Crime scene management is an incredibly important part of forensic science and a crucial professional role. If a crime scene is mismanaged crucial evidence could be accidentally destroyed and professionals could endanger their own personal safety. A crime scene manager may follow certain principles or guidelines in place, though these are not always adhered to. It is important to note that every crime scene is different therefore they need to be managed differently. With different situations come different risks. For now we shall refer to crime scene management as CSM.
During CSM we assess levels of urgency and prioritise what can be done now over what can be done later. As we mentioned earlier, this will change from case to case!
But usually one of the first principles of CSM is safety. What are the current dangers present? Is the crime scene safe to access? After analysing this, we should then consider if the crime scene is secure and under control. Often members of the public will be concerned or potentially distraught by crime scenes and it is vital to keep them safe and away from the crime scene to preserve evidence. Police will prevent access to a crime scene and will often try to preserve an area of at least 100 metres before and after the incident.
The next steps will focus on recording as much information as possible in the crime scene. Items of importance are often photographed and documented before they are touched and if there are any bodies at the scene, their positions are also carefully noted. Later on, should it be a murder investigation, a pathologist will then inspect the body. Medical professionals will also notify the police of any injuries suffered by victims while treating them.
If there are any objects that are in the way of the public such as a crashed car or debris, these will be scheduled to move last. Sometimes the police will take away vehicles and certain large objects to investigate further as well.
When we make further decisions regarding CSM, we tend to consider what is widely known as the six w's: Who, what, why, when, where & how.
These important questions are what is needed to be known for a criminal inquiry. Usually if the victim is unknown investigations and intelligence will move towards establishing their identity. They will be interested to finding out who they are, where they live, where they work, their family members and friends and if they have any potential enemies.
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A Simple Introduction to Forensic Science
Non-FictionModern forensic science is renowned for creating leads and evidence for police prosecutions that may have been otherwise unattainable. The subject has been an increasingly popular choice of study for students and developments into the area have been...
