The success of a criminal investigation is founded on a couple of things; some of which include collection and preservation of evidence. The efficacy of these two aspects of crime investigation is based on how well the crime scene is protected (Fish, Miller & Braswell, 2010, p. 25). Crime scene protection is necessary so as to ensure that the most relevant evidence is not contaminated before collection and recording. In some instances the success of the prosecution team in a case depends on the physical evidence collected and what state it was in.
Whenever a crime happens, the first officer on the scene should approach the scene methodically and slowly to avoid disturbing any evidence at the scene. In the instance that the officer has to rush to the scene to rescue a victim or make an arrest, they are required to take mental notes of where pertinent evidence is located.
After the arrival of the first officer, any injured person should be attended to and handed over to the paramedics as soon as they arrive. Thereafter the officer in-charge should identify any of the elements of nature such as rain that may interfere with the crime scene. As this identification is done, the scene should be closed from public entry mainly by the use of a tape.
When the crime scene is cordoned, pictures should be taken of any relevant evidence from every possible angle. If possible sketches should also be done (Fish, Miller & Braswell, 2010, p. 46). After this, officers should search the crime scene for any hidden evidence that is not visible at first instance.
A compromised crime scene may affect the