Complete Crime Scene Investigation Handbook is the most complete, one-stop practical reference for law enforcement and crime scene professionals as well as students looking to enter the field. The book provides step-by-step methods and best practice protocols for effectively finding, recognizing, recording, collecting, preserving, handling, and packaging evidence.

Table of Contents

• Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Author
• Introduction
• Investigative Team
• 1.1 INVESTIGATIVE TEAM AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES
• Forensic Search and Seizure
• 2.1 INTRODUCTION
• 2.2 STANDING
• 2.3 LEGAL MEANS TO PROCESS A SCENE
• 2.4 EXCLUSIONARY RULE
• 2.5 FORENSIC EVIDENCE
• 2.6 BLOOD, DNA, AND BODY SAMPLES
• 2.7 NONTESTIMONIAL EVIDENCE
• 2.8 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 2.9 SKETCHES
• 2.10 NOTES
• 2.11 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• IMPORTANT COURT CASES
• Documentation
• Note Taking
• 3.1 PURPOSE OF DOCUMENTATION
• 3.2 KEY ELEMENTS OF A PROPERLY DOCUMENTED CRIME SCENE
• 3.3 FIELD NOTES
• 3.4 TASK LISTS/TO-DO LISTS
• 3.5 NOTE CATEGORIES
• 3.6 PREFORMATTED NOTE FORMS
• 3.7 VEHICLE DOCUMENTATION
• 3.8 NOTES
• Photography
• 4.1 ARTISTIC PHOTOGRAPHY
• 4.2 POLICE PHOTOGRAPHY
• 4.3 STOP AND EXPOSURE
• 4.4 APERTURE (F/STOP)
• 4.5 DEPTH OF FIELD
• 4.6 SHUTTER SPEED
• 4.7 ISO
• 4.8 ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING
• 4.9 HARD LIGHT VERSUS SOFT LIGHT
• 4.10 CRIME SCENE PHOTOGRAPHY
• 4.11 CATEGORIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS
• 4.12 SUCCESSFUL PHOTOGRAPHS
• 4.13 PHOTOGRAPHIC PSYCHOLOGY
• 4.14 PHOTOGRAPH ADMISSIBILITY INTO COURT
• 4.15 CRIME SCENE PHOTOGRAPHY: OVERALL PHOTOGRAPHS
• 4.16 CRIME SCENE PHOTOGRAPHY: MIDRANGE PHOTOGRAPHS
• 4.17 CRIME SCENE PHOTOGRAPHY: CLOSE-UP PHOTOGRAPHS
• 4.18 PHOTOGRAPHS WITH EVIDENCE MARKERS
• 4.19 EXAMINATION QUALITY PHOTOGRAPHS
• 4.20 VICTIM/SUSPECT/WITNESS PHOTOGRAPHS
• 4.21 OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTINGS
• 4.22 VEHICLE PHOTOGRAPHY
• 4.23 COLLISION OR ACCIDENT PHOTOGRAPHY
• 4.24 OTHER USES OF EVIDENCE PHOTOGRAPHS
• 4.25 AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
• 4.26 ADDING TO AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS
• 4.27 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 4.28 SKETCHES
• 4.29 NOTES
• 4.30 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• IMPORTANT CASE LAW
• Sketching
• 5.1 USES OF SKETCHES AND FORENSIC MAPS
• 5.2 DETERMINING WHEN TO CREATE A SKETCH OR FORENSIC MAP
• 5.3 CATEGORIES OF SKETCHES
• 5.4 SKETCH VERSUS FORENSIC MAP
• 5.5 SKETCH INFORMATION AND FORMAT
• 5.6 SKETCH ADMISSIBILITY INTO COURT
• 5.7 TYPES OF SKETCHES
• 5.8 MEASURING DEVICES
• 5.9 MEASURING METHODS
• 5.10 NOTE ABOUT MEASURING TECHNIQUES
• 5.11 CREATING A ROUGH SKETCH
• 5.12 MEASURING METHODS FOR STRUCTURES
• 5.13 USE OF TABLE OR MEASUREMENT LOG
• 5.14 CREATING A FINAL SKETCH
• 5.15 MAKING YOUR ROUGH SKETCH PERMANENT
• 5.16 THREE-DIMENSIONAL SKETCHES
• 5.17 COMPUTER-GENERATED SYMBOLS
• 5.18 SKETCHES
• Locating Evidence
• Crime Scene Searching Techniques
• 6.1 SEARCH PATTERNS
• 6.2 INFORMATION PROVIDED PRIOR TO SEARCH
• 6.3 INTRUSIVENESS OF THE SEARCH
• 6.4 SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
