Crime Scene Basics
100: What is the main goal of crime scene investigation?
100: To recognize, document, collect, analyze, and preserve evidence to reconstruct the crime and identify those involved.
100: Crime scene investigation teams include both scientific and legal professionals. True or False?
100: True
100: What is trace evidence?
100: Small pieces of physical material transferred during contact.
100: What is direct evidence?
100: Evidence that directly proves a fact, such as eyewitness testimony.
100: What does the first “S” in the Seven S’s stand for?
100: Secure the scene
200: What does it mean for evidence to be reliable?
200: Evidence is consistent and produces the same results when tested repeatedly.
200: Name two professionals who may be part of a crime scene investigation team.
200: Police officers, detectives, crime scene investigators, forensic scientists, medical examiners (any two).
200: Give two examples of trace evidence.
200: Hair, fibers, glass, soil, paint, pollen (any two).
200: What is circumstantial evidence?
200: Evidence that indirectly suggests a fact and requires inference.
200: What does “Survey the scene” involve?
200: Observing the scene to understand what happened and identify evidence.
300: What does it mean for evidence to be valid?
300: Evidence is relevant and actually proves or supports a fact in the case.
300: What is a staged crime scene?
300: A crime scene that has been altered to mislead investigators.
300: State Locard’s Principle of Exchange.
300: Whenever two objects come into contact, there is an exchange of materials.
300: What is the difference between class evidence and individual evidence?
300: Class evidence narrows to a group; individual evidence can identify a single source.
300: What is “Sketch the scene” and why is it important?
300: A scaled drawing showing evidence locations to help with reconstruction.
400: Why must crime scene evidence be handled carefully from the moment it is discovered?
400: To prevent contamination, loss, or damage that could make evidence inadmissible in court.
400: List three more commonly staged crime scenes.
400: Suicide, burglary, arson, accidental death (any three).
400: According to Locard’s Principle, what do exchanged materials indicate?
400: That a suspect was present at the scene or that two objects came into contact.
400: Give one example of class evidence and one example of individual evidence.
400: Class—blood type, hair (without root bulbs), fibers, pollen, etc.; Individual—DNA or fingerprints.
400: What is chain of custody and why is it essential?
400: Documentation showing who handled evidence; it ensures integrity and admissibility in court.
500: Identify at least five possible major errors a sketch artist could make.
500: Not measuring the room, missing items in the room or not measuring their exact placement based on "fixed points", not identifying "fixed points", not triangulating or giving perpendicular distances to evidence from "fixed points", not drawing final sketch to scale, not including the north arrow, crime scene location, date, etc.
500: List two indicators that a crime scene may have been staged.
500: Evidence inconsistent with injuries, lack of forced entry, items placed unnaturally, contradictory statements (any two).
500: Explain how trace evidence can connect a suspect, a victim, and a crime scene simultaneously.
500: Trace evidence from multiple sources can link all parties through material exchange between each of them and the crime scene(s).
500: Blood type is class evidence—explain how it can still be useful in an investigation.
500: It can eliminate suspects and narrow the pool of possible contributors.
500: List all seven S’s of crime scene investigation IN ORDER.
500: Secure the scene; Separate witnesses; Scan the scene; See (photograph) the scene; Sketch the scene; Search for evidence; Secure and collect evidence.