Assignment 1 Semester 2 2026
Unique number:
Due date: August 2026
QUESTION 1
The Locard Principle, also called the contact principle, means that whenever two
people or objects come into contact, they exchange physical traces. The offender
may leave something at the crime scene or on the victim, while also taking
something from the victim or scene with him. These traces can later help
investigators connect a suspect to the crime (SEP1503 Study guide, 2014:19–20).
In this case, the complainant scratched the attacker’s face while defending herself.
Skin cells, blood or other biological material from the attacker may therefore be
found under her fingernails. The arrested suspect should also be examined for fresh
scratch marks on his face. Investigators can collect the material from beneath the
complainant’s nails and obtain a control DNA sample from the suspect. A forensic
comparison may show whether the skin or blood came from him. The scratch marks
, QUESTION 1
The Locard Principle, also called the contact principle, means that whenever two
people or objects come into contact, they exchange physical traces. The offender
may leave something at the crime scene or on the victim, while also taking
something from the victim or scene with him. These traces can later help
investigators connect a suspect to the crime (SEP1503 Study guide, 2014:19–20).
In this case, the complainant scratched the attacker’s face while defending herself.
Skin cells, blood or other biological material from the attacker may therefore be
found under her fingernails. The arrested suspect should also be examined for fresh
scratch marks on his face. Investigators can collect the material from beneath the
complainant’s nails and obtain a control DNA sample from the suspect. A forensic
comparison may show whether the skin or blood came from him. The scratch marks
and matching DNA could individualise the suspect and link him to the attempted
rape, even though the complainant cannot describe his appearance (SEP1503 Study
guide, 2014:19–20, 23).
QUESTION 2
The two main sources of information are people and objects. People provide
information through what they saw, heard or personally know, while objects provide
physical or documentary information that may help establish what happened
(SEP1503 Study guide, 2014:18–19).
People
I would interview Mr Dzanibe, his supervisor, security officers, co-workers and any
people who saw him using the company vehicle. For example, a security officer at
the company gate may confirm that Mr Dzanibe drove the vehicle out after working
hours and returned with fishing equipment. A person who was fishing at the dam
may also confirm that they saw him arrive in the company vehicle (SEP1503 Study
guide, 2014:19).
Objects