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1. INTERVIEW 2. EXAMINE 3. PHOTOGRAPH 4. SKETCH 5. PROCESS Interview is the first step in processing a crime scene. The crime scene technician must interview the first officer at the scene or the victim to ascertain the "theory" of the case. Basically what allegedly happened, what crime took place, and how was the crime committed. This information may not be factual information but it will give the crime scene technician a base from which to start. Examine the crime scene as the second step in the protocol. Examine the scene for what? To ascertain if the "theory" of the case is substantiated by what the crime scene technician observes. Examining the scene to identify possible items of evidentiary nature, identify point of entry and point of exit, and getting the general layout of the crime scene. Photograph the crime scene is the third step in the protocol. Photographing the crime scene to record a pictorial view of what the scene looks like and to record items of possible evidence. Crime scene photographs are generally taken in two categories, overall views and items of evidence. Sketch the crime scene is the fourth step in the protocol. A rough sketch is completed by the crime scene technician to demonstrate the layout of the crime scene or to identify the exact position of the deceased victim or evidence within the crime scene. A crime scene sketch may not be completed on every case, however some form of sketching usually occurs in most cases, i.e., on a fingerprint lift card to identify exactly where the latent was recovered. The last step in the protocol is to process the crime scene. Process the scene for what? The crime scene technician will process the crime scene for evidence, both physical and testimonial evidence. It is the crime scene technicians responsibility to identify, evaluate and collect physical evidence from the crime scene for further analysis by a crime laboratory.
CRIME SCENE PROTOCOL
Who's at the Scene? Police officers are typically the first to arrive at a crime scene. They arrest the perpetrator is he's still there and call for an ambulance if necessary. They are responsible for securing the scene so no evidence is destroyed. The CSI unit documents the crime scene in detail and collects any physical evidence. The district attorney is often present to help determine if the investigators require any search warrants to proceed and obtain those warrants from a judge. The medical examiner (if a homicide) may or may not be present to determine a preliminary cause of death. Specialists (entomologists, forensic scientists, forensic psychologists) may be called in if the evidence requires expert analysis. Detectives interview witnesses and consult with the CSI unit. They investigate the crime by following leads provided by witnesses and physical evidence.
