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    Forensic Science: Proper Crime Scene Techniques. Essay

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    The word “Forensic” is derived from the Latin forensus, meaning “of the

    forum.”1 In ancient Rome, the forum was where governmental debates were

    held, but it was also where trials were held — the court house. From that, forensic

    science has come to mean the application of the natural and physical science to

    the resolution of matters within a legal context2. Forensic Science can be viewed

    as a tripartite structure consisting of 1. Collection: which pertains to the science

    investigation, 2.

    Examination: which pertains to the medical investigation and 3.

    Presentation: which pertains to the courts. A forensic case will involve all aspects

    of each of the three structured elements, each being as important as the other. It is

    obvious that there needs to be a collaborative approach for the successful

    completion of each case. Each step in forensic science must be done in an exact

    order, therefor it can be assured that the investigation can have few doubts about

    what is being debated. In this paper I will focus my attention on the first aspect

    of the three step structure, Collections and Scientific Investigation.

    I will show

    what should be done at crimes scenes, how crime scenes should be handled and

    what steps must be followed to ensure that all evidence is pure as when the crime

    was committed.

    The purpose of crime scene investigation is to help establish what

    happened at the crime and to identify the responsible person(s). This is done by

    carefully documenting the condition at a crime scene and recognizing all relevant

    physical evidence. The ability to recognize and properly collect physical evidence

    is often times critical to both solving and prosecuting violent crimes. It is no

    exaggeration to say that in the majority of cases, the law enforcement officer who

    protects and searches a crime scene plays a critical role in determining whether

    physical evidence will be used in solving or prosecuting violent crimes. In a

    personal interview, Lt.

    Micheal Hritz of the Edison Township Police Department

    explained, “An investigator must not leap to an immediate conclusion as to what

    happened based upon limited information, but must generate several different

    theories of the crime, keeping the ones that are not eliminated by incoming

    information at the scene. The crime scene is the only link between the crime and

    its victim, if any or all evidence is destroyed or lost, the crime may never be

    solved. It is imparative that the officer know what, how and where to look for

    key evidence.”

    Documenting and Examining a Crime Scene

    Documenting a crime scene and its conditions can include immediately

    recording transient details such as lighting, furniture, fingerprints, and other

    valuable information. Certain evidence if not collected immediately can easily be

    lost, destroyed or tainted. The scope of investigations can also extend to the fact

    of argument in such cases as suicide or self defense.

    It is also important to be

    able to recognize what should be present at a crime scene, what to look for at a

    crime scene and what might appear out of place. A crime scene often does not

    pertain to the immediate area in which a victim or actual crime has occurred, but

    the possibility of escape or access routes should also be checked. Anything which

    can be used to connect a victim to a suspect or a suspect to a victim or a crime

    scene is relevent physical evidence. Richard Saferstein explains, “Physical

    evidence encompasses any and all objects that can establish that a crime has been

    committed or can provide a link between a crime scene and its victim or a crime

    and its perpetrator” (31). I will now explain the proper techniques and ways a

    crime scene and physical evidence should be handled and examined.

    One of the first things an officer should do once he approaches a crime

    scene is to take control and secure the scene as quickly as possible.

    This is to

    prevent anyone from tainting evidence and to keep unauthorized person(s) out of

    the area such as the press, the public or anyone who doesn’t belong. While this is

    being done, an officer should also be alert for discarded evidence and note if

    there are any possible approach or escape routes. After an officer does this, he

    should determine the extent in which the scene has been protected and make sure

    there is adequate security in the area. All persons entering and exiting the crime

    scene should be logged and kept down to a bare minimum to ensure .

    This essay was written by a fellow student. You may use it as a guide or sample for writing your own paper, but remember to cite it correctly. Don’t submit it as your own as it will be considered plagiarism.

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    Forensic Science: Proper Crime Scene Techniques. Essay. (2019, Feb 19). Retrieved from https://artscolumbia.org/forensic-science-proper-crime-scene-techniques-essay-2-108904/

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