WHAT IS CRIME SCENE

INVESTIGATION?
 CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

• IT IS THE CONDUCT OF PROCESSES, MORE PARTICULARLY,

THE RECOGNITION, SEARCH, COLLECTION, HANDLING ,
PRESERVATION AND DOCUMENTATION AND INTERVIEW
OF WITNESSES AND-THE ARREST OF SUSPECT/S AT THE
CRIME SCENE.
 OBJECTIVES:

1. TO DETERMINE WHETHER A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED

2. TO LEGALLY OBTAIN INFORMATION OR EVIDENCE
3. TO IDENTIFY PERSONS INVOLVED IN THE CRIME
4. TO ARREST SUSPECTS
5. TO RECOVER STOLEN PROPERTIES
6. TO PRESENT THE BEST POSSIBLE CASE TO THE PROSECUTOR
 THE CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION AND
THEIR FUCTIONS

• TEAM LEADER
• ASSISTANT TEAM LEADER
• PHOTOGRAPHERS
• SKETCHERS
• MASTER NOTE TAKER
• EVIDENCE CUSTODIAN
• MEASURER
• TEAM LEADER
The one who directs the processing of the crime scene.
• ASSISTANT TEAM LEADER
The one who implements or executes the orders coming from his/her superior.
• PHOTOGRAPHERS
Take photographs of all pieces of evidence that are relevant to the crime committed.
• SKETCHERS
Make sketches of the immediate, background and inside the scene of the crime.
• MASTER NOTE TAKER
The one who writes down in short hand all observation at the crime scene such
as weather condition, time of dispatch and time of arrival at the crime scene and other
relevant data that’s should be taken down note.
• EVIDENCE CUSTODIAN
The one in charge in the collection, preservation, tagging of the articles of
evidence found at the crime scene.
• MEASURER
Makes all relevant measurements of the scene such as the distance of the body
of the victim to the firearm used.
 WHAT IS CRIME SCENE SKETCH?

IS THE GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF THE CRIME WITH COMPLETE

MEASUREMENT OF RELATIVE DISTANCE ITEMS OR OBJECTS. SKETCH
INCLUDES SCALES, WITH IMPORTANT DIMENSIONS AT THE SCENE
BEING SHOWN TO A GOOD DEGREE OF ACCURACY.
 WHAT ARE THE THINGS CONSIDER IN
PREPARING CRIME SCENE ROUGH SKETCH?

• ROUGH SKETCH SHOWING EVIDENCE

• SOFT LEAD PENCIL
• UNLINED OR GRAPH PAPER
• 1 CLIPBOARD LARGE ENOUGH TO FORM A BLACK FOR THE PAPER
• 1 STEEL TAPE (AT LEAST 100 FEET LONG)
• RULER
• 1 COMPASS
 WHAT ARE THE MAIN TYPE OF CRIME
SCENE SKETCH ?

• ROUGH SKETCH
• FINISHED SKETCH
• ROUGH SKETCH

Is prepared by the sketcher upon his arrival at the crime scene and during the preliminary
survey to help in developing a plan to effectively process the crime scene. The rough sketch need
not be drawn to scale; however, correct measurements of distance of physical evidence based on
two fixed reference points should be recorded.
• FINISHED SKETCH

Is prepared in the office based on the rough sketch for purposes of court presentation. Not all
distance and measurements originally found on a rough sketch are shown in a final sketch. Only
important items and structures are recorded in
• ROUGH SKETCH
• FINISHED SKETCH
TYPES OF CRIME SCENE MEASUREMENTS?

