BEHIND THE FORENSICS OF A CRIME

SCENE
By: Marina Fick
Independent Study Mentorship – Spring 2019
Mrs. Click
DISCLAIMER
• Some of the information in this PowerPoint is from outside
sources. I did not come up with all of this information on my
own.
MENTOR INTRODUCTION
• My mentor is Senior Police Officer D. Baker
• He has been a police officer for 26 years and currently works as a
crime analysist for the Eastside Station
• My mentorship site is the Eastside Station located in 11 district
ABOUT ISM
• ISM is a course which allows students to choose a mentor in a field of
interest and receive individual instruction from that professional. It
allows for the student to go to the mentor's place of business and
study with professionals.
• Students in this course are required to meet with their mentors for
three hours each week and complete required assignments like:
• Activity logs and journal entries
• Weebly portfolio: https://marinafickspringismportfolio.weebly.com
• Artifacts
PROJECT TOPIC SLIDE
• My project will be over the different steps and processes that go on behind
a crime scene, specifically what occurs in the forensic aspects of a crime
scene
• In my project I will be discussing things like the different types of evidence,
the collection of evidence, the examination of bodies, and crime scene
reconstruction
• I chose my topic because forensics has always interested me and there are a
lot of steps that go into crime scene investigation that most people are not
aware of. Also many police officers come across a large variety of cases
where there is need for crime scene investigation
 WHAT IS A CRIME SCENE?
• A location where some type of illegal action took place and usually where the most
evidence will be collected
• Primary- Location where the crime occurred and the location where usually the
most evidence will be collected
• Secondary- Location that is related to the crime but the actual crime did not take
place here
• Outdoor- Must act fast to collect evidence due to environmental conditions; Easy
to contaminate, destroy or miss evidence, especially at night
• Indoor- Loss of evidence due to environmental conditions is decreased but the
contamination of evidence due to multiple people entering the scene is increased
• Conveyance- Means of transportation; Example would be car theft
• Evidence is usually only collected at homicides, attempted homicides, abductions,
death investigations, officer involved shootings, and clandestine grave body
recoveries
“Types of Crime Scenes.” Module 02 :: Types of Crime Scenes, projects.nfstc.org/property_crimes/module02/pro_m02_t01.htm.
 CRIME SCENE PROCEDURE
• The procedure that occurs at a crime scene will change depending on
who is at the crime scene, the location, and what type of crime was
committed
• The first step when arriving at a crime scene is to determine the extent of
the crime scene
• The next step is securing the crime scene and any areas that could be
related to the crime scene (the first police officer on the scene will
usually secure a core area and when CSI arrives they will secure a larger
area than the core area)
• This prevents people from damaging areas that could later be considered
part of the crime scene

Layton, Julia. “How Crime Scene Investigation Works.” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 31 Oct. 2018,
science.howstuffworks.com/csi2.htm.
 CONTINUED…
• Once the crime scene is secured, a “safe area” will be established
(place where investigators can talk about the crime scene without
destroying evidence)
• This is also the time to check to see if a search warrant is needed
because any evidence is useless if it is not admissible in court
• Once this is all taken care of, a walk through of the crime scene takes
place (a path that will cause the least amount of damage to evidence
is the best path)
• The first details you want to pay attention to are the ones that could
change over time (weather, smells, sounds, etc.) and any hazards

Layton, Julia. “How Crime Scene Investigation Works.” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 31 Oct. 2018,
science.howstuffworks.com/csi2.htm.
 CONTINUED…
• This would also be the time to call in any necessary specialists
• This is also a good time for the CSI to talk to first responders to
see if any evidence was disturbed and to hear about witness
interviews (CSI does not conduct interviews)
• Witness interviews can offer key details and help with the
collection of evidence
• Once the first walk through is complete, a second walk through
(following the same path) is performed in order to document the
crime scene

Layton, Julia. “How Crime Scene Investigation Works.” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 31 Oct. 2018,
science.howstuffworks.com/csi2.htm.
 CONTINUED…
• During the second walk through, the CSI will take pictures of the
crime scene as well as notes that describe the crime scene
• Sometimes sketches will be made and video walk throughs
• After the crime scene has been accurately documented, the
evidence collection begins

