The Importance of Numbering Evidence at a Crime Scene: Ensuring Accuracy and Integrity

At a crime scene, meticulous documentation and preservation of evidence are of paramount importance for a successful investigation and fair legal proceedings. One crucial aspect of evidence collection is the practice of numbering each piece of evidence. Numbering evidence serves several purposes, including maintaining organization, establishing a clear chain of custody, facilitating communication among investigators, and ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the evidence. This article explores why evidence is numbered at a crime scene and its significance in the criminal justice system.

Organization and Identification

Numbering evidence allows investigators to organize and identify each item or object collected at the crime scene. By assigning a unique number to each piece of evidence, it becomes easier to keep track of items, particularly when multiple investigators are involved or when evidence is transferred to different laboratories or agencies for analysis. The numbering system ensures that each item can be readily identified and associated with the corresponding documentation, reports, and photographs.

Chain of Custody

Maintaining a clear chain of custody is vital for establishing the integrity and reliability of evidence in court. Numbering evidence plays a crucial role in tracking the movement and handling of items from the crime scene to the laboratory and eventually into the courtroom. Each time evidence is transferred or accessed, the responsible individuals record their actions and sign off on the chain of custody form, which includes the corresponding evidence numbers. This meticulous documentation strengthens the credibility of the evidence and helps prevent tampering or contamination.

Communication and Collaboration

Numbering evidence enables effective communication and collaboration among investigators, forensic experts, and legal professionals involved in the case. When discussing or referring to specific evidence, using unique numbers simplifies communication and ensures everyone is on the same page. It helps avoid confusion and misinterpretation, especially in complex investigations where numerous items of evidence are involved. Additionally, during courtroom proceedings, the use of evidence numbers facilitates clear and concise presentation of evidence to the judge and jury.

Accuracy and Integrity

The numbering of evidence at a crime scene is crucial for maintaining accuracy and integrity throughout the investigation process. It helps prevent misidentification or duplication of evidence, ensuring that each item is accounted for and properly documented. Numbering evidence also assists in accurately linking physical evidence to witness statements, crime scene photographs, and forensic reports. This meticulous approach enhances the credibility of the evidence and minimizes the risk of procedural errors or challenges during legal proceedings.

Conclusion

Numbering evidence at a crime scene is a fundamental practice that serves multiple essential purposes in the criminal justice system. It allows for efficient organization, establishes a clear chain of custody, facilitates communication among investigators, and ensures the accuracy and integrity of evidence. By following this systematic approach, law enforcement agencies and forensic experts can enhance the reliability of evidence, increase the chances of successful prosecution, and contribute to the administration of justice.

Michael Jackson and other Crime Scenes

Michael Jackson is dead, but the controversies have just begun. Among the growing issues surrounding his death are the actions of the first responders and investigators. On July 3, 2009, the Associated Press ran an article which asked several pointed questions; “Why didn’t the police seal the mansion where he had been living? Why didn’t they get immediate search warrants? Why did they tow away a doctor’s car right after the death but not declare the home a crime scene?” These questions point to serious question for all law enforcement personnel - what is a crime scene?

READ ON
www.police-writers.com/articles/definition_crime_scene.html

Forensic Investigator

On July 24, 2009, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion with Esther McKay, a former Detective Senior Constable and Forensic Investigator with the New South Wales Police Force (Australia).

Program Date: July 24, 2009
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Forensic Investigator
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/07/25/Forensic-Investigator

About the Guest
Esther Mckay served seventeen years in the New South Wales Police Force, attaining the rank of Detective (technical) Senior Constable. She worked in the area of Forensic Services for fifteen years, attaining expert status in crime scene examination and vehicle identification. She also worked in Training and Research, as well as Document Examination. She has a Diploma of Applied Science in Forensic Investigation (NSW Police), and was awarded the National Medal for service in 2001 and the Ethical and Diligent Police Service medal with fifteen-year clasp in 2008.

Esther Mckay was discharged from the force in 2001 with post-traumatic stress disorder as a direct result of her forensic work. Her best-selling autobiography, Crime Scene: True Stories from the Life of a Forensic Investigator.

Esther Mckay works actively in supporting traumatized serving and former Police and is the President of the Police Post Trauma Support Group. She was awarded the Pride of Australia Medal in 2007 for Community Spirit for her work with traumatized Police, and regularly speaks to various groups and schools about her life experience, writing and former forensic work. Esther is patron of the Australian Missing Persons Register and has been an Australia Day Ambassador since 2007. She lives in the Southern Highlands with her husband and two children.

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is Police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/07/25/Forensic-Investigator

Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

True Crime and Investigations

May 3, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website listed three police officers who have written on true crime and on how to investigate crime.