• 6.5 ADDITIONAL SEARCHING TECHNIQUES
• 6.6 SEARCH PROBLEMS
• 6.7 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 6.8 SKETCHES
• 6.9 NOTES
• 6.10 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• Alternate Light Source
• 7.1 ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
• 7.2 HOW WE SEE OBJECTS
• 7.3 WHITE LIGHT
• 7.4 LIGHT
• 7.5 PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
• 7.6 FLUORESCENT EFFECT
• 7.7 FILTERS
• 7.8 ALTERNATE LIGHT SOURCE
• 7.9 OTHER USES OF THE ALS
• 7.10 PAINTING WITH LIGHT REVISITED
• 7.11 IR/UV PHOTOGRAPHY
• 7.12 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 7.13 SKETCHES
• 7.14 NOTES
• 7.15 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• Presumptive Tests and Chemical Enhancements
• 8.1 PRESUMPTIVE TESTS
• 8.2 TYPES OF PRESUMPTIVE TESTS
• 8.3 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 8.4 SKETCHES
• 8.5 NOTES
• 8.6 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• 8.7 CHEMICAL ENHANCEMENTS
• 8.8 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 8.9 SKETCHES
• 8.10 NOTES
• 8.11 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• 8.12 CLEANING CHEMICALS
• 8.13 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 8.14 SKETCHES
• 8.15 NOTES
• 8.16 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• 8.17 CONFIRMATORY TESTS FOR BLOOD
• 8.18 SEMEN
• 8.19 NOTE ON SHELF LIFE
• 8.20 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 8.21 SKETCHES
• 8.22 NOTES
• 8.23 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• Latent Fingerprint Development
• 9.1 INTRODUCTION
• 9.2 ATTEMPTS TO AVOID DETECTION
• 9.3 FINGERPRINT CHARACTERISTICS
• 9.4 FINGERPRINT MAKEUP
• 9.5 POINT OF CLARIFICATION
• 9.6 USES OF FINGERPRINTS
• 9.7 THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE FINGERPRINTING
• 9.8 THREE CATEGORIES OF FINGERPRINTS
• 9.9 TRAINING IS IMPORTANT
• 9.10 EXPERIMENTATION AT THE SCENE
• 9.11 TYPES OF BRUSHES
• 9.12 PROPER USES OF BRUSHES
• 9.13 POWDERS
• 9.14 CLEAR LIFTING TAPE
• 9.15 LATENT FINGERPRINT BACKING CARDS
• 9.16 FINGERPRINT LIFTING AIDS
• 9.17 APPLYING TAPE TO SURFACES TECHNIQUES
• 9.18 ATTACHING TAPE TO BACKING CARD TECHNIQUES
• 9.19 EXTENDING A BACKING CARD
• 9.20 USING 2” TAPE TO MAKE PALM-SIZED TAPE
• 9.21 TRIM ENDS OF TAPE
• 9.22 LIFTING THE LATENT FINGERPRINT USING HINGE LIFTERS
• 9.23 LIFTING THE LATENT FINGERPRINT USING RUBBER/GEL LIFTERS
• 9.24 LIFTING THE LATENT FINGERPRINT USING SPECIAL LIFTING TAPE
• 9.25 LIFTING THE LATENT FINGERPRINT USING FORENSIC SIL
• 9.26 LIFTING THE LATENT FINGERPRINT USING CLEAR GLUE
• 9.27 LIFTING THE LATENT FINGERPRINT USING MIKROSIL
• 9.28 LIFTING THE LATENT FINGERPRINT USING ADDITIONAL TECHNIQUES
• 9.29 INCIDENTAL MARKS ON THE LIFTING TAPE
• 9.30 POWDER PROCESSING METHODS
• 9.31 ADDITIONAL FINGERPRINT DEVELOPMENT TECHNIQUES
• 9.32 CHEMICAL PROCESSING
• 9.33 PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENT
• 9.34 DYE STAINS FOR POST-CYANOACRYLATE FUMING
• 9.35 ADDITIONAL PROCESSING METHODS
• 9.36 DEVELOPING LATENT FINGERPRINTS ON PAPER EVIDENCE
• 9.37 DEVELOPING LATENT FINGERPRINT ON ADHESIVE SIDE OF TAPE
• 9.38 DEVELOPING LATENT FINGERPRINTS ON BLOOD-CONTAMINATED EVIDENCE
• 9.39 DEVELOPING LATENT
• 9.40 DEVELOPING LATENT FINGERPRINTS ON FIRE SCENE EVIDENCE
• 9.41 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 9.42 SKETCHES