Layton, Julia. “How Crime Scene Investigation Works.” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 31 Oct. 2018,
science.howstuffworks.com/csi2.htm. https://science.howstuffworks.com/csi2.htm
 EVIDENCE COLLECTION
➢ Biological Evidence: Sources of DNA like body fluids, skin cells, etc.
➢ Latent Print Evidence: Impressions from skin contact (finger, palm, footprints)
➢ Firearm and Toolmark Evidence: Evidence left behind from firearms and tools
➢ Impression and Patent Print Evidence: Impressions or when objects come in
contact and transfer evidence onto each other
➢ Trace Evidence: Items that can be used to determine a source like hairs, fibers,
paint, glass, etc.
➢ Questioned Document Evidence: Documents that may help solve a crime or clear
up details like confessions, threats, diaries, etc.
➢ Bloodstain Pattern Analysis: The pattern of blood stains can help to determine
what weapon was used, what happened, and can help with the reconstruction of a
crime scene
“Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.” Learn More about DPS, Divisions, Programs, Boards and Committees,
dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca/bca-divisions/forensic-science/Pages/forensic-programs-crime-scene.aspx.
 Biological Firearm
Questioned Document

Trace

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Impression

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 • Trace Evidence: tweezers, plastic containers with lids, filtered
vacuum device, and a knife
• Biological evidence: smear slides, a scalpel, tweezers, scissors,
sterile cloth squares, a UV light, protective eyewear and luminol
• Latent Print Evidence: brushes, powders, tape, chemicals, lift
cards, a magnifying glass and Super Glue
• Impressions and Toolmark Evidence: casting compounds (dental
gypsum, Silicone rubber), snow wax (for making a cast in snow),
a bowl, and water
• Firearm and Document Evidence: tweezers, swabs, gloves

Layton, Julia. “How Crime Scene Investigation Works.” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 31 Oct. 2018,
science.howstuffworks.com/csi2.htm.
EXAMINING A BODY
•A CSI will do a visual examination of both sides of the body
looking for details that might tell investigators what occurred or
perhaps who committed the murder (stains, bruises, cuts, blood,
missing objects, fluids, insects)
• The CSI will also take fingerprints of the victim
•If a crime is a murder, then an autopsy will take place
• An autopsy is conducted by a medical examiner, and will give
details such as the time of death and manner of death
RECONSTRUCTION OF A CRIME SCENE
•Crime scene reconstruction attempts to answer the questions:
How did something happen? How did something not happen? And
sometimes why something happened?
• The reconstruction of a crime scene is based off of photos,
physical evidence, and autopsy reports
• Blood, blood stain patterns, impressions, and bullet trajectory
are all good forms of evidence that can help to reconstruct a
crime scene
• Crime scene reconstruction can be physical or digital
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CURRENT EVENT
• Coming Soon to a Police Station Near You: The DNA ‘Magic Box’
• New machine being tested that can give DNA results back in as little as 90
minutes.
• Police officers that have already used the rapid DNA device have stated that
the device has proven useful in providing leads and catching criminals
faster than before.
• Some controversy over these devices because complex genetic material
could be useless if handled improperly
Murphy, Heather. “Coming Soon to a Police Station Near You: The DNA 'Magic
Box'.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 21 Jan. 2019,
www.nytimes.com/2019/01/21/science/dna-crime-gene-
technology.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FForensic%2BScience&
action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=strea
m_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=collection.
PRODUCT
• Tri-fold board presenting the different ways that fingerprints can
be collected from different types of evidence.
• Also explain how finger prints can be used to link someone to a
crime.
• I got an actual finger print dusting kit and then dust a
hypothetical piece of evidence for fingerprints.
CONCLUSION
• From my mentorship I gained a more in depth knowledge of the
different skills required to work in the law enforcement field and
I got to learn about careers one can follow in the law
enforcement field
• Through my presentation, I also got to learn about not only
police field work but also about the forensic side of law
enforcement
• It was a very educational experience and it taught me a lot
THANK YOU
• I would like to thank my mentor for mentoring me and teaching
me so much throughout my mentorship time. It truly is a very
educational and inspiring experience.
• I would also like to thank Mrs. Click for teaching me and
preparing me throughout the year.
• Finally, I would like to thank my evaluators for taking the time to
sit through and evaluate my presentation.
WORKS CITED
Murphy, Heather. “Coming Soon to a Police Station Near You: The DNA 'Magic Box'.” The New York Times, The New

York Times, 21 Jan. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/01/21/science/dna-crime-gene-

technology.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FForensic%2BScience&action=click&contentCollection=time

stopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=collection.

Evidence Collection Guidelines, www.crime-scene-investigator.net/collect.html

“Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.” Learn More about DPS, Divisions, Programs, Boards and

Committees, dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca/bca-divisions/forensic-science/Pages/forensic-programs-

crime-scene-ssrecon.aspx.
WORKS CITED
Layton, Julia. “How Crime Scene Investigation Works.” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 31 Oct.

2018, science.howstuffworks.com/csi2.htm.

“Reconstructing a Crime Scene.” UniversalClass.com,

www.universalclass.com/articles/law/reconstructing-a-crime-scene.htm.

“Types of Crime Scenes.” Module 02 :: Types of Crime Scenes,

projects.nfstc.org/property_crimes/module02/pro_m02_t01.htm.