SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

CHAPTER I
AN OVERVIEW

Lesson Objectives: After the lesson and interactive discussions, the students will be able
to:
1. Distinguish between criminal investigation and criminal detection.
2. Explain how forensic science plays a vital role in the legal system.
3. Distinguish between crime detective from crime scene investigator.
4. Identify the purpose of criminal investigation, and;
5. Draw a conclusion why crime investigation is in tandem with science.

Special Crime Investigation deals with the study of major crimes based on the
application of special investigative technique. The study concentrates more on physical
evidence, collection, handling, identification, and preservation in coordination with the
crime laboratory. lt is worthy to note that Special Crime Investigation involves a close
relationship between the prober in the field and the crime laboratory technician. They
work together as a team, reacting to and extending one another’s theories and findings
both working, patiently and thoroughly to solve a crime from their investigative
discoveries. The present criminal justice System in our country, the court relies more on
physical evidence rather than extra-judicial confession.
It is worthy to note that homicide detectives and crime scene investigators are two
different professions/ functions, from two different departments. ln order to become a
detective (called investigator-on-case in the Philippine setting, you must first be a police
officer and must have undergone rigid training of crime investigation and detection.
To become a Crime scene investigator (CSI) or Scene of the crime operative
(SOCO) in the Philippine setting, you must be a police officer. However, there are many
departments who train their police officers and detectives to be crime scene investigators,
and versa. This depends heavily on geographic location and needs of a particular agency.
Smaller municipalities may have a handful of police officers and even fewer
detectives. Some of them are trained to process crime scenes when needed, but when a
murder case springs up in their community, they usually utilize other impartial law
enforcement agencies, like the Crime Laboratory.

Page 1 of 4
 SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

Distinction Between a Detective and a Crime Scene Investigator (CSI)

Crime Scene Investigator:

A crime scene investigator is, more often than not, a member of law enforcement
who is responsible for identifying, collecting, preserving, and packaging physical evidence
at the scene of a crime. Although it is often believed that crime scene investigators are
also the professionals performing tests on the physical evidence, those jobs, in fact, are
reserved for forensic professional.

A select few crime scene investigators may also perform laboratory forensic work,
although the majority of crime scene investigators perform their work crime scene, where
they collect everything from firearms and fingerprints to DNA samples and photographic
evidence.

A crime scene investigator is a rather broad title, as this professional may be a:

• Crime scene leader
• Crime scene technician
• Forensic photographer
• Forensic sketch artist
• Ballistics expert
• Fingerprint expert
• DNA expert

A Crime Scene Investigator is also responsible for performing standard physical

evidence collection and preservation duties, while other CSls perform more specialized
tasks, such as DNA and latent print recovery, However, in general, a CSI may be
responsible for:

• Working with law enforcement to secure the scene as to prevent the contamination
of evidence
• Identifying and marking the areas of the crime Scene
• Collecting, preserving, and packaging the physical evidence
• Maintaining detailed reports, logs and her tracking data
• Using scientific equipment to collect and analyze evidence
• Maintaining and repairing scientific equipment
• Testifying in court with regard to collected evidence
• Transporting physical evidence to the forensic laboratory

Page 2 of 4
 SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

A crime scene investigator is called upon to utilize scientific data and technical
expertise to:

• Evaluate the crime scene without destroying evidence

• Develop a plan for collecting physical evidence
• Ensure evidence is properly documented
• Ensure evidence is properly collected, handled, preserved, and transported

A Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) is a professional who has a thorough knowledge

and a keen understanding of scientific observation and methods, the criminal justice
system, and how crime scene investigation merges Science with law.

A crime scene investigator needs to possess extensive knowledge in the natural

sciences, as well as law enforcement and crime scene processing Professional Crime
scene investigators (CSIs) who want to concentrate their careers in a forensic science
specialty, such as ballistics or DNA, for example, also often need to acquire additional
education/training.

A Crime Scene Investigator should possess the ability to cope with difficult
situations. Beyond dealing with a potentially unnerving crime scene, these professionals
must also possess keen observational and technical skills, as they are called upon to
identify and collect even the smallest amounts of physical evidence – evidence that may
mean the difference between an unsolved Crime scene and a successful conviction.

Crime scene investigators must also be able to both independently and as part of an
investigative work team. In often-chaotic crime Scene situations, these professionals
must be able to seamlessly complete the job through effective communication and a
strong understanding and appreciation of accepted protocol.

Because the job of a CSI also means constantly learning, these professionals must
be open to being introduced to new skills and technologies. They must also be organized
and effective at both written and oral communications.

Finally, CSI professionals must be prepared to work in less-than-ideal work

environments, and they must be prepared to arrive at the scene of a crime, regardless of
the time of day or night.

A Detective:
➢ Conducts interview with suspects and witnesses
➢ Observe the activities of suspects

Page 3 of 4
 SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

➢ Obtain warrants and arrests suspects

➢ Write detailed reports

THE FAMOUS PERSONS IN THE HISTORY OF FORENSIC SCIENCE

Mathieu Orfila (1787 1853): Considered as the Father of Toxicology

Alphonse Bertillon (1853 - 1914): Established the first scientific system of personal
identification by a series of bodily measurements. It was later replaced by fingerprints in
the early 1900s.
Francis Galton (1833- 1911): First to study fingerprints and classify them for filing.
Leone Lattes (1887- 1954): Discovered that blood can be categorized into four groups.
Calvin Goddard (1891 1955): Determined the comparison of bullets in guns - Ballistics.
Albert S. Osborn (1858 1946): Developed principles of document examination. The
Walter C. McCrone (1916-2002): Developed advances in microscopic techniques to
solve crimes and analyze evidence.
Hans Gross (1847- 1915): Studied and developed principles of criminal investigation.
Edmond Locard (1877 1966): Had a background in medicine and law, and was the first
one to use scientific methods for criminal investigation.

Page 4 of 4