Crime Scene Invesigation

Have you ever watched CSI, Crossing Jordan, and the ever popular but old show Sherlock Holms? You may have seen these shows, what is Crime Scene Investigation you may ask is, well I have an answer for you. It is the investigation of a crime scene involving a violent death or murder. Some crime scenes can involve natural causes, but the police will never know till they do an in-depth and extensive look into what happened. All of this requires the expertise of certain specialists and this can require other people for an outside opinion. Among the thousands of calls answered every year by emergency response teams, police and fire rescue teams, there are a number of them that are beyond medical treatment. Remember to always to put on your PPE (personal protection equipment)

The investigation of violent, sudden, suspicious, and unexpected and many other unexplained and medical deaths will determine whether the death was accidental or intentional. The investigators can also determine what kind of weapon was used or if the criminal used excessive force. Crime scene investigation consists of many different people such as, forensic pathologist, toxicologist, photographer, criminologist, and last but not least a forensic scientist. All of these titles have an equally important task, one job is no more important than the other. These people are not here to point finger to who they think did the crime but to look at the evidence and let that speak for them. These people can also place a time of death and if the evidence matches the crime scene. In this paper I will attempt to explain to you what each title of crime scene investigator. I really believe that this will help you understand that these people have a very crucial and important job to do. I think that having a better understanding about these jobs will help you give these people a little more respect and credit that they deserve. I know that after writing this paper I will definitely give these people the respect that they deserve. The television makes these shows look a little too easy.

Processing a crime scene requires a scientific method, because you have to reconstruct the events of the crime criminal or otherwise. Some crime scene evidence is timely which means, it only can be captured by the person who first arrives at the crime scene. What I mean by that is the smell of a burning cigarette, condensation on a bathroom mirror, or even the hood of a car that is warm. This type of evidence must be noted by the first officer called on to the scene, because it could be crucial to the case. The job of the first officer is to get a detailed statement from any neighbors or any one that might have seen what have happened. If someone called 911, it is there job to talk to that person and find out what they were doing and what they saw. This person must also block of the crime scene with crime scene tape. I know everyone has seen it; it’s yellow and has “DO NOT CROSS POLICE LINE”. I think all of us wanted to own some of this at one point just to say that we have some. It is better for the first officer to make the crime scene bigger then where the body lays, so that way the evidence does not get disturbed. The First arriving officer must also start a log of all who enter the crime scene, and to keep it simple, less in the crime scene the better. You should only let people in with a badge, you might have a raging mother or father, or even a spouse wanting to see their loved one but it is best to keep them out, for the sake of not disturbing fragile and fleeting evidence.

When the investigators arrive on scene, the first arriving officer should give them a detail description of what they saw and if there were any witnesses and what they said they saw. For the sake of less typing let’s just abbreviate crime scene investigator to CSI which can also be called a DI or a Death Investigator. It is the job of a CSI to collect evidence in all its form and all its entirety, and if need be a forensic scientist can be called on scene to collect appropriate evidence to be able to determine the circumstances at the scene, and the events that might have occurred. The scientist or the CSI team may be able to reconstruct exactly what happened at the scene, of good evidence is collected. A good sweep though the first time though, is the best way to get the job done. When I was in the Navy, the officers and all of the others above me on rank always used to say to me “Pay attention to detail”.

Location of a crime scene may not always have easy access, but who says that this job is easy just imagine what the victim went through to get to that point. The only time