Crime Scene Practical: Forensic Investigation and Analysis Report

This crime scene practical assignment details the forensic investigation of a murder case, focusing on the analysis of evidence collected from the scene. The student, working within a team, was assigned specific roles including evidence collection, photography, sketching, and crime scene management. The assignment highlights the importance of proper evidence handling, including the careful packaging of blood-stained items and the detection of fingerprints. The student selected key exhibits such as blood stains, fingerprints on a beer bottle and plastic bag, a door handle, and a silver memory stick, and outlined the methods used to analyze them. The report emphasizes the roles of each team member and the importance of collaboration in a forensic investigation. The assignment also references key forensic science concepts and techniques such as blood pattern analysis, fingerprinting methods, and the use of photography in crime scene reconstruction. The student also highlighted the importance of each exhibit and how they could be used to identify the suspect and the murder objective.

Running head: CRIME SCENE PRACTICAL
Crime Scene Practical
Student’s Name
Institution
Date

CRIME SCENE PRACTICAL 2
Introduction
In the case under investigation, the body of Vicki Tim was found at 11 pm last at the side
of an alley of Scatt close, Luton. Ms Tim was found fully clothed, with multiple stab wounds to
the chest and she had been badly beaten. We undertook a number of forensic investigation
strategies to not only identify the possible cause of death but also to trace the identity of the
suspect. Although we work as a group, each one was assigned a room to carry out forensic
analysis.
Crime scene processing
The crime took place at 319A Park Square, Luton, Beds, LU1 3JU. In the room, there
were exhibits such as beer bottle, pink jumper, plastic bag, potential blood stain, green fabric,
silver memory stick, blood stained sleepers, blood stain on the door handle and green cotton
glove.
Scenario
Based on different exhibits found, I selected some which could help in identification of
suspect and murder objective. One of the exhibits I selected is blood traces on stained sleepers
and blood stain on the door handle. I was careful to store them in separate carriers because blood
at the crime scene may belong to the perpetrator or the victim. One may be surprised why there
is a pool of blood under the corpse, but there is none on its back. To explain this, you need to do
a blood wash on a cotton or gauze sterile swab soaked in distilled water (without forgetting about
the control wash). In this situation, flushing should be done from the floor, table, laptop and
other places where blood will be detected. As a rule, biological traces invisible to the naked eye
are detected using ultraviolet light. Particular attention should be paid to the clothes of the victim

CRIME SCENE PRACTICAL 3
- perhaps there are traces of blood on her (Wiid, 2016). It is advisable to remove it from a
medical expert after opening. I was careful when processing the scene because clothes, fabrics
with traces cannot be packed in a plastic bag. It is folded with the tracks inside, clean sheets of
paper are laid between the tracks and other parts (Leedy & Ormrod, 2015). The expert
determines the blood group and determines to whom it may belong. The suspect can be identified
by comparing his blood with the seized at the crime scene. However, this is not all that a blood
stain can tell. A drop can be used to determine how long it fell on the floor, at what angle, from
what distance. For example, if a drop of blood has jagged edges, then it fell from a height of
more than two meters. But this applies only to thickened blood (Strandberg, 2015).
Scenario 2
I also concentrated in fingerprints on any possible surfaces such as beer bottle, plastic
bag. Fingerprints remain on all surfaces, but it is not always possible to remove them - on
average they “live” for 2-3 days. If traces remain on plastic surfaces coated with powdery
substances or film-forming liquid, they can last much longer. There are also visual-optical,
physical, chemical, physico-chemical and microbiological methods for detecting fingerprints.
They are used to detect traces invisible to the eye, as well as traces located on porous and
absorbent substances (leather, raw wood, paper, etc.) (South African Police Service 2014).
Scenario 3
I also selected door handle and silver memory stick as key exhibits. Basically, all these
methods are based on a chemical reaction between trace components and special reagents that
cause them to stain or luminescence. For example, as a result of processing the room with iodine
vapor, the fingerprints are painted brown, and when fumigated with acyal cyanide pairs (i.e.,

CRIME SCENE PRACTICAL 4
super-glue), they are white. By the way, under ideal conditions, these methods can detect traces
up to 3 months old. After the removal of all the fingerprints, a fingerprint examination is
prescribed to determine to whom they belong (James, Nordby & Bell, 2014). Probably everyone
knows that fingerprints are widely used in forensics precisely because they are not repeated in
different people. But few people know that the auricles are no less individual.
Throughout the investigation process, I worked hand in hand with crime scene manager,
photographer, sketcher, and exhibit officer. The crime scene manager did overall planning,
controlling and gave direction on how the process should proceed. The photographer took
photographs of the exhibits. Photography was crucial because it could help in reconstruction of
how the murder was carried out. Sketcher help in reconstruction process by sketching the crime
scene while the exhibit officer collected the exhibits according to the recommended procedures.

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References
James, S.H., Nordby, J.J. & Bell, S. (2014). Forensic science: an introduction to scientific and
investigative techniques. 3rd edition. Boca Raton: CRC Press
Leedy, P.D. & Ormrod, J.E. (2015). Practical research: planning and design. 11th edition.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Merrill Prentice Hall.
South African Police Service. (2014). About the Forensic Science Laboratory. From:
http://www.saps.gov.za/faqdetail.php?fid=6.
Strandberg, K.W. (2015). A new way to capture crime scenes. Retrieved from:
https://www.officer.com/investigations/forensics/article/12077950/let-magazinejuly
2015-revolutionary-3d-crime-scene-investigation-csi-scanners.
Wiid, A.B. (2016). The use of blood pattern analysis to reconstruct a crime scene. Pretoria:
University Of South Africa.