CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION TEST PAPER 2025/2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS MARKED A+
✔✔CCP 38.23: Evidence Not To Be Used - ✔✔(a) No evidence obtained by an officer
or other person in violation of any provisions of the Constitution or laws of the State of
Texas, or of the Constitution or laws of the United States of America, shall be admitted
in evidence against the accused on the trial of any criminal case.
In any case where the legal evidence raises an issue hereunder, the jury shall be
instructed that if it believes, or has a reasonable doubt, that the evidence was obtained
in violation of the provisions of this Article, then and in such event, the jury shall
disregard any such evidence so obtained.
(b) It is an exception to the provisions of Subsection (a) of this Article that the evidence
was obtained by a law enforcement officer acting in objective good faith reliance upon a
warrant issued by a neutral magistrate based on probable cause.
✔✔Reasons for search inmate safety: - ✔✔Eliminate the suicide risk and prevent death
in custody
✔✔CCP 38.34: Photographic Evidence in
Theft Cases - ✔✔(a) In this article, "property" means any tangible personal property.
(b) A photograph of property that a person is alleged to have unlawfully appropriated
with the intent to deprive the owner of the property is admissible into evidence under
rules of law governing the admissibility of photographs. The photograph is as admissible
in evidence as is the property itself.
(c) The provisions of Article 18.16 concerning the bringing of stolen property before a
magistrate for examination are complied with if a photograph of the stolen property is
brought before the magistrate.
(d) The defendant's rights of discovery and inspection of tangible physical evidence are
satisfied if a photograph of the property is made available to the defendant by the state
on order of any court having jurisdiction over the cause.
✔✔What do you not delete? - ✔✔Out of Focus Photos
-maintain a log of all the photos
✔✔How do you begin photographing? - ✔✔Exterior to Interior
✔✔What do you use in a photograph to locate evidence? - ✔✔-Landmark-
✔✔Photos are assigned unique numbers at the time they are taken, and? - ✔✔no
photos should be unaccounted for.
✔✔What do you need to achieve a Progression? - ✔✔-The crime scene should be
covered by photographs from three major vantage points.
✔✔3-Major Vantage Points of Photographing - ✔✔-Over-all/Long-range Photographs
,-Mild-range photgraphs
-Close-up photographs
✔✔Photograph Specifics of Crime: - ✔✔Evidence
Victims
Weapons, etc....
✔✔Special Documentation Requirements: - ✔✔Sexual Assaults, Child Abuse, Family
Violence
✔✔When Photographing Injuries: - ✔✔-First take an overall photo of the person front
and back
-Take an intermediate photo of the injury, including a joint of the body.
-Then take close-ups as needed.
✔✔Sketch: - ✔✔Is a drawing which represents the crime scene and serves to
supplement photography by providing accurate information concerning the distance
between various points in the scene.
✔✔Reasons for preparing crime scene sketches: - ✔✔-To provide a permanent record
of conditions otherwise not easily recorded (i.e., distance, photography, and movement
of suspect).
-To reconstruct the crime scene
-To record the location and spatial relationships between pieces of evidence and the
surroundings
-To help refresh the investigator's memory
-To help corroborate testimony of witnesses
-To eliminate unnecessary and confusing details
-Can be enlarged for use as an exhibit during courtroom testimony
✔✔Triangulation: - ✔✔A bird's eye view of the scene
✔✔What are measurements made by? - ✔✔Triangulation from two fixed permanent
objects within the area of the crime scene to the point you desire to plot and illustrate in
the sketch.
✔✔Methods of Measurement: - ✔✔-Triangulation
-Rectangular Coordinates
-Transecting Base Line
✔✔Sketching, if properly accomplished, can? - ✔✔Lend accuracy and precision to an
officers testimony.
, ✔✔How can you enhance an officers position in court? - ✔✔By being able to produce
accurate measurements showing the location of evidence and their location relative to
other evidence..
✔✔What should an officer use when taking accurate measurements? - ✔✔-A standard,
acceptable measuring device
✔✔In taking measurements, obtain ______________ measurements to
______________ locate objects in the crime scene. - ✔✔-Sufficient
-Accurately
✔✔Record measurements in crimes scenes using? - ✔✔Permanent Reference Points
✔✔When preparing a crime scene sketch: - ✔✔-Make a rough drawing at the crime
scene on paper
The rough drawing needs to be accurate but does not need to be drawn to scale.
-The rough drawing needs to be a representation of the crime scene showing objects
and measurements.
-Use an arrow to show north and orient north to the top of the sketch.
-Draw lines to show where measurements are taken from.
-In making a completed crime scene sketch determine a scale to use and locate all
objects on drawing to scale.
-Show scale on final crime scene sketch.
-Use a legend to explain any symbols used on the crime scene sketch.
-Avoid excessive lettering on sketch by using numerical designations.
-The crime scene sketch should include the following information: Investigator's
complete name and rank. Date, time, type of crime, and assigned case number,
complete name of other officers assisting in the making of the sketch (measuring, etc.).
Address of the crime scene, its position in a building, landmarks, and so on. Scale of the
drawing (if no scale, indicated by printing "not to scale"). Primary items of physical
evidence and other critical features of the crime scene, located by detailed
measurements from at least two fixed points of reference. Key or legend identifying the
symbols or points of reference using in the sketch. Dimensions of rooms or areas
contained in the sketch The sketcher should always have control of taking and
observing measurements.
✔✔Chain of Custody: - ✔✔The process in which records transactions of evidence from
person to person since its acquisition by a law enforcement agency.
✔✔Chain of Custody Maintains: - ✔✔-Exactly what happened to evidence from the time
it was found until it is disposed of after being presented in court.
