Corpse as a Crime Scene

When investigators scan the crime scene for evidence, their search centers around one crucial evidence to the crime – the victim's body. Indeed, the condition of the crime victim can indicate many information that led to the victim's death and those information are crucial during investigation. The dead victim's body is a silent witness to the crime and qualifies as a physical evidence.

Therefore, autopsy is often conducted at criminal laboratories to determine the cause of death, the items used to kill the victim, and all other factors that contributed to the execution of the crime.

Examining Victim's Body

Aside from the evident cause of a victim's death, the body is sent to laboratory for further examination that could point as evidence to the crime. During the examination or analysis of a victim's body, crime scene investigators look for common evidence that provide valid information about the crime.

Different methods and equipments are used to gather evidence that can be used to identify the cause of death to the victim. There are several resources found on the victim's body that will help link together with the other physical evidences found by investigators at the crime scene during the initial examination. When they match those found on the victim's body, then it will provide a valid conclusion to the investigation.

Evidences To Look For

When crime scene investigators inspect the victim's body for possible clues to the crime, they follow a few standard protocols. There are basic criteria that investigators follow so they do not simply conduct a random search of the body but follow a methodical approach. The following are some of the criteria used when examining a victim's corpse at the crime scene:

*How is the victim's skin condition?
*Are there any skin marks or signs of struggle between the victim and its perpetrator?
*Was the scene where the victim laid to rest the same where she had been actually killed?
*Was the victim's position her original position when she died or is she intentionally posed that way?
*Is the victim nude?

All these factors play a major role in providing the initial information that investigators can gather for the crime case. Plus, it will also set the stage as to what other evidences they need to look for in relation to the condition of the victim's body upon arriving at the crime scene. Below are just some of the other type of evidences that investigators can search the victim's body for.

Body Fluids

This type of evidence can be mechanically recovered at the crime scene upon the initial examination of investigating officers. However, it can be analyzed further at the criminal laboratories to identify what type of body fluid was found at the victim's body. It can either be a blood stain, seminal fluids, or some other types of fluids, but they all point to what transpired during the actual crime.

Moreover, criminal investigators must also look into where specifically in the victim's body the particular fluid was found. In some cases, the detection of seminal fluids in a victim's body indicate that the victim was raped by the suspect before she was killed.

Latent Prints

The main goal behind a crime scene investigation is to identify the suspect involved in the crime. And all evidences gathered at the scene are intended for that same goal. Therefore, investigators use various equipments and techniques to recover latent prints, such as fingerprints, that would lead to the identification of the suspect.

Crime scene investigators follow methodical approach when they attend to a crime scene. But this job consist not just the part of gathering information and evidence. There is also the interpretation and analysis part to it. Depending on the extent of the crime committed and whoever is involved, its size and structure can vary greatly. Therefore, crime investigation officials and agencies have provided tools for these investigators to be able to achieve better accuracy in analyzing evidence from a crime scene.

Photograph

This part of gathering evidence is crucial because the crime scene will eventually be cleaned out. Then, you will never have the opportunity to recreate the crime scene to get the essential pieces of evidence that would help solve the case.

When shooting photos at the crime scene, you need to provide four overlapping angles of the pictures you include in your collection of photographic evidence. This will help cover the basic dimensions needed to investigate the crime. There are five things you can do with the camera that will help a crime case:

*document evidence
*verification of witness testimony
*additional source of materials for crime analysis
*recording the scene
*producing a visual recreation of the crime scene

Crime Scene Diagram

Creating a sketch of the crime scene when you arrive before gathering evidence is a mandatory step. When you do this, make sure to write the sketch on a clean paper to do it legibly. When producing a rough sketch, consider the outer perimeter of the crime scene. Then, break down the entire scene into parts such as rooms, driveways, paths, or other landscaping features that contribute to the analysis of the crime. If possible, include small details that impact the whole.

The importance of a crime scene sketch or diagram is similar to taking pictures of the crime scene, which is basically to produce a concrete idea of how the crime scene looked like. This will help the investigators properly assess the events that led up to the committing of crime. If you are not skilled at sketching, then opting to take a picture of the crime scene is a more reliable means to document evidence.

Human Models

When you take measurements of the crime scene so that you can recreate it at the crime laboratory for further analysis, it is also important to measure the victim's body and its position in relation to the crime scene. The victim's size, weight, or stature could impact how investigators analyze and recreate the scene leading up to the crime. This will also enable investigators to hypothesize on the suspect's physical dimension, which can be revealed on whether there are signs of struggle or not. Later on in the interpretation of evidence, you can compare notes and date with that of the medical examiner to see what is the real cause of death for the victim.

