MPTC Criminal Investigations Questions & Answers Already Solved

RESPECT model when conducting Criminal Investigations - Answer Respond and make it safe, Emergency care for injured, Separate and remove people, Protect crime scene, Evidence collection, Corroborate evidence with M.G.L., Take action/Testify, Best practices securing Inner Perimeter - Answer Make at least TWICE the size of actual crime scene, Clearly mark perimeters with line tape, Only allow authorized investigators to the inner perimeter, ID pathway through inner perimeter that minimizes evidence contamination, establish single entry and exit point, Establish crime scene log, document all who go in and out, date/time in/out and reason Best practices in establishing Outer Perimeter - Answer Staging area for support personnel and equipment, Store equipment and supplies, have a log of equipment, assets, and supplies. Documenting the crime scene - Answer Rough Sketch- basic overview of the crime scene, conducted after initial walkthrough, include date,time, not to scale, symbol legend, relevant measurements and dimensions. Photographing Crime Scene - Do not use personal camera or phone, photograph evidence in natural state. Use a planned system to document, start with an overall perspective, then a midrange perspective, the close up of any evidence, injuries, serial numbers or impression evidence, do not delete any photos or use editing software. direct evidence - Answer Evidence that directly links a person to a crime without the need of any additional evidence or inference Circumstantial Evidence - Answer Evidence relies on a inference to connect a conclusion or fact. Physical Evidence - Answer tangible items that tend to prove some material fact; also called real evidence Testimonial Evidence - Answer It includes first-hand statements made by victims, witnesses, suspects or police. MAy be direct or circumstantial. exculpatory evidence - Answer evidence that suggests the defendant's innocence, or clears them from the crime relevant evidence - Answer Tendency to make a fact more or less probable than it would be without the evidence Reliable evidence - Answer That has not been tampered with and in substantially the same condition as evidence originally seized by police when presented in court. Chain of custody - Answer the chronological documentation, or paper trail, showing the seizure, custody, control, transfer, of evidence collected. Must show all who come in contact with the evidence. Physical Evidence - Answer Is the most compelling because it is tangible and harder to dispute. Examples: Money, drugs, clothing Trace Evidence - Answer Is transferred from one surface to another during physical contact between people, places and objects. Examples: soil, minerals, gunshot residue, human/animal hair, textile, wood, glass an paint fibers DNA Evidence - Answer Evidence includes human hair, tissue, bone, teeth, blood, saliva, semen, or other bodily fluids. Highly susceptible to contamination. Types of Fingerprint evidence - Answer Plastic - can be seen with naked eye when left on a mailable surface Patent - can be seen with naked eye and left behind when materials on finger is transferred to another surface Latent - cannot be seen with the naked eye and is left behind when oil and sweat on finger is transferred to a smooth, nonporous surface. Impression Evidence - Answer Created when one object presses against another with enough force to leave a matching imprint. Examples: shoe prints, tire tread, human bite marks, can be found in snow, blood, dirt and human skin Packaging of Clothing, Bedding and Linen evidence - Answer Wet evidence must be aired dried before storing WET clothing, bedding, linens - use a nonporous container to temporarily collect DRY - paper bags, cardboard boxes Package evidence separately by source to prevent cross contamination Weapons Evidence Collection - Answer Includes firearms, knifes, ammunition baseball bats etc used to commit a crime Process for DNA and Trace Evidence first Refrain form touching, unless there is a risk of safety. IE: Loaded weapon DO NOT insert anything into barrel of firearm Unload firearm and use plastic Zip Tie to make device inoperable Document total number of unspent rounds in firearm chamber, cylinder or magazine