Crime SceneReconstruction Assignment

Group Roles

1. Lead Investigator 6. Latent Print Examiner

2. Photographer 7. Document Examiner

3. Sketch Person 8. Interview / Interrogator #1

4. Evidence Collector #1 9. Interview / Interrogator #2

5. Evidence Collector #2 10. Property Person

  1. Lead Investigator

Assumes the overall responsibility for the effectiveness of the work, gives directions, and delegates assignments. They are ultimately responsible for the following:

  1. Assessing the crime scene (walk thru) *do not touch
  2. Note Taking(Written documentation of the crime scene for the purpose of establishing an initial theory, delegating tasks, and constructing a final written report or reconstruction).
  3. Securing the crime scene. Determining the extent of the crime scene, using yellow tape to surround and protect, and logging any and all who enter the crime scene.
  4. Applying for subpoenas, search warrants, and arrest warrants
  5. Completing wound chart and crime scene sign in sheet.
  6. Creating blood spatter analysis and criminal profiling to aid in reconstruction
  7. Finalizing investigation by writing a final report and a binder with chronological order of investigative reports.
  1. Photographer

Takes the necessary photos of the crime scene as well as of each individual item of evidence as it is discovered. Photographing is done first before any other task is started, except for the initial walk thru. No one should be present in the shots and the aim of the pictures is with reconstruction in mind.

They are ultimately responsible for:

  1. The line of approach to and from the scene. Progression.
  2. Long Range Shot: revealing a significant, adjacent areas, such as the yard of the location in which the crime (homicide) occurred.
  3. Close-up photographs of the entrance and exit to the location used by the suspect or those most likely to have been used if these are not obvious.
  4. Mid-Range Shot: A general scenario photograph showing the location of the body and its position in relation to the room in which it is found.
  5. 5 positions shots of the victims body (optional 6th shot underneath the body).
  6. All blood stains or blood spatter
  7. (2) Close-up shot of all evidence collected. (1 with id tags, ruler, and tent / 1 without)
  8. Powerpoint presentation revealing the crime scene and subsequent investigation.

3 Sketch Person

The sketch compliments the photographs and notes taken during the search of the crime scene. It provides a floor plan of the location and the spatial relationship between objects where a photograph does not. The sketch person should eliminate, in their sketch, all objects not significant to the crime scene. A tape measure is used and graph paper if desired. Two methods are suggested, Triangulation for outdoors and the Rectangular Coordinate method for indoors. The rough draft is done at the crime scene and no changes should be made after leaving the crime scene. A finished drawing is completed from the draft and notes should have the following information:

  1. Rough draft
  2. Finished or “Smooth” Copy
  1. Completed in pen, without measurement from draft copy.
  2. Identify the North arrow and make a legend (letters for furniture / numbers for evidence)
  3. Label with victims name, date, location, sketch persons name, weather.
  4. Use plain white paper or graph (no notebook lined paper)
  5. Use the exploded method for blood stains on the walls.

4 /5. Evidence Collector

Although evidence collection is an integral part of the crime scene process, we will document the physical evidence but we will not collect it during our exercise. You must make a report for the lead investigator. This report will include a log or chart and to include evidence collected, specific location, how to collect it, where in the crime lab it will be sent, type of analysis to be conducted, and what you hope to get from that analysis (ex. Blood – blood type and/or DNA profile).

  1. Collect, initial, package, and voucher all evidence from the crime scene.
  2. Emphasis on proper packaging (any wet items should be air dried and packaged in paper)
  3. Prepare lab request forms and attached to each piece of evidence

6.Latent Print Examiner
Receive evidence to be processed in lab for latent prints. All evidence should be repackaged, sealed, and returned to the property person. Photographs should be taken before lifting any latents.

7.Document Examiner

Receive property from property person. Photocopy. Completed a watermark, indented writing, and .handwriting analysis. Forward original to the latent print examiner for processing

8/9. Interview and Interrogators

Receive leads from lead investigator and conduct interviews on the victims and witnesses. Use a notepad to take notes. Conduct an interrogation on suspects with Miranda Rights in mind. Miranda rights should be read from the form and signed by the suspect in custodial interrogation situations.

10. Property Person

Assist the evidence collectors in vouchering crime scene evidence. Attach a chain of custody form and initiate the chain of custody. Deliver evidence to proper lab section with lab request form attached. All evidence should be properly secured in a locked container.

The Final Exam will consist of the following parts:

  1. Multiple Choice Exam
  2. Individual: Each investigator will type a one page report detailing their participation in the investigation. Include key terms from your course study. The lead investigator will type up a few pages describing the investigation and will place each report chronologically in a binder. Describe the evidence, and follow-up investigation. In your report expand on the evidence you collected by describing the evidentiary value for the forensic scientist (Individualized v. class), the criminal investigator (corpus delecti, corroborative, etc), the prosecutor (direct v. circumstantial) and the connection made to the suspect. All notes, logs, and warrants should be appropriately placed in the binder.
  1. Group: A PowerPoint presentation saved on a CD-Rom will reveal the crime scene investigation and follow-up investigation in visual form.

Final Written Report – Should be at least 2 typed pages and include;

  1. All the names (first + last) of the members of your group and the tasks they performed.
  2. Theory
  3. Attach your “Discovery” materials such as, logs, charts, and handwritten notes.