY ADMISSION TO
UNAUTHORIZED PERSONNEL
• RESTRICT OR DENY MOVEMENT OF
WITNESSES OR SUSPECTS SO AS TO
PREVENT POSSIBLE
CONTAMINATION/DESTRUCTION OF
EVIDENCE
• APPREHEND THE OFFENDER
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
OF THE FIRST RESPONDER
1. Assist the victim
Protection of life takes precedence and
when necessary, assist giving aid on
the scene
2. Protect the crime scene
Implement strict security measures
a. Rope or tape off area
b. Assignment of officers to posts
c. Restrict or deny admission to wellintended relatives or friends
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
OF THE FIRST RESPONDER
3. Deny admission to unauthorized
personnel
a. Neighbors
b. News media personnel
c. Curious law enforcement officers
not assigned to the investigation
4. Restrict or deny movement of
witnesses or suspects so as to prevent
possible contamination/destruction of
evidence
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
OF THE FIRST RESPONDER
5. Apprehend the offender
a. Make immediate apprehension
if offender is still on scene
b. Initiate broadcast of offender if
not on scene
c. If offender has been injured,
have other police officers check
local hospitals for possible
treatment
INDOOR CRIME SCENE
SEARCH
1. Type of search plan is determined by:
a. Number of personnel involved
b. Size of area
c. Contents of the area
2. Remember to use your imagination, do
not overlook anything. Look up!
3. Keep possession of scene as long as it
takes to complete investigation-May
need to leave a police officer to guard or
obtain a search warrant
OUTDOOR CRIME SCENE
SEARCH
1. Rope or tape off
2. Divide into segments if
a large area
3. May become
necessary to go over
several times
FIVE CRIME SCENE SEARCH
PATTERNS
1. STRIP
METHOD
2. GRID
METHOD
3. SPIRAL
METHOD
4. ZONE
METHOD
5. WHEEL
METHOD
STRIP
GRID
SPIRAL
ZONE
WHEEL
THREE MAJOR TYPES OF
EVIDENCE
• Direct Evidence
• Indirect Evidence
• Real Evidence
THREE MAJOR TYPES OF
EVIDENCE
1.
DIRECT EVIDENCE
a. Evidence which is a fact all by itself
b. It stands on its own two feet and
without any other explanation, proves
the point
2. INDIRECT EVIDENCE
a. Also known as circumstantial evidence
b. It is that evidence that, in itself, does
not directly prove the fact in issue but
establishes a certain fact or series of
facts which tend to prove certain
elements of the case or question
THREE MAJOR TYPES OF
EVIDENCE
3.
REAL EVIDENCE
a. Sometimes called demonstrative
evidence
b. Real evidence speaks for itself,
except for identifying the object
and establishing its connection
with the crime, it tells
its own story
Corpus Delicti
1.
One of the most important rules of
evidence in criminal cases is that which
requires proof of Corpus Delicti (Body of
the Crime)
2.
This is the substance or foundation of a
crime
3.
The substantial act that a crime has
been committed
4.
Made up of two elements
a. A certain result has been produced, i.e.
1. A man has died
2. A building has been burned
b. A person is criminally responsible for the
act
THREE TYPES OF
FINGERPRINT PATTERNS
1.ARCHES
2.LOOPS
3.WHORLS
THREE TYPES OF
FINGERPRINT PATTERNS
1. ARCHES
a. Plain arch
b. Tented arch
SPO #4
THREE TYPES OF
FINGERPRINT PATTERNS
2. LOOPS
a. Radial loops
b. Ulnar loops
SPO #4
THREE TYPES OF
FINGERPRINT PATTERNS
3. WHORLS
a. Plain whorl
b. Central pocket loop
c. Double loop
d. Accidental whorl
SPO #4
THREE POSSIBLE FORMS OF
FINGERPRINT IMPRESSIONS AN
OFFICER MAY ENCOUNTER AT A
CRIME SCENE:
• LATENT OR INVISIBLE
IMPRESSIONS
• VISIBLE IMPRESSIONS
• PLASTIC IMPRESSIONS
THREE POSSIBLE FORMS
FINGERPRINT IMPRESSIONS
AN OFFICER MAY ENCOUNTER
AT A CRIME SCENE SPO #5
1. Latent or invisible impressions
deposited by natural body
secretions on the:
 Hands
 Fingers
 Feet
THREE POSSIBLE FORMS
FINGERPRINT IMPRESSIONS
AN OFFICER MAY ENCOUNTER
AT A CRIME SCENE SPO #5
2. Visible impressions
 Made by a finger
coated with a foreign
substance such as
blood or grease
 The contaminant is
transferred to the
surface touched
THREE POSSIBLE FORMS
FINGERPRINT IMPRESSIONS
AN OFFICER MAY ENCOUNTER
AT A CRIME SCENE SPO #5
3. Plastic impressions
Patterns found
impressed into a
soft surface such
as soap, butter,
putty, semi-dry
paint, wax or tar
TWO FACTORS WHICH
DETERMINE THE CHOICE
OF FINGERPRINT POWDER
1. Adherence
2. Color
THREE TYPES OF
FINGERPRINT POWDER
USED TO ENHANCE LATENT
FINGERPRINTS
1. Oxide powder
2. Metallic
powder
3. Magnetic
powder
Competency to testify
1. Person of unsound mind
2. Children under 10 years of age who appear
incapable of judging right from wrong
3. A spouse testifying against the other
spouse charged with a crime
4. A person who has been convicted of perjury
5. An officer while on duty for exclusive
purpose of enforcing traffic laws or
assisting in enforcement/arrest, who was
not in a properly marked vehicle or wearing
the distinctive uniform as defined by state
law
UNDULY PREJUDICIAL
EVIDENCE
1. Unduly prejudicial evidence: items
which may be relevant but the effect of
which would be to shock, confuse or
mislead the jury or appeal to their
sympathies or prejudices, i.e.,
a. Gruesome crime scene photographs
b. Torn, bloody clothing
c. Questions to a witness directed
toward his/her religious, personal or
social background
HEARSAY RULE
1. HEARSAY RULE - A STATEMENT
MADE OUT OF COURT AND OFFERED
IN COURT TO PROVE THE TRUTH OF
THE SUBJECT MATTER IN THE
STATEMENT
2. THE DECLARANT - THE PERSON
WHO MAKES A STATEMENT
Judicial Notice
Rule #201
1. Facts which are admitted as
evidence without being subjected to
proof, i.e.:
a. Geographic boundaries
b. Rising and setting of sun on certain
days
c. Direction in which earth rotates
2. Usually, a prosecutor or defense
counsel will stipulate this type of
evidence so as not to delay the
proceedings
Ohio Rule #702
Testimony by experts: If scientific or
technical knowledge will assist trier
of the fact to understand the
evidence or fact at issue, a witness
qualified as an expert due to skill,
experience, knowledge,
training/education may testify to the
subject matter at hand in the form of
an opinion