• BASELINE METHOD
• RECTANGULAR COORDINATE METHOD
• TRIANGULATION METHOD
• POLAR/GRID COORDINATE METHOD
• GRID METHOD
BASELINE METHOD
• BASELINE METHOD IS WHERE THE MEASURER IDENTIFIES A BASELINE
WHERE THE MEASUREMENT OF THE ITEMS OF EVIDENCE WILL BE TAKEN. IT CAN
BE A WALL OR A FENCE AMONG OTHERS. IN THE ABSENCE OF THESE EXISTING
AREAS, THE MEASURER CAN DEVELOP A BASELINE BY PLACING A STRING
BETWEEN TWO FIXED REFERENCE POINTS SUCH AS TREES AND HYDRANTS AT
THE CRIME SCENE AND FROM THERE HE BEGINS TO CONDUCT HIS
MEASUREMENT. HENCE, THE DISTANCE.
RECTANGULAR COORDINATE METHOD
• RECTANGULAR COORDINATE METHOD IS THE DISTANCE FROM AN ITEM
OF EVIDENCE THAT IS MEASURED FROM TWO IDENTIFIED BASELINE AT AN
APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES ANGLE. FOR THIS REASON, THIS METHOD IS MORE
ACCURATE THAN THE SINGLE LINE BASELINE METHOD. IT IS PREFERABLY USED
IN SMALLER NDOOR CRIME SCENES.
TRIANGULATION METHOD
• TRIANGULATION METHOD IS WHERE THE DISTANCE IS MEASURED FROM SPECIFIED
POINTS OF AN ITEM OF EVIDENCE TO TWO FIXED REFERENCE POINTS WITHIN THE CRIME
SCENE SUCH AS THE TWO CORNERS OF THE ROOM. THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST
TWO METHODS WHERE THE MEASUREMENTS HAVE ONLY BEEN MADE AT A RIGHT ANGLE
FROM A BASELINE. IF THE OBJECT HAS VARIABLE SHAPE SUCH AS A POOL OF BLOOD, THEN
IT IS MEASURED FROM THE APPROXIMATE CENTER OF THE ITEM OF EVIDENCE TO TWO
FIXED REFERENCE POINT. IF THE ITEM OF EVIDENCE HAS A FIXED OR UNIFORM SHAPE
SUCH AS AN OVEN, A MINIMUM OF TWO MEASUREMENTS ARE MADE TO EACH IDENTIFIED
POINT FOR A TOTAL OF FOUR MEASUREMENTS. SO FAR, THIS IS THE MOST ACCURATE
METHOD OF MEASUREMENT ALTHOUGH MORE TEDIOUS AND TIME CONSUMING.
POLAR/GRID COORDINATE METHOD
• POLAR/GRID COORDINATE METHOD IS ANOTHER METHOD OF
DOCUMENTING THE LOCATION OF A PHYSICAL EVIDENCE AT A CRIME SCENE.
THIS IS DONE BY USING A COMPASS WHICH IS NECESSARY TO MEASURE THE
ANGLES AND POLAR DIRECTIONS. FROM AN IDENTIFIED FIXED POINT, THE
ANGLE AND DISTANCE OF AN ITEM OF EVIDENCE ARE TAKEN IN ORDER TO
INDICATE ITS LOCATION.
GRID METHOD
• GRID METHOD INVOLVES THE DOCUMENTATION OF NUMEROUS PIECES OF
EVIDENCE COVERING A LARGE AREA. AN EXPLOSION SCENE IS A GOOD
APPLICATION OF THE GRIP METHOD.
 BASIC STAGE IN CRIME SCENE SEARCH

• THE PRE - CRIME STAGE

• THE CRIMINAL EVENT STAGE
• THE POST - CRIME STAGE
 THE PRE – CRIME STAGE

• occurs when evidence of preparation or planning can be found during the investigation. It can
include notes, research, drawings, crime supplies or pre-crime contact with the victim or
accomplices. Sometimes items of pre-crime origin, such as hair and fiber, will be later
discovered at the crime scene creating an opportunity to link the suspect back to the crime
 THE CRIMINAL EVENT STAGE

• is when the most interaction takes place between the criminal and the victim, or the criminal and
the crime scene. During these interactions, the best possibilities for evidence transfer occur. Even
the most careful criminals have been known to leave behind some trace of their identity in the
form of fingerprints, shoe prints, glove prints, tire marks, tool impressions, shell casings, hair or
fiber, or DNA.
 THE POST – CRIME STAGE

• occurs when the suspect is departing the crime scene. When leaving the crime scene, suspects
have been known to cast off items of evidence that can be recovered and examined to establish
their identity. This post-crime period is also the stage where the suspect becomes concerned with
cleaning up the scene. As much as a suspect may attempt to clean up, evidence transfers from the
crime scene are often overlooked. These can range from hair and fiber on clothing to shards of
glass on shoes. Frequently found post-crime are proceeds of the crime. These are often
identifiable articles of stolen property with unique marks, victim DNA, serial numbers, or
sometimes even trophies that the criminal takes as a keepsake.
 HOW TO SECURE AND PROTECT THE
CRIME SCENE?

•  a physical barrier, usually police tape, is placed

around the outside edges of the crime scene.
 WHAT IS THE PROPER WAY OF COLLECTING,
MARKING, TAGGING AND PRESERVING
EVIDENCE?
• COLLECTING EVIDENCE

