By: Hilary Rodela, Lead Digital Content Writer for Taction USA
When arriving at a crime scene as a CSI, the first order of business into be briefed about the situation. This is usually done by a detective, supervisor on scene, or the first responding officer. Though briefing is imperative, it is equally imperative not to draw conclusions too quickly. It is highly recommended to enter a scene without bias to the incident.
There will be scenes where the perpetrator will be obvious or already caught, however, that does not mean you as the investigator need to be quick to form opinions. Instead, let the scene tell you what happened; after all, that is one of the main purposes of processing a scene.
While it is still important to take into consideration the facts you were told during briefing, do not make the evidence found on scene fit the information you know. It is better to put those facts in the back of your mind, look at the scene and figure out details of importance, and then put the puzzle pieces together. Ask yourself questions such as: “Does this fit what was said at briefing?”, “How does this evidence fit or expand into the story of the incident?”, and most importantly, “What evidence aligns with the known facts?”.
If something on scene stands out, go with your gut and collect and document it anyway. Sometimes you will not know the significance until later and by then it will be too late to collect it properly. Crime scene investigation is all about collecting the pieces of the puzzle and putting them together with facts. Ensure each case you work on protects integrity through proper investigation.
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