When people do enter the scene, it is important to keep a log. Relevance. Suggest why crime scene examination requires good teamworking. Source(s): Me, retired Police Officer. The ability to recognize and properly collect physical evidence is oftentimes critical to both solving and prosecuting violent crimes. The Importance of Preserving and Processing the Crime Scene, 10 Great Forensics Resources for Further Study. It important to secure the crime scene to ensure evidence is not tampered with and the area is preserved correctly for investigators, analysts, and forensics. Why is it important to secure a crime scene? The exact spot where the offense took place, Areas from which the site can be entered and exited, Locations of key pieces of evidence, such as the body in a murder, a safe or cabinet in a burglary, or an entire structure in a suspicious fire. 0 0. A crime scene may be a single room, an entire house, everything on a property, or even a whole neighborhood. Your actions, or lack thereof, will either help protect the crime scene or help destroy it. Here You Go! Depending on the nature of the incident and its location in the workplace, there may be a requirement to protect pedestrian traffic from the sights of the incident such as in the event of a fatality or serious injury. This is very crucial information to note so that the pictures can be distinguished and easier to identify. The event occurred in the middle of the night and was not revealed until 24 hours later when the father returned from a late night work shift and morning binge. Then begin to work through the steps needed to secure the scene and preserve the incident. 4 years ago. State regulators require employers to notify them when an incident meets certain criteria under the states WHS Acts and Regulations. Sandy. TutorsOnSpot.com. This kind of crowd control helps the investigation in many ways, not the least of which is limiting the number of people who must be examined when stray fingerprints and shoeprints are found. John’s hands-on experience as an aircraft engineer through to corporate HSE management brings a practical, dynamic and passionate approach to health, safety, and environment and quality systems. Why is it of the highest importance, for the first law enforcement officers who arrive on-scene, to secure and protect the crime scene? To secure the scene, you have to: Identify witnesses and suspects. Identify different collection methods that might be used at a crime scene. To protect the health and safety of a person. The Importance of Crime Scene Photography A crime scene tells a story and the evidence there can retell the how and when the crime was committed, who committed it, why and perhaps what items have been taken. Only personnel who are absolutely necessary for processing the scene are allowed in. When securing the scene, we need to be mindful of the potential complexities and the size of the area involved. View our privacy policy for details on use and storage of your personal data. Answer Save. This restriction often is more difficult to accomplish than you may think. Once a handover from the emergency response team has occurred, Investigators should begin the process of securing physical evidence such as damaged equipment, video footage, data logs, reports and other items key to a successful investigation. Regardless of which method is used, the mental wellbeing for other staff must be an important consideration. Relevance. In all instances, the site emergency response plan should be initiated to care for anyone injured and to make the scene safe. And that’s just the primary scene. Crime Scene Processing During the systematic search for evidence, a leading investigator will often assign individuals to particular areas of the crime scene whilst overlooking the search for and collection of evidence. Remember to utilise available resources including the investigation team, site resources and others as required- you can’t do everything yourself! All evidence has been collected, plus all possible witnesses have been spoken to. The way in which the scene is processed will often be determined by the nature of the crime. The whole crime scene area needs to be secure so that evidence is not tampered with by anyone. Why is it important to secure a crime scene? Related Questions in Biology. if a person's life is on the line, to be decided by a jury based on evidence from a crime scene, the police have an obligation to make sure that evidence hasn't … 1 decade ago. Key Considerations for Securing the Scene. TutorsOnSpot.com. As time moves on, the memory of what occurred can become distorted through discussions with others including friends, family, other employees or counsellors. $35.80 for a 2-page paper. Secure the scene. Explain. Specialising in safety, quality and environment implementation and auditing, risk management and incident investigation, John combines his unique personal skillset (including determination, strong influencing, facilitation and leadership and relationship management expertise) to deliver compelling and convincing information. You do not want to disturb the crime scene, or contaminate any evidence. There are two factors that could potentially change the crime scene: people and the weather. Answer for question: Your name: Answers. Lv 7. Crime scene documentation is a systematic and multifaceted process. In addition, someone should be chosen to act as a security guard so that people who do not belong at the location are kept out. Following any incident, there are two key things that may “disappear” as such: The physical evidence is the easy one - Things like tools, equipment and other items may disappear for a number of reasons including as part of a scene clean up (whether intentional or not), they may have been moved or removed during the emergency response phase or they may have been intentionally removed to hide the chain of events or vital evidence. A crime scene can be cordoned off using crime-scene tape, barricades, automobiles, or even by police officers standing guard. While a crime scene is being processed, everything that transpires is documented in notes, sketches, and photographs, and perhaps even videoed. The protection of the scene begins with the arrival of the first police officer at the scene and ends when the … For more complex situations where large areas need to be contained, the officer must use discretion and secure the most vital area of the crime scene until help arrives. Conveyance crime scenes are crimes committed utilizing transportation, such as robbery, grand theft, carjacking, sexual battery, and homicide. It is vitally important not to endanger the integrity of any crime scene with useless personnel. The old saying, “if you don’t write it down, it didn’t happen,” is instructive here. For example, if you see key witnesses, designate a spot for them to stand and await … The purpose of crime scene investigation is to help establish what happened (crime scene reconstruction) and to identify the responsible person. if a person's life is on the line, to be decided by a jury based on evidence from a crime scene, the police have an obligation to make sure that evidence hasn't been tampered with. Also, isolating the … To prevent contamination of evidence. Why Do We Secure The Scene? The police officer in …show more content… (Lushbaugh, and Weston, 2011). Order Your Homework Today! ‘Crime scene management and forensic investigation’ shows how the actions of police at a crime scene can affect the availability and efficacy of forensic tests later in the investigation. The successful prosecution of a case can hinge on the state of the physical evidence at the time it is collected. Hire a subject expert to help you with The Importance of Crime Scene Investigation. inside the crime scene. One of the first things an officer should do once he arrives at the crime scene is to secure it as quickly as possible. It is important to secure the crime scene because anyone that isn’t a trained professional can possibly contaminate or even destroy the evidence. You are a crime scene investigator on a homicide crime scene in which a body was located in an abandoned warehouse. Furthermore, you can never underestimate the meanderings of the curious bystander. 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