• 9.43 NOTES
• 9.44 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• 9.45 FINGERPRINT FLOWCHARTS
• 9.46 CHEMICAL SOLUTION CONTROL TEST
• Evidence Collection and Packaging
• 10.1 SINGLE ITEM OF EVIDENCE VERSUS MULTIPLE ITEMS COLLECTED TOGETHER
• 10.2 EVIDENCE COLLECTION METHODS
• 10.3 EVIDENCE PACKAGING
• 10.4 PACKAGING, LABELING, AND SEALING
• 10.5 PROTECTION OF EVIDENCE FROM LOSS, CROSS CONTAMINATION, OR OTHER ALTERATIONS
• 10.6 DECONTAMINATION OF EQUIPMENT
• 10.7 CONTROL SAMPLES
• 10.8 CHAIN OF CUSTODY
• 10.9 EVIDENCE NUMBERING
• 10.10 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 10.11 SKETCHES
• 10.12 NOTES
• 10.13 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• Types of Evidence
• Physical Evidence
• 11.1 PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
• 11.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
• 11.3 LOCARD'S EXCHANGE PRINCIPLE
• 11.4 CATEGORIES OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
• 11.5 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
• 11.6 PHYSICAL EVIDENCE AND THE INVESTIGATIVE QUESTIONS
• 11.7 CLOTHING DOCUMENTATION
• 11.8 PHOTOGRAPHS
• 11.9 CUT CLOTHING
• 11.10 TORN CLOTHING
• 11.11 SKETCHES
• 11.12 NOTES
• 11.13 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• Serological Evidence
• 12.1 DNA
• 12.2 SOURCES OF DNA
• 12.3 IMPORTANCE OF DNA EVIDENCE
• 12.4 DNA EVIDENCE
• 12.5 DNA TRANSFER/CONTAMINATION IN FINGERPRINT PROCESSING
• 12.6 TYPES OF BIOLOGICAL/ SEROLOGICAL EVIDENCE
• 12.7 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 12.8 SKETCHES
• 12.9 NOTES
• 12.10 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• 12.11 BUCCAL SWABS
• 12.12 DNA ISSUES
• Trace Evidence
• 13.1 SOURCES OF TRACE EVIDENCE (INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO)
• 13.2 TYPES OF TRACE EVIDENCE (INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO)
• 13.3 VALUE OF TRACE EVIDENCE
• Firearms and Toolmark Evidence
• 14.1 INTRODUCTION
• 14.2 FIVE FIREARMS STYLES
• 14.3 FIREARM BORE
• 14.4 AMMUNITION
• 14.5 EXAMINATION OF FIREARMS EVIDENCE
• 14.6 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 14.7 SKETCHES
• 14.8 NOTES
• 14.9 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• 14.10 GUNSHOT RESIDUE
• 14.11 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 14.12 SKETCHES
• 14.13 NOTES
• 14.14 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• 14.15 TOOLMARKS
• 14.16 TYPES OF TOOLMARKS
• 14.17 QUALITY OF THE TOOLMARK
• 14.18 KNIVES
• 14.19 VALUE OF TOOLMARK EVIDENCE
• 14.20 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 14.21 SKETCHES
• 14.22 NOTES
• 14.23 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• Footwear and Tire Impression Evidence
• 15.1 INTRODUCTION
• 15.2 USEFULNESS OF FOOTWEAR IMPRESSIONS
• 15.3 FOOTWEAR IMPRESSION FORMATION
• 15.4 LOCATING IMPRESSIONS
• 15.5 KNOWN/EXEMPLAR/ALIBI FOOTWEAR
• 15.6 TIRE IMPRESSIONS
• 15.7 USEFULNESS OF TIRE IMPRESSIONS
• 15.8 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 15.9 SKETCHES
• 15.10 NOTES
• 15.11 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• 15.12 KNOWN/EXEMPLAR/ALIBI TIRES
• 15.13 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 15.14 SKETCHES
• 15.15 NOTES
• 15.16 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• Digital Evidence