Raymond Pingitore is a detective in the Johnston Police Department (Rhode Island) where he has served for twenty-five years. In 1992, he earned his detective badge and currently works in the major crimes division. A graduate of Roger Williams University, Raymond Pingitore holds a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice. He is the co-author of Thrill Killers: A True Story of Innocence and Murder Without Conscience.

According to the book description of Thrill Killers: A True Story of Innocence and Murder Without Conscience, “This riveting tale of true crime and the perseverance of justice grips and enthralls the reader from start to finish. In 2000, in Providence, Rhode Island, two college students were approached by a group of men. Forced into the backseat and driven to a remote location, they were murdered when one of the perpetrators realized the students had seen his face.”

W. Kenneth Katsaris began his law enforcement career in 1962 when he joined the St. Petersburg Police Department. During the next two decades he would serve with the Tallahassee Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol before being elected as the Sheriff of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. W. Kenneth Katsaris has been an academy instructor as well as a lecture. He has a BA and MS in Criminology and is the author of Evidence and Procedure in the Administration of Justice. W. Kenneth Katsaris is the author of Evidence and Procedure in the Administration of Justice.

Michael Byrd joined the Miami-Dade County Police Department in 1985. He began working in their Crime Scene Investigations Bureau in 1987. Michael Byrd passed away in 2004. Michael Byrd published over 30 articles on crime scene investigations and evidence handling. He is the author of Crime Scene Evidence: A Guide to the Recovery and Collection of Physical Evidence.

According to the book description of Crime Scene Evidence: A Guide to the Recovery and Collection of Physical Evidence, “The purpose of this book is to give the investigator a quick and easy reference guide to the collection, handling, and packaging of crime scene evidence. It is meant to assist everyone working in the field of evidence collection--from the first responding officer, to the newly assigned investigator, to the savvy veteran with many crime scene responses under his/her belt. The first responding officer may find himself/herself involved in a situation where he/she will need to collect a particular piece of evidence for whatever reason.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 999 police officers (representing 418 police departments) and their 2110 police books in 35 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Fulcher, Mock and Prins

April 4, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three police officers from California law enforcement agencies.

Dean Fulcher grew up in the state of Michigan along the southern shores of Lake Superior. Upon completion of high school, he spent four years in the United States Marine Corps in the aviation and intelligence fields. After serving honorably for four years, he left the Marine Corps and was hired by the Santa Ana Police Department (California), where he currently holds the rank of homicide detective. Dean Fulcher is the author of The Grand Island Adventure.

According to the book description of The Grand Island Adventure, “An edge-of-your-seat adventure novel for young adults. The Grand Island Adventure follows three teenagers trapped on an uninhabited island pursued by a band of criminals who have freed their leader from prison. The three will need the latest in technology, their wit and commitment to one another to escape a certain death.”

James Mock spent 19 years with the Torrance Police Department (California). He current works as a teacher for law enforcement related occupations, on both a volunteer and professional basis. James Mock has worked street narcotics, major narcotics, and was certified as a Drug Recognition Expert in 1992. After his retirement he was certified as a DRE instructor. He currently teaches DRE, the DRE instructor course, DRE recertification classes for many States, for the California Narcotic Officers’ Association, and for various law enforcement and related agencies in the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. James Mock is the author of Basic Latent Print Development.

According to one review, Basic Latent Print Development, “can be used as a training text for new employees or can be read by beginners. Many instructors use it as a primer for basic latent print development college classes. Sections cover: How latent prints are deposited, Investigating the Crime Scene, Which powders to use, How to lift and preserve the latent prints. There are simple to follow sketches on how to powder a surface and how to tear and lift with tape.”

Sergeant John Prins is a 27-year member of the Torrance Police Department. He has served the Torrance Police Department in many capacities, including as a patrol officer, crime scene investigator, detective, background investigator, SWAT officer, and K-9 handler. John Prins is the author of Torrance Police Department.

According to the book description, “The Torrance Police Department dates to May 23, 1921, when city trustees appointed Ben Olsen as city marshal and, shortly thereafter, hired Byron Anderson as night watchman. The efforts of these men were devoted to dealing with thieves, keeping the peace, and “declaring war on speedsters.” From such humble beginnings, the Torrance Police Department has grown into the fourth largest municipal law enforcement agency in Los Angeles County. Its position as the anchoring police force of the South Bay section of the county and its reputation as an innovator in crime fighting have been firmly established over time. Today, with a total of 242 sworn and 100 support personnel, the highly regarded Torrance Police Department serves more than 142,000 inhabitants in 21 square miles.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 930 police officers (representing 391 police departments) and their 1944 police books in 33 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Conversations with Cops

This week’s topic: Law Enforcement Driving Technology; Crime Scenes
Bruce Mather, Chief Technology Officer Lap Belt Cinch, Inc. will be discussing high speed driving technology during the first 15 minutes of the show. Kathie Jo Kadziauskas, AAA Crime Scene LLC, will be discussing the aftermath of crime scenes - everything from decomps to hoarding.

The Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting. During the first half-hour of the show, the host, a nationally recognized expert on law enforcement, interviews a subject matter expert on the topic. During the second half-hour the program is joined by two other cops who give a street-level perspective to the conversation.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement

San Francisco Police Officers

October 26, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists nearly 800 state and local police officers who have written books. The Website added three San Francisco Police Department police officers.

Sergeant Peter Thoshinsky graduated from San Jose State University in 1982 with a degree in Criminal Justice. In June of 1982, he joined the San Francisco Police Department. He was promoted to sergeant in 1990. He worked the Poterero, Central, Southern and Ingleside Stations as well as the Narcotics Bureau. A 20 year veteran of law enforcement he also served as a member and supervisor on the San Francisco Police Department’s SWAT team. A photograph for almost 30 years, he is the author of Blue in Black & White, a collection of photographs relating to law enforcement.

Inspector Mark Hawthorne is a 28 year veteran of the San Francisco Police Department. He has been assigned patrol, field operations and investigations. His current assignment is Crime Scene Investigations. As a POST instructor he specializes in Instructor Development, Preliminary Investigations and Crime Scenes. As a an adjunct faculty member of the City College of San Francisco Administration of Justice and Fire Science Department he acts as an advisor to the Forensic Science Club. Inspector Mark Hawthorne is the author of First Unit Responder: A Guide for Physical Evidence Collection for Patrol Officers and Fingerprints: Analysis and Understanding.

According to the book description of First Unit Responder: A Guide for Physical Evidence Collection for Patrol Officers, “Physical evidence cannot be wrong; it cannot perjure itself; it cannot be wholly absent. Only its interpretation can err. Only human failure to find it, study and understand it, can diminish its value." -Presiding Judge, Harris v U.S., 331 U.S. 145 (1947) HOW TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE CRIME SCENE WHILE CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION. First Unit Responder: A Guide to Physical Evidence Collection for Patrol Officers is a training guide and reference for patrol officers and criminal investigators, who conduct preliminary investigations of crime scene, to aid in identification, collection, and booking of physical evidence. Written by a veteran of 24 years of law enforcement, the book stresses the importance of understanding the critical nature of physical evidence and preservation of the crime scene as part of the case against a criminal defendant. This book is an important tool for police academies that train recruits and veteran patrol officers, as well as for students of criminal justice who seek guidelines for proper collection and handling of physical evidence”

According to Corporal Andreas K. Mendel, NCO in Charge, Forensic Identification Section, West Vancouver Police, in Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal, “Mark Hawthorne's easy writing style and use of personal anecdotes make this book a relaxed read. First Unit Responder is a good resource for recruit training or criminal justice/criminology students, or as review material for seasoned investigators.”

Prentice E. Sanders was the Chief of Police of the San Francisco Police Department for fourteen months in 2002 and 2003. He was born in Texas and moved to San Francisco's Laurel Heights at the age of fourteen. After serving in the Army, he then received Bachelor's and Masters Degrees from Golden Gate University. Prentice Earl Sanders joined the San Francisco Police Department in 1964, becoming the San Francisco Police Department's first African American chief of police. In 2006, Prentice Earl Sanders and co- authored The Zebra Murders: A Season of Killing, Racial Madness, and Civil Rights.

According to Publisher’s Weekly, The Zebra Murders: A Season of Killing, Racial Madness, and Civil Rights is a “look at a largely forgotten reign of terror in San Francisco in 1973 and 1974 is an interesting if superficial true police procedural. Sanders, the SFPD's first African-American chief of police, was one of the lead detectives on the case code-named the Zebra Murders, involving a group of African-American men who, apparently racially motivated, were targeting whites in vicious random acts of violence that claimed 15 lives. The book reads less like an objective assessment of these events than a memoir of Sanders's experiences with the investigation and his role in a civil lawsuit against the SFPD to combat rampant racial discrimination. Oddly, about halfway in, the authors break the linear narrative with information derived only at the case's end, rather than lay out the police work and discoveries as they happened. The efforts to compare the police tactics with post-9/11 targeting of Muslims will strike most readers as labored despite Sanders's insistence that the killings were acts of political terror, not mere serial killings. Nonetheless, this serves as a useful introduction to the case.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 786 police officers (representing 352 police departments) and their 1674 law enforcement books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.