ALL ITEMS THAT WERE FOUND IN THE CRIME SCENE SHOULD BE COLLECTED. THE COLLECTING
OFFICER SHOULD NOT DECIDE WHETHER A CERTAIN ITEM IS RELEVANT OR IRRELEVANT.
FIRE ARM
IN COLLECTING FIREARMS AS EVIDENCE FOUND IN THE CRIME SCENE, CAUTIONS ACTION
SHOULD BE EMPLOYED.
1. PISTOLS – MUST BE MARKED ON THE BARREL, UPPER RECEIVER, FRAME AND MAGAZINE.
2. REVOLVES – MUST BE MARKED SEPARATELY ON THE BARREL, FRAME AND CYLINDER.
3. RIFLES – SHOULD BE MARKED ON THE BARREL, FRAME, MAGAZINE, BOLT OR SLIDE.
• TAGGING OF EVIDENCE
EVIDENCE WHICH BY THEIR NATURE COULD NOT BE MARKED ON EACH SURFACE
SUCH AS BLOOD, HAIR, AND FIBERS, ARE PLACED IN AN ENVELOPE NOT IN A PLASTIC
CONTAINER BECAUSE IT CAN CONTAMINATE THE EVIDENCE ONCE IT PERSPIRES.
• PRESERVING EVIDENCE
CHAIN OF CUSTODY – NUMBER OF PERSONS WHO HANDLED AND POSSED THE PIECES
OF EVIDENCE THE MOMENT THAT THEY WERE COLLECTED, MARKED AND TAGGED UP
TO THE TIME OF THE FINAL DISPOSITION OF THE CASE. THE BASIC RULE IS TO LIMIT
THE CHAIN OF CUSTODY TO AVOID TAMPERING, SUBSTITUTION OR LOSS.
 WHAT SHOULD BE OBSERVED BEFORE
CRIME SCENE SEARCH?
• Note or log dispatch information (e.g., address/location, time, date, type of call, parties
involved).
• Be aware of any persons or vehicles leaving the crime scene.
• Approach the scene cautiously, scan the entire area to thoroughly assess the scene,
and note any possible secondary crime scenes. Be aware of any persons and vehicles in
the vicinity that may be related to the crime.
• Make initial observations (look, listen, smell) to assess the scene and ensure officer
safety before proceeding.
• Remain alert and attentive. Assume the crime is ongoing until determined to be
otherwise.
• Treat the location as a crime scene until assessed and determined to be otherwise
 THE TYPE OF SEARCHING METHODS

• STRIP/ LINE METHOD

• DOUBLE STRIP OR GRID METHOD
• SPIRAL METHOD
• WHEEL/ SPOKE METHOD
• ZONE OR SECTOR METHOD
STRIP/ LINE METHOD
• STRIP/ LINE METHOD
THE SEARCHERS (A,B, AND C) PROCEED SLOWLY AT THE SAME PACE ALONG
THE PATH PARALLEL TO ONE SIDE OF THE RECTANGLE. AT THE END OF
RECTANGLE, THE SEARCHERS TURNS AND PROCEED BACK ALONG NEW LANES
BUT PARALLEL TO THE FIRST MOVEMENT.
DOUBLE STRIP OR GRID METHOD
• DOUBLE STRIP OR GRID METHOD
IS SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO STRIP METHOD, THE RECTANGLE IS TRAVERSED
FIRST PARALLEL TO THE BAS AND THEN PARALLEL TO THE SIDE.
SPIRAL METHOD
• SPIRAL METHOD
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF THIS METHOD OF SEARCHING THE CRIME SCENE
DEPENDING ON WHERE THE SEARCHERS WILL BEGIN THE SEARCH, EITHER FROM
OUTSIDE OR CENTER OF THE CENTER OF THE SCENE. THE SEARCHERS FOLLOW
EACH OTHER WHILE SEARCHING PIECES OF EVIDENCE FROM THE CRIME SCENE.
WHEEL/ SPOKE METHOD
• WHEEL/ SPOKE METHOD
THIS TYPE OF SEARCHING THE CRIME SCENE IS APPLICABLE TO AREAS WHICH
ARE SOMEWHAT CIRCULAR IN SIZE OR AREA. THE SEARCHERS SHALL ASSEMBLE
AT THE CENTER OF THE CRIME SCENE, THEN SIMULTANEOUSLY SEARCHING THE
CRIME SCENE OUTWARD.
ZONE OR SECTOR METHOD
• ZONE OR SECTOR METHOD
THE AREA TO BE SEARCH IS DIVIDED INTO QUADRANTS AND EACH SEARCHER
OR A GROUP OF SEARCHER IS ASSIGNED THE QUADRANT.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE
RELEASING THE CRIME SCENE?
• THE RESPONDING CSI TEAM WILL FORMALLY TURN-OVER THE CRIME SCENE TO THE
INVESTIGATOR-ON-CASE ONLY WHEN THEY ARE FULLY CONVINCED THAT COMPLETE
PROCESSING OF THE CRIME SCENE HAD BEEN CONDUCTED.
• IT MEANS THAT ALL PIECES OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE THAT WERE FOUND AT THE CRIME
SCENE WERE PROPERLY COLLECTED AND DOCUMENTED BECAUSE THEY ARE CERTAIN
THAT THERE IS ONLY A SINGLE CHANCE FOR THEM TO ACCURATELY PROCESS THE CRIME
SCENE.
• THE CSI TEAM LEADER DOCUMENTS THE TURN-OVER OF THE CRIME SCENE WHEREAS THE
INVESTIGATOR-ON-CASE CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF THE CRIME SCENE IN THE PRESENCE
OF TWO WITNESSES.
• THE RESULT OBTAINED FROM THE QUESTIONING OF SUSPECTS AND INTERVIEW OF
WITNESSES MUST BE PROPERLY EVALUATED IN RELATION TO THE PIECES OF PHYSICAL
EVIDENCE RECOVERED FROM THE CRIME SCENE TO ENSURE AN AIRLIGHT CASE IN COURT.
• UPON THE FORMAL RELEASE OF THE CRIME SCENE TO THE PROPER AUTHORITY, A SEARCH
WARRANT WILL ALREADY BE REQUIRED FOR THEIR RE-EXAMINATION OF THE CRIME
SCENE.