• 16.1 INTRODUCTION
• 16.2 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 16.3 SKETCHES
• 16.4 NOTES
• 16.5 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• Injury Documentation
• 17.1 INJURY DOCUMENTATION
• 17.2 EXAMINATION AND DOCUMENTATION OF INJURIES USING THE ALS
• 17.3 PHOTOGRAPHS
• 17.4 SKETCHES
• 17.5 NOTES
• 17.6 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• Special Considerations
• Shooting Scene Documentation
• 18.1 BALLISTICS
• 18.2 PROPER DOCUMENTATION OF SHOOTING SCENE
• 18.3 BULLET DEFECT LABELING
• 18.4 PROPER MEASUREMENTS TO DOCUMENT BULLET DEFECTS
• 18.5 RICOCHETS
• 18.6 GLASS
• 18.7 SHOOTING SCENE CONFIRMATORY TESTS
• 18.8 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 18.9 PHOTOGRAPHING BULLET DEFECTS AS A MEASURING TOOL
• 18.10 SKETCHES
• 18.11 NOTES
• 18.12 BULLET DEFECT CHARACTERISTICS
• 18.13 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• Bloodstain Documentation
• 19.1 INTRODUCTION
• 19.2 BLOODSTAIN TERMINOLOGY
• 19.3 ADDITIONAL TERMS TO BE AWARE OF
• 19.4 ADDITIONAL AREAS TO BE AWARE OF
• 19.5 PHOTO DOCUMENTATION TECHNIQUE FOR BLOODSTAINS
• 19.6 CLOTHING
• 19.7 PHOTOGRAPHS
• 19.8 SKETCHES
• 19.9 NOTES
• 19.10 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• Clandestine Graves and Scattered Human Remains
• 20.1 INTRODUCTION
• 20.2 FORENSIC BOTANY
• 20.3 FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY
• 20.4 GEOLOGY
• 20.5 GEOPHYSICS
• 20.6 ARCHEOLOGY
• 20.7 SITE EVALUATION
• 20.8 EXHUMATION TECHNIQUES
• 20.9 SPECIAL CONSIDERATION
• Fire Scenes
• 21.1 FIRE SCENE DOCUMENTATION AND EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• 21.2 TYPES OF FIRE SCENES
• 21.3 FIRE
• 21.4 FIRE INVESTIGATION TERMINOLOGY
• 21.5 BURN PATTERNS AND INDICATORS
• 21.6 FOUR ACCEPTABLE FIRE CAUSES
• 21.7 WHAT YOUR EVIDENCE MUST SHOW
• 21.8 ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION: ACCIDENTAL IGNITION SOURCES
• 21.9 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 21.10 SKETCHES
• 21.11 NOTES
• 21.12 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• 21.13 ARSON ACCELERANTS
• 21.14 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 21.15 SKETCHES
• 21.16 NOTES
• 21.17 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• 21.18 CONTROL SAMPLE
• Questioned Document Evidence
• 22.1 INTRODUCTION
• 22.2 IMPORTANCE OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS EXAMINATIONS
• 22.3 PHOTOGRAPHY
• 22.4 SKETCHES
• 22.5 NOTES
• 22.6 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
• Putting It All Together
• Develop a Working Plan and Processing Methodology
• 23.1 DEVELOP A WORKING PLAN
• 23.2 PROCESSING METHODOLOGY
• 23.3 EVIDENCE LOCATED DURING SUBSEQUENT SEARCHES
• Report Writing
• 24.1 AUTHOR'S FINAL REPORT FORMAT
• 24.2 PRIMARY SCENE REPORT
• 24.3 SECONDARY OR ASSISTING REPORTS
• 24.4 “COVER” REPORTS
• 24.5 SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE LEVEL
• 24.6 ANALYSIS REPORTS
• 24.7 TECHNICAL REVIEW
• 24.8 IDENTIFY YOUR AUDIENCE
• 24.9 CASE FILE MANAGEMENT
• Appendix A: Search Waivers
• Appendix B: Sample Forms
• Appendix C: Additional Camera Equipment
• Appendix D: Equipment Lists
• Appendix E: Fingerprint Flowcharts
• Appendix F: Personal Protective Equipment
• Appendix G: Trajectory Kits
• Glossary