Crime Analysis Software

In a modern society, software technology has provided more convenience for everyone. In the case of crime scene investigation, softwares play a crucial role in analyzing evidence that would normally take investigators lots of time to figure out.

These are a few basic types of softwares used in analyzing crime scene evidence:

• Image editing software – This is used for verification, alignment, and archiving of all photographic evidence gathered in relation to a crime case.
• Drafting and modeling software – Useful in recreating the various dimensions of a crime scene so that the different angles involved can be considered.
• Photogrammetry software – It allows investigators to come up with accurate measurements on objects or models on photographs taken at the crime scene.
• Presentation software – This one produces the slideshow presentation for a more interactive recreation of the crime scene while highlighting the evidences found.

Evidences within a crime scene could take on many forms. Therefore, you could easily move objects or touch any item without realizing that you are actually destroying a potential clue for a crime's solution. Crime scene investigators are aware of the standard procedures involved upon searching a crime scene in order to keep them intact for interpretation and analysis. Since each type of evidence offer its own individual value for the crime scene investigation, below are a list of evidence with some of the procedures done to preserve their original condition.

Fingerprint Evidence

Any type of prints, whether palm prints or bare footprints, are considered to be valid evidence of an individual's presence at a crime scene. There are a few basic materials you need to collect samples of fingerprints and yet it a very strong piece of evidence. Any items in a crime scene that are incapable of moving, like fingerprints, need to be processed at the crime scene using any type of powder such as gray, black, or black magnetic powder. Aside from collecting items, fingerprints are one of the top priority at a crime scene.

Marks or Scars

Bodily marks or scars are common amongst crime involving any type of assault. When collecting them as evidence, crime scene investigators normally require a special type of camera that is capable of capturing such evidence for use later on in the analysis stage. If possible, take as many pictures as you can from many different angles. This will help not only in the analysis but in the consistency and validity of such marks and scars as evidence. If there are any visible impression produced from the bite marks, then you can probably work on creating a cast out of that. It could help in matching with the suspect's teeth after the lab results are revealed.

Documents

Indoor crime scenes produce several search opportunities for the crime investigators because you are not limited within the actual scene of the crime. You can also have access to other documents that could point to the identity of the suspect or motive behind the crime. For instance, questionable documents or handwriting samples can be used to trace the identity of a suspect by conducting matching tests. You can also use such documents to search for fingerprint patterns. Most crime scene investigating team have their own expert questioned documents examiner to handle this type of job.

Body Fluids or Stains

Blood or seminal fluids are important during crime scene investigation. It can be tested in the criminal laboratory to get DNA samples that will help identify the suspect. As opposed to other types of evidence that will only provide clues, this one is strong indicator of an individual who committed the crime. When it comes to collecting samples of dried blood or other fluid stains, you can follow the steps below:

• If an object is stained by a given type of fluid, then you can bring that object for examination at the lab.

• If the object cannot be transported, you can use a fingerprint tape. Place the tape against the part of the object stained with the fluid and lift it to get the stain.

• You can also use scraping devices to remove the stains from an object and secure them in a container or plastic bag. Make sure that the plastic bags you use are air dried to avoid diluting the dried fluid you acquired from the crime scene.

Shoeprints and Other Impressions

Impressions and tracks produced by the suspect's shoes are a positive evidence that could help identify the suspect. Therefore, tire tracks or shoeprints are often what crime scene investigators look for at a crime scene. Tracks or impressions can offer many things to the investigation. First, it can point to an identity of a suspect. Second, it can also help you follow the tracks to indicate where the suspect is headed to, whether he is traveling on foot or riding a vehicle.

Crime scene investigation is categorized as science, precisely forensic science. Therefore, it follows methodical steps similar to any scientific research in order to arrive at a conclusion, which in this case is being able to identify the person responsible for the crime. Here are the basic steps in processing a crime scene.

Securing the Scene

The ability to preserve the crime scene in its natural state is one of the most important steps toward solving a crime. However, it is easier said than done. Curious onlookers could easily gather around while others will attempt to transfer the victim's body out of the site. However, you must not try to alter the crime scene as it can help provide valuable clues in piecing together evidence. Upon arriving, ask any other officers or crime investigators who arrived before you if any changes where made on the crime scene. It could be as tiny as opening windows or doors or moving the body from its original position since it could remove potentially important evidence to the crime.

Any crime scene investigator realizes that a crime scene is three-dimensional. Hence, you need to ensure that not only one aspect of the crime is preserved but also all areas are covered. This will allow you to take on different approaches to crime investigation later on when you reach the stage where you have to interpret the evidence. If any changes were made to the crime scene, then the evidence you have gathered loses its authenticity.

Examining the Scene

Processing crime scene is a tedious process, but this is your first big step towards the end since this is practically the step wherein you gather information and evidence you will use for analysis later on. Proper documentation of the scene involves gathering evidence, taking pictures of it, and extending your search for evidence you might have possibly missed.

Your first basic step before going about scouring the scene for evidence is to create a sketch. If there are any physical features of importance to the crime, include them in the sketch. This will help assess the geographical location of the crime and other physical factors that could come into play.

Then, move on to the physical appearance of the victim's body. Create detailed notes of every bit of information you gather. What type of clothing is he or she wearing? What condition is it on? Are there any bruises or wounds on the body? This could all indicate whether any struggle went on before the victim was killed at the scene.

Interviews and Testimonies

Onlookers can prove to be an annoyance to the ongoing crime scene investigation. However, you can look around for possible testimonies that would help provide more clues to the crime. For instance, if anyone could possibly have spotted the criminal before escaping from the crime scene. If there are any, then you could ask them for physical descriptions of the criminal. It is best to approach such testimonies with skepticism but still consider them as potentially helpful factor in crime solution.

Photographic Evidence

Taking photographs of the crime scene should begin the very minute you arrive. This will enable you to document every step of your crime scene investigation. This will also help ensure that you gather photograph of the crime scene despite if physical alterations were made on the crime scene. All entry points toward the crime scene must also be photographed. Focusing on entry points provide investigators an idea on how one can have access to the crime scene, which is essential in the investigation proper. Again, items of evidential value must be photographed as well. This will help you validate the detailed notes you have gathered upon arriving at the crime scene.

Analyzing and Interpreting Evidence

This is the last but most difficult step in crime scene investigation. It will gather together evidence, whether physical or photographic, and investigators will place them side by side with all the testimonies you have gathered along with any observation you have made while examining the crime scene. Some evidence might be required for examination in the laboratory to get more in-depth analysis of the evidences, such as prints that will point to the identity of the criminal.

What is Impression Evidence?

Impression evidence is a major contributor to move a crime scene investigation forward. Basically, it is a type of evidence wherein objects retain their characteristics or create an “impression” on other physical objects within a crime scene when it is stamped or pressed against each other. Because they are hardly noticeable unless closely examined, most impression evidences are overlooked during examination of a crime scene. Therefore, it is important for crime scene investigators to re-examine the site of a crime in order to verify other evidences that have been missed, especially impression evidence.

This type of evidence are categorized as two things: impressions made on either hard or soft surfaces. Moreover, there are two dimensional impressions wherein investigators can determine the width and length of the object that left an impression on a given surface. Meanwhile, there are also three dimensional impressions that add depth to the width and length measurement. Therefore, the latter type of impression evidence enable crime scene investigators to have a more precise idea of what type of object might have left that impression.

Its Importance to Crime Scene Investigation

If you have witnessed crime scene investigations, whether actual or on TV, you should have noticed that investigators use objects such as microscope or magnifying glass during examination. These items are useful in recognizing impression evidence that are not normally visible with the naked eye, so assistance of these tools enable investigators to find more precise evidence.

Fingerprints are an example of impression evidence that is very useful in pointing to an identity of the person involved in a crime. Any form of print or impression gathered from the crime scene are examined for DNA profiling. These steps or prints left by a suspect on the crime scene are recognized as valid evidence in court and is used to testify the person's present at the scene when the crime was staged.

Types of Impression Evidence

There are several types of impression evidence, but there are a few common ones that investigators search for at a crime scene. These provide valuable clues that will enable investigators to put together all events that might have transpired at a scene. Some impression evidence, if strong enough, could even point to a suspect's identity.

Fingerprints

Fingerprints are impressions left by a suspect at a crime scene when they touch objects or even the victim's body. Since fingerprints are not readily visible, investigators use specialized powder in order for the fingerprints to become visible during examination and analysis. Fingerprints have been honored at the court as a valid evidence that could solve the identity of a crime suspect.

Footprints

Identifying latent footprints are similar to developing latent fingerprints. They use the same technique and equipment for the procedure. Investigators look for such impression on tiled floors, chair bottoms, cabinets, or counter tops. Once such impressions are mechanically recovered, they use tapes to lift it off and slid into a plastic for later examination. Those impressions can be used for matching and identification.

Tool marks

This particular impression is typically found at areas of entry. They are used to identify what methods of force was used by the suspect to gain entrance into the crime scene, whether it is a house or apartment.

Tire Tread

When suspects escape the crime scene riding a vehicle, crime scene investigators also use tire tread impressions left on the soil, mud, or any type of surface where the suspect drove towards. However, if the suspect drove through grass or carpet, the effect produced by the passing of the tire mostly rebounds and leaving not enough impression on the surface. But they can be vital evidence used in a crime scene investigation to point to which direction the suspect driver was headed to.