Crime Scene Investigation and Reconstruction

by Ogle, Robert R.

• ISBN13: 9780131119093
• ISBN10: 0131119095
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-01-01
• Publisher: Prentice Hall

Summary

For first- and second-year Crime Scene Investigation, and Criminal Investigation courses in criminal justice. This book provides clear guidelines for superior crime scene investigation, giving concrete methodologies for effective and efficient investigation of crime scenes. The text focuses on clear concept explanation and provides reference work with regard to adequate and appropriate crime scene investigations. It includes coverage of documentation protocols, fundamental collection and preservation techniques, and laboratory analytical strategies.

Table of Contents

Foreword

About the Author

Introduction to Physical Evidence

Crime Scene Search Principles

Crime Scene Photography

Crime Scene Sketches

Latent Fingerprint Evidence

Hair and Fiber Evidence

Glass, Paint and Soil Evidence

Arson Accelerant Evidence

Biological Fluid Stain Evidence: Blood and Semen

Firearms Evidence

Impression Evidence

Drug and Alcohol Evidence

Document Evidence

Vehicle Investigations

Sexual Assault Investigations

Homicide Investigations

Crime Scene Reconstruction

Crime Scene Report Writing

Courtroom Testimony

Crime Scene and Forensic Texts

Physical Evidence Chart

Computer Evidence

Entomological Evidence

Answers to Chapter Questions

Glossary

References

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Crime Scene Investigation and Reconstructionis the successor to the first and second editions ofCrime Scene Investigation and Physical Evidence Manualby this author. As stated inCrime Scene InvestigationandPhysical Evidence Manual,the ultimate goal of crime scene investigation is to reconstruct the events of the crime in order to answer the questionsWhat happened? Who was responsible for each action?,andWhat was the sequence of actions?The answers to these questions and others related to the crime may assist in establishing whether or not a crime occurred and who was (were) the perpetrators) of the crime. Because of the importance of reconstruction to crime scene investigation, the title of this text has been changed to reflect the importance of this topic, and the text has been expanded to include a chapter on crime scene reconstruction to illustrate the effectiveness of reconstruction in helping both to protect the innocent and to aid in the apprehension and prosecution of perpetrators of crime. In the years intervening since the publication of the second edition ofCrime Scene Investigation and Physical Evidence Manual,there have been a number of innovations introduced in the forensic sciences that will prove to be of immense aid to the investigator. A number of databases have been developed to assist in the apprehension of the perpetrators of crime. The introduction of digital cameras and digital imaging will have an impact on the traditional methods of crime scene photography and courtroom presentations. The development of the ability to analyze for mitochondrial DNA (mt-DNA) in addition to nuclear DNA (n-DNA) allows for DNA typing of biological materials that cannot be typed for nuclear DNA because of the lack of a cellular nucleus in materials such as hair and fingernails. In addition, the development of short tandem repeat (STR) DNA profiling has added considerably to the information available from bloodstain evidence. The evolution of computer programs for sketching crime scenes has improved the ability to depict the crime scene both in a three-dimensional aspect and in animated sequences, features that are of considerable value to those individuals involved in crime scene reconstructions. The chapters dealing with these topics have been updated to include information that has been developed since the publication of the first and second editions of the author'sCrime Scene Investigation and Physical Evidence Manual. Chapters on drug evidence, document evidence, sexual assault investigation, and crime scene reconstruction have been added to the text as new chapters or through reconfiguration of previous chapters in the second edition ofCrime Scene Investigation and Physical Evidence Manual.These new chapters were added in order to make the textbook more comprehensive and comprehensible. The separation of sexual assault investigation from the chapter on semen evidence categorizes the sexual assault evidence by the source of the evidence (crime scene, victim, and suspect). The segregation of crime scene reconstruction from the chapters on blood and firearms evidence should reinforce the importance of reconstruction in crime scene investigation and should provide a better understanding of how crime scene reconstruction aids in criminal investigation. In addition to the new chapters, appendices on computer evidence and entomological evidence have been added to the text. A number of photographs have been added to the text to illustrate various aspects of the collection and laboratory examination of physical evidence. Many features of crime scene reconstruction are illustrated with new photographs in order to provide the investigator with an appreciation of the advantage of having a reconstruction of the crime effected by the reconstruction expert or team. References for further reading have been added to many chapters. In addition, revie