Essay Sample on Crime Scene: Single and Multiple Aspects

Introduction

The crime scene refers to all the aspects surrounding a crime, including the victims, perpetrators, and eyewitnesses. Hypothetically, it comprises of a single or multiple defined and isolated areas. An example of a single space that stands as a crime scene could be a place where a homicide occurred (Osterburg & Ward, 2013). Multiple crime scenes could be the area surrounding the crime. For example, in the case of a kidnapping, the crime scene could be an abandoned vehicle by kidnappers, the room where they held their victim as well as the places where they lived before committing the crime. All these areas have useful information that can help in solving the case.

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The invention of technology has introduced cybercrime, which is a new form of crime. In the case of cybercrime, the crime scene includes both tangible and non-tangible crime scenes. An example of cybercrime is online fraud. The crime scenes in this type of cybercrime consist of the apartment where the offenders were living during the time of the crime. The computer hardware and other electronic gadgets used by offenders also acts as a crime scene. Other crime scenes in cybercrimes include internet servers, computer hard disks, email or text messages, as well as images and videos (Osterburg, & Ward, 2013). These crime scenes are vital in solving cases involving cybercrimes.

The definition of crime scenes may be direct and concise. They can also be vast areas and highly disputed. Adequate examination and solution of cases rely on the ability of investigators to isolate, secure, and protect the crime scenes. All the evidence discovered in the crime scene must be safe to avoid destruction and contamination.

Crime Scene Search and Evidence Recording

Crime scene search is essential to obtain evidence that can help create a link between the crime, victims, and criminals. The search allows detectives to follow up on the offense to gain solid proof of the criminals. For example, fingerprints obtained at a crime scene can help in identifying the perpetrators. Nevertheless, crime scene search can help to connect the reasons behind an abduction leading to finding the kidnappers

The crime scene search provides ample information for the detectives and investigators. It helps them establish what happened at the crime scene. It also assists the investigators to determine the approximate time and location of a crime, and how the crime took place. For example, crime scene searches at a homicide can help in the determination of the time when the murder occurred (Osterburg & Ward, 2013). Detectives can use associative evidence from the crime scene search to determine how the crime occurred.

The crime scene search is vital for developing a psychological profile. The search can yield a piece of evidence that seems off or foreign to the crime scene. Such evidence can help locate the criminals. For example, the serial number of a gun obtained through a crime scene search can assist in identifying the owner of the weapon. Thereby, it creates an opportunity to get a motive for the crime. The search is vital for identifying an offender's modus operandi leading to the connection of several evils.

There are various responsibilities of the first officers arriving at a crime scene. The primary duty of the officer is to protect the crime scene. However, in case of severe injuries at a crime scene, the officer should inform health officers to help the victims. The officers should ensure that the crime scene remains intact. Evidence such as footprints, fingerprints, and blood spats stay as they were. The first officers at a crime scene should provide information pertinent to the apprehension of the criminals to the patrolling officers. Such information includes a vivid description of the offenders, mode of transportation they used to flee from the crime scene, vehicle model, and the escape direction. The officers also isolate the crime scene and limit the access and use of the facilities. They also help to ensure that there is no interference and disruption of the crime scene as well as contamination of the evidence. The officers should isolate and detain eyewitnesses to limit the chances of sharing of individual observations. Finally, the officers should protect the crime scene until they hand it over to the investigation officers in charge.

The investigator at the crime scene is responsible for recording vital information that will be useful before a defense council during the time of the trial. Such information includes the identification of the person who made the notification, when the investigator arrived and the response duration. The investigator should also record ambient conditions, names of people found at the crime scene, and the facts of the scene, according to the first officers at the crime scene. It is essential to record information from the crime scene to avoid contamination of evidence, explain the situation, and have facts that will assist in answering defense questions at the trial.

The Pan Am Flight 103 Crash

The case of the Pan Am flight 103, involves the crash of Boeing 747 that exploded in Lockerbie on its way to New York from London. At the time of the explosion, the flight was flying at an approximate height of 9,500 meters (McNamara, 2018). The time bomb on board exploded as the plane was preparing for an oceanic part of the voyage. Criminal investigation indicated that the bomb was made from an odorless plastic explosive material confined in a cassette player. The massive blast from the plane led to thousand pieces thrown as far as 850 miles radius. The crash was fatal, leading to the death of everyone in the flight (McNamara, 2018). In total, 270 people lost their lives, 259 onboard, and 11 killed by the falling plane parts. In addition to that, the wrecked plane destroyed more than 22 houses (McNamara, 2018).

The crime scene for the crash covered more than 850 miles radius, the largest in the world. Most of the passengers on the plane were American citizens. However, the flight also had passengers from 21 different countries. The nature of the crime scene and the high number of nationalities makes the investigation process lengthy and more burdensome. The first process in the investigation of the crime thus would be the evacuation of people from an 860 miles radius to pave the way for examination as well as avoiding contamination of evidence. The second process would be taking records of all the evidence at the crime scene. The large area would need a large number of security agents to secure the crime scene until the investigation process concludes. The third step in the investigation would be to increase the number of field agents to help complete the analysis early and prevent contamination of evidence. Finally, the investigator will have to cooperate with all the countries whose citizens were on board to assist in the identification process.

The Collection and Preservation of Physical and Trace Evidence

The crime scene is under the control of the government until the investigations conclude. The officers will have to prohibit any access into the motel while awaiting the investigations officers to arrive. As a first officer at the crime scene, the initial course of action is to identify and secure the crime scene. People should evacuate from the motel immediately to avoid any form of contamination on the evidence. The evacuation process will involve recording all the visitors and workers present at the motel. All the people who were close to the crime scene and might have some forms of evidence on either their clothes or other belonging must remain behind so that they can assist with the investigations, as their clothes may have some trace pieces of evidence.

The next step in the investigation process will be notifying the patrolling officers of the armed criminals. First, the officer will have to as the people present any pertinent information about the shooters. These could be the dressing codes, how they moved from the crime scene, the model of the vehicle, and the direction if they flee from the crime scene. The officer then relays this information to the patrol officers as soon as it is available to assist the apprehension of the criminals.

At this crime scene, there are two possible eyewitnesses. The officer will have to detain both of them at separate locations to prevent them from discussing issues relating to the crime. The separation will also help in obtaining firsthand information in its more raw form. The drunken condition of the witnesses may interfere with the credibility of the evidence. Therefore, the officer will have to hold the witnesses until they are in a sound state of mind. The two witnesses stated that there are three more witnesses that could help with the investigation. The officer should record the names of these witnesses as early as possible so that the drunk witnesses do not forget. The process of obtaining these names should be done in separate rooms so that the witnesses do not influence each other's statements.

Finally, the officer will continue protecting the crime scene until the investigations officer arrives at the crime scene. The investigation officer will help in collecting and securing physical and trace evidence from the crime scene. The evidence is kept in a form that prevents any contamination. These include the use of tamper-proof evidence bags.

Psychological Profiling

The psychological examination and assessment of a crime that involves the presence of a psychiatrist is what is known as psychological profiling. It is essential in solving crimes such as those committed by serial killers. Psychological profiling entails the examination of physical evidence at a crime scene to establish a series of patterns that could lead to the identification of the criminals. However, the most suitable person fitting the profile might not be the perpetrator. Thus, critical examination of evidence, as well as the crime scene, is essential to support the results of psychological profiling.

Psychological profiling operates under the principles of behavioral dependability and homology. Psychologists believe that criminals' minds always lead them to commit crimes that relate closely. Psychologists and psychiatrists use behavior dependability or consistency when examining similarity in different crimes. Therefore, they will discuss the crime scene to obtain relevant psychological profiling information such as race, gender, sexual orientation, reactions to investigators' evaluation, historical and geographical background, among others. Psychological profiling uses the assumption of behavioral consistency to determine the processes investigation approaches that can lead a suspect into a feeling of guilt and remorse. Psychological profiling also uses the hypothesis of homology (Canter, & Alison, 2018). The principle assumes that a similar offense is most likely to have been committed by the same suspects. The psychological offenders then get people close to the crime scene and who meet the identified profiles for further interrogation and investigation.

The police and investigation officers use psychological profiling to enhance criminal investigation. They achieve this by establishing a critical mental understanding of the criminals. The knowledge places them in a position where they can devise ways of obtaining vital and credible information from the suspect. The investigators use the available physical evidence to develop ideas of the casualty's characteristics and traits, as well as the behavioral points that the perpetrator may have left behind. Psychological profiling is efficient in solving crimes. It helps in narrowing down the search area for offende...