1. General Crime Scene Considerations
Scientific Crime Scene Investigation
MTMiller

2. Paul Kirk, Director, LA Crime Lab, 1930s

3. What’s the Point? Kirk’s quote Crucial step within “big picture”
Process of forensic investigations

4. Defining the Crime Scene
Traditional
Others
Primary or secondary
Microscopic or macroscopic
Type of crime
Location
Condition

5. Information from Physical Evidence
Corpus delicti
Modus operandi
Linkage – Locard Exchange Principle
Disproving/Supporting Witnesses’ Statements
Identification of suspects/victims
Provide for investigative leads

6. Scientific Crime Scene Investigation
More than “processing”
Dynamic involvement
Good mechanics
Part of “big picture”
Systematic & methodical
Reliable, Valid, and Relevant

7. What it is…the Real CSI-
A scientific crime scene
investigation process:
First Responders
Scene Security
Preliminary Scene Survey
Documentation
Scene Search
Evidence Collection
Final Scene Survey
Reconstruction

8. Legal Implications Evidence suppression Fourth Amendment-
Unreasonable search and seizure
Mapp v. Ohio US 643 (1961)
Nardone v. United States 308 US 338 (1939)
CS search & evidence seizure
Premise search
Evidence collection

9. More legal implications….
Mincey v. Arizona 437 US 382 (1978)
w/o owners consent
w/o search warrant
w/o exigent circumstance
Legal functions:
Render aid to victim
Search for suspect(s)
Plain view
Scope of the search