Crime scene Essay

Review Questions 1. What is physical evidence? Provide at least three examples in your answer. Physical evidence is anything that can establish a crime that has happened and anything that links the crime and the criminal. Physical evidence might include objects like weapons, fibers and hair. 2. Describe three ways that a crime scene can be recorded. What is a benefit of each? Photography can show crime scenes at wide angles and can be taken at different vantage points. Drawings can show the location of evidence and contain accurate accounts of the distances. Notes contain description of the crime scene and location of evidence. 3. What is a chain of custody? Why is it important? Chain of custody is a list of persons who had possession of the evidence during the crime investigation. Chain of custody is important because it shows who has access to the evidence and indicates that it has been in the possession of law enforcement. 4. What three types of photographs are taken at crime scenes? Describe each type? Overview Photographs are taken at different points to show any entries and exits to the crime scene. Intermediate Photographs helps to show the evidence in relation to other objects in the room. Close up Photographs are taken to help record specific details that may not b picked up by photographs taken from longer ranges. 5. Why is it important to record the crime scene? It is important to record crime scenes because it helps to create a chain of custody showing what is present at the scene and its location as well as over all location. Critical Thinking Questions 1. Why is it important to secure the crime scene? What do you think would be the most difficult part of doing this? The main reason is that has the potential for contaminating or destroying evidence even if they don’t mean to do so. The most difficult part about this is reporters, civilians and family getting in the way. 2. What type of recording do you think would be the most useful to crime investigators? Why? Videography would be a useful recording tool in a investigation because of recording and the visual elements of the scene. 3. What do you think would be the best method of submitting evidence to a crime lab? Why? 4. What type of evidence do you think would be most difficult to collect? Why? Trace evidence would be difficult to find because its small ad not easily seen. 5. What does the Fourth Amendment protect against? Do you agree with these restrictions on collecting evidence? Why or why not? The fourth Amendment protects individuals from unreasonable searches & seizures agree with the restrictions because it has to be in plane site or have probable cause.