Homicide Evidence Collection

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Spencer Stewart 12/4/2014 Troy University CJ 4442 Homicide Investigation & Evidence Collection In the United States a homicide occurs about 40 times a day according to a report compiled by the FBI in 2011. Homicide investigators along with crime scene investigators have to take on the daunting task of finding out who committed the crimes. Several steps are taken during the process of the investigation starting from the arrival at the scene to the notifying the next of kin to the victim. The primary responsibility of everyone involved in a homicide investigation is to document everything they saw, what they heard, what they did, and when they did it. All actions taken on by all responding officers will impact the success or failure of…show more content…
First, assess the scene of the homicide to determine the level of investigative response necessary. As is with the first responding officer the initial investigator must first assess the scene of the crime. The investigator makes sure to record the time, weather conditions, and other preliminary information including information about the first responding officer. Next the investigator will interview the first officer on the scene making sure he has completed all the mentioned above. Interviews should also be conducted with any other emergency personnel at the crime scene (Geberth, 1996). Like the first responding officer keep the witnesses separated so that their perception of what happened is not influenced by one another. The next step is to examine the victim carefully by taking the same route in and out of the scene as other personnel has taken. The investigator should then take control of the crime scene by checking the perimeter and expanding it if need be. The witnesses should be transported so that they are not with each other. Identifying the victim becomes the next priority while establishing the extent of the scene. Homicide Investigators then proceed to safeguard all evidence and arrange for crime scene technicians to arrive on the scene (O'Hara, 2003). If they are not available in the area they proceed to photograph the scene. Investigators then take careful watch for fragile evidence such as tire impressions or fibers. The investigator will then assign officers to document the scene as they proceed to look for evidence in the crime scene. All pictures taken should include a ruler or some other type of measuring device used to record the size of each photographed piece of evidence. All personnel in the perimeter of the homicide scene are required to not upset the crime scene in its state by not doing simple things

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