MPTC Lynnfield Criminal Investigations
When responding to a domestic violence call for service, does the absence of visible
injury indicate that the victim is not injured?
No, victims often have internal injuries or hide, conceal, or minimize injuries.
What is a good first step in building trust with domestic violence victims?
Providing emergency care
Who cannot testify in court about what a sexual assault victim told them?
Any second, third, or any subsequent person the victim may have told about the
sexual assault
What do you always want to reference when bagging evidence at a crime scene?
department policies and procedures.
Best practices for bagging evidence at a crime scene
-prioritize items for collection
-use BSI
-use correct packaging container
-seal containers to prevent tampering
-attach evidence tag
-store evidence in restricted access locations
Digital Evidence (Phone)
absent the consent of the suspect or exigent circumstances, police generally need
search warrants to search cell phone contents.
jenkins hearing
police must conduct a hearing if defendant was arrested without a warrant and
will be held longer than 24 hours.
Best practices when taking photographs of crime scenes and evidence
**-use agency issued camera or video equipment
-do not use personal cameras or phones
-document photographer name, date, time, photo order, location, and description
-photograph scene in its most natural state
• use overall, midrange, and close-up photos.
, • do not delete photos taken.**
best practices for conducting crime scene sketches
**-begin rough sketch during initial walk-through
-include case number, date, time of sketch, author name, direction arrow, and
words (not to scale)
• use a legend
-include relevant measurements, dimensions and distances between
evidence, objects and other relevant crime scene contents.**
estimator variables
affect how people acquire information during an event
collecting dry evidence
use paper bags, manila envelopes, cardboard boxes and other porous materials
collecting wet evidence
use plastic containers. It should not remain inside the plastic container for more
than two hours. Must be air-dried before storing
best practices for handling bloody evidence
-identify and protect until experts arrive
-use BSI gear
-change gloves between every sample collected
-package DNA evidence separately
-use a biohazard label
What must police do in NCIC when a child in reported missing
ensure child is entered into NCIC withing 2 hours of report being filed
First complaint witness doctrine
exception to the hearsay rule that applies only in cases involving sexual assault. A
"first complaint" witness is the very first person the victim tells about the sexual
assault
Criteria for a "substantive dating relationship"
relationship length, type of relationship, frequency of interaction between parties,
time since relationship ended.
Abuse prevention law
M.G.L 209A covers abuse protection law for domestic violence.
When responding to a domestic violence call for service, does the absence of visible
injury indicate that the victim is not injured?
No, victims often have internal injuries or hide, conceal, or minimize injuries.
What is a good first step in building trust with domestic violence victims?
Providing emergency care
Who cannot testify in court about what a sexual assault victim told them?
Any second, third, or any subsequent person the victim may have told about the
sexual assault
What do you always want to reference when bagging evidence at a crime scene?
department policies and procedures.
Best practices for bagging evidence at a crime scene
-prioritize items for collection
-use BSI
-use correct packaging container
-seal containers to prevent tampering
-attach evidence tag
-store evidence in restricted access locations
Digital Evidence (Phone)
absent the consent of the suspect or exigent circumstances, police generally need
search warrants to search cell phone contents.
jenkins hearing
police must conduct a hearing if defendant was arrested without a warrant and
will be held longer than 24 hours.
Best practices when taking photographs of crime scenes and evidence
**-use agency issued camera or video equipment
-do not use personal cameras or phones
-document photographer name, date, time, photo order, location, and description
-photograph scene in its most natural state
• use overall, midrange, and close-up photos.
, • do not delete photos taken.**
best practices for conducting crime scene sketches
**-begin rough sketch during initial walk-through
-include case number, date, time of sketch, author name, direction arrow, and
words (not to scale)
• use a legend
-include relevant measurements, dimensions and distances between
evidence, objects and other relevant crime scene contents.**
estimator variables
affect how people acquire information during an event
collecting dry evidence
use paper bags, manila envelopes, cardboard boxes and other porous materials
collecting wet evidence
use plastic containers. It should not remain inside the plastic container for more
than two hours. Must be air-dried before storing
best practices for handling bloody evidence
-identify and protect until experts arrive
-use BSI gear
-change gloves between every sample collected
-package DNA evidence separately
-use a biohazard label
What must police do in NCIC when a child in reported missing
ensure child is entered into NCIC withing 2 hours of report being filed
First complaint witness doctrine
exception to the hearsay rule that applies only in cases involving sexual assault. A
"first complaint" witness is the very first person the victim tells about the sexual
assault
Criteria for a "substantive dating relationship"
relationship length, type of relationship, frequency of interaction between parties,
time since relationship ended.
Abuse prevention law
M.G.L 209A covers abuse protection law for domestic violence.
