Crime Scene Investigation & Evidence Collection Review

Chain of Custody

the documented and unbroken transfer of evidence

Biological Evidence

Blood or Hair

Trace Evidence

small but measurable amounts of physical or biological material found at a crime scene

Principle of Exchange

when a person comes into contact with an object or another person, a cross-transfer of physical evidence can occur. Study of the material can determine the nature and duration of the transfer

Search Patterns

grid, linear, quadrant, spiral

Individual Evidence

a kind of evidence that identifies a particular person or thing

Crime Scene Investigator

Investigate crimes by carefully collecting and analyzing physical evidence

class evidence

material that connects an individual or thing to a certain group

Dr. Locard

Established the Principle of Exchange

eyewtiness

a person who has directly seen something happen and can give a first-hand description of it

Direct Evidence

evidence that (if true) proves an alleged fact, such as an eyewitness account of a crime

First Responder

the first police officer to arrive at a crime scene

Bindle

a folded paper used to hold trace evidence

The Seven S's of Crime Scene Investigation

secure the scene , separate the witness, scan the scene, seeing the scene, sketch the scene, search for evidence, secure the collected evidence

Several examples of crime scene search patterns

Grid, Linear, Quadrant, Spiral