Megan MaloneCRJU 235TR 12:30-1:4512-09-99Forensic Science Essay and InvestigationsThe word forensic basically means the key to solve a crime. Science is the technology used to help forensic teams to analyze and solve crimes. What can look obvious to the naked eye could actually be a whole other story. Hair samples can determine many things about a person or animal when collected from forensics.
There are many job opportunities with a good salary and many openings within the job. This paper will discuss a case where forensic science is needed and how crucial it is in any case. When arriving at the crime scene Geberth (1997) notes that there are certain procedures the investigators and forensic teams must abide by. When they arrive they have to document just about every thing, especially the important things. They have to go through a checklist, like the time of day, the weather, and interviews with officers, suspects, witnesses, and family members. When examining the body the forensic investigators record name, address, and the sex of the victim, determine the death, and they have to take pictures.
Also they must stabilize the scene with barriers of rope or whatever is necessary. Collecting evidence is also important. They must make sure they do not get their fingerprints and other things like hair, saliva, etc on the evidence. There is a whole lot to do when arriving, but those are the main and important ones. Malone 2When documenting there is a lot to be recorded. There are three basic steps when an investigator records a crime scene.
First of all the investigator must do a thorough investigation. They should gather as much information as possible, as in the time of the report, who notified the investigator, condition of the body when arrived. Record all of the facts in a clear and logical order. They need to make sure which facts are opinions and the actual facts. Secondly, the information must be collated and the notes are organized. The investigator must review all of the information that was gathered from him/herself and other investigators.
All of the information that was gathered cannot be put into the report, one has to decide what is important and what is not. The investigator needs to organize the material in a logical order so it is understood by anyone who may read it. The report must have steps of the investigation when taken whether they are good or bad. The third step is writing the report. If all of the material is organized and collected, it should be simple to write the report.
All of the data has to be complete and accurate. The writing and language it was written in should be precise and able to read. The whole report should be brief but still hold necessary information. One case in particular is the case of a suicidal hanging staged as a homicide. These kinds of suicides are rarely discovered by crime scene investigators. A man was found dead in his bedroom by his roommate.
The cord that he hung himself with was suspended over the closet door and fastened around the inside doorknob. He had a sock in his mouth which stayed in place by a bandanna tied around his mouth and the back of Malone 3his head. The victim’s hands were harnessed behind his back with a pair of handcuffs and his ankles were tied together with a coaxial cable and no suicide note was found. The forensic investigation of the scene found some fascinating facts. There were no forced entries into the apartment or bedroom and the front door was locked from the inside. The roommate stated that nothing was stolen, and there was one hundred forty dollars in cash was in the living room.
By this analysis it is obvious that no one had broken to commit some type of crime. Also a wooden chair was found upright directly in front of the victim. There was evidence of struggle and any restraint that he had on himself could easily be removed. The investigators found on the handcuffs a quick release lever, which can open the cuffs without a key. The closet door that had the cord attached to it was approximately 6’6 and the victim .