✔✔Chain of Custody accounts for: - ✔✔-Who found the item
-Where it was found
-Who took custody and marked it
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS MARKED A+
✔✔CCP 38.23: Evidence Not To Be Used - ✔✔(a) No evidence obtained by an officer
or other person in violation of any provisions of the Constitution or laws of the State of
Texas, or of the Constitution or laws of the United States of America, shall be admitted
in evidence against the accused on the trial of any criminal case.
In any case where the legal evidence raises an issue hereunder, the jury shall be
instructed that if it believes, or has a reasonable doubt, that the evidence was obtained
in violation of the provisions of this Article, then and in such event, the jury shall
disregard any such evidence so obtained.
(b) It is an exception to the provisions of Subsection (a) of this Article that the evidence
was obtained by a law enforcement officer acting in objective good faith reliance upon a
warrant issued by a neutral magistrate based on probable cause.
✔✔Reasons for search inmate safety: - ✔✔Eliminate the suicide risk and prevent death
in custody
✔✔CCP 38.34: Photographic Evidence in
Theft Cases - ✔✔(a) In this article, "property" means any tangible personal property.
(b) A photograph of property that a person is alleged to have unlawfully appropriated
with the intent to deprive the owner of the property is admissible into evidence under
rules of law governing the admissibility of photographs. The photograph is as admissible
in evidence as is the property itself.
(c) The provisions of Article 18.16 concerning the bringing of stolen property before a
magistrate for examination are complied with if a photograph of the stolen property is
brought before the magistrate.
(d) The defendant's rights of discovery and inspection of tangible physical evidence are
satisfied if a photograph of the property is made available to the defendant by the state
on order of any court having jurisdiction over the cause.
✔✔What do you not delete? - ✔✔Out of Focus Photos
-maintain a log of all the photos
✔✔How do you begin photographing? - ✔✔Exterior to Interior
✔✔What do you use in a photograph to locate evidence? - ✔✔-Landmark-
✔✔Photos are assigned unique numbers at the time they are taken, and? - ✔✔no
photos should be unaccounted for.
✔✔What do you need to achieve a Progression? - ✔✔-The crime scene should be
covered by photographs from three major vantage points.
✔✔3-Major Vantage Points of Photographing - ✔✔-Over-all/Long-range Photographs
,-Mild-range photgraphs
-Close-up photographs
✔✔Photograph Specifics of Crime: - ✔✔Evidence
Victims
Weapons, etc....
✔✔Special Documentation Requirements: - ✔✔Sexual Assaults, Child Abuse, Family
Violence
✔✔When Photographing Injuries: - ✔✔-First take an overall photo of the person front
and back
-Take an intermediate photo of the injury, including a joint of the body.
-Then take close-ups as needed.
✔✔Sketch: - ✔✔Is a drawing which represents the crime scene and serves to
supplement photography by providing accurate information concerning the distance
between various points in the scene.
✔✔Reasons for preparing crime scene sketches: - ✔✔-To provide a permanent record
of conditions otherwise not easily recorded (i.e., distance, photography, and movement
of suspect).
-To reconstruct the crime scene
-To record the location and spatial relationships between pieces of evidence and the
surroundings
-To help refresh the investigator's memory
-To help corroborate testimony of witnesses
-To eliminate unnecessary and confusing details
-Can be enlarged for use as an exhibit during courtroom testimony
✔✔Triangulation: - ✔✔A bird's eye view of the scene
✔✔What are measurements made by? - ✔✔Triangulation from two fixed permanent
objects within the area of the crime scene to the point you desire to plot and illustrate in
the sketch.
✔✔Methods of Measurement: - ✔✔-Triangulation
-Rectangular Coordinates
-Transecting Base Line
✔✔Sketching, if properly accomplished, can? - ✔✔Lend accuracy and precision to an
officers testimony.
, ✔✔How can you enhance an officers position in court? - ✔✔By being able to produce
accurate measurements showing the location of evidence and their location relative to
other evidence..
✔✔What should an officer use when taking accurate measurements? - ✔✔-A standard,
acceptable measuring device
✔✔In taking measurements, obtain ______________ measurements to
______________ locate objects in the crime scene. - ✔✔-Sufficient
-Accurately
✔✔Record measurements in crimes scenes using? - ✔✔Permanent Reference Points
✔✔When preparing a crime scene sketch: - ✔✔-Make a rough drawing at the crime
scene on paper
The rough drawing needs to be accurate but does not need to be drawn to scale.
-The rough drawing needs to be a representation of the crime scene showing objects
and measurements.
-Use an arrow to show north and orient north to the top of the sketch.
-Draw lines to show where measurements are taken from.
-In making a completed crime scene sketch determine a scale to use and locate all
objects on drawing to scale.
-Show scale on final crime scene sketch.
-Use a legend to explain any symbols used on the crime scene sketch.
-Avoid excessive lettering on sketch by using numerical designations.
-The crime scene sketch should include the following information: Investigator's
complete name and rank. Date, time, type of crime, and assigned case number,
complete name of other officers assisting in the making of the sketch (measuring, etc.).
Address of the crime scene, its position in a building, landmarks, and so on. Scale of the
drawing (if no scale, indicated by printing "not to scale"). Primary items of physical
evidence and other critical features of the crime scene, located by detailed
measurements from at least two fixed points of reference. Key or legend identifying the
symbols or points of reference using in the sketch. Dimensions of rooms or areas
contained in the sketch The sketcher should always have control of taking and
observing measurements.
✔✔Chain of Custody: - ✔✔The process in which records transactions of evidence from
person to person since its acquisition by a law enforcement agency.
✔✔Chain of Custody Maintains: - ✔✔-Exactly what happened to evidence from the time
it was found until it is disposed of after being presented in court.
✔✔Chain of Custody accounts for: - ✔✔-Who found the item
-Where it was found
-Who took custody and marked it
