E: EVERYTHING CRIME, A – Z

Evidence

A crime scene is any location that may be associated with a committed crime. Evidence is gathered by crime scene investigators and law enforcement officials. The first step is to secure the crime scene and protect it from contamination. Roll out the crime scene tape! This measure is also important to ensure any collected evidence can be used in court.

Next comes documentation. The initial responding officer needs to write up a coherent report summarizing officers’ observations and actions at the scene and gather witness statements. Chain of custody is also crucial for courtroom use.

Once the crime scene techs arrive, they will be given a walk-through of the scene. Pictures and, sketches and/or videos are done before anything is touched or moved. After a thorough documentation takes place, evidence is carefully collected. This can be anything that looks pertinent to the investigation—cigarette butts, tire prints, footprints, fibers, bullet casings, guns, blood, fingerprints, etc.  These items are tagged, logged and packaged and then sent to a forensic lab for analysis. In turn, the lab processes all the potential evidence and sends a report to the detective in charge of the case.

Biological evidence—blood, body fluids, hair and other tissues

Biological evidence can be processed for DNA

Latent print evidence—fingerprints, palm prints, footprints

A crime tech will check out surfaces that a culprit is likely to have touched (Ex-doors and doorknobs, light switches, sink)

Visible: Seen by the naked eye (Ex-left in blood or paint)

Molded: An impression (Ex-left in a bar of soap or candle wax)

Latent: Not visible to naked eye (Ex-left by transfer of sweat and natural oils from the fingers onto a smooth surface that will hold the print)

Personal Note: I had fun at the Writers’ Police Academy using the super glue fuming technique

Footwear and tire track evidence; Tool and toolmark evidence

Three dimensional impressions. Where not possible to take the marks to the lab, crime scene techs will photograph and then cast an impression of the mark for further analysis.

Trace evidence—gunshot residue, paint residue, fibers, soil, vegetation, glass fragments, illicit drugs

(trace evidence can be found by collecting bedding, clothing, towels, etc from the scene and the lab shakes them out in a sterile environment onto a white slab covered with paper)

Digital evidence—cell phone records, Internet logs, emails

 Drug evidence

Consists of legal and illegal chemical substances

Firearm evidence

Guns are picked up by the barrel and bagged for examination at the lab.

And don’t forget the trash—a great place to search for      discarded evidence.

As you can see, there is a plethora of items to use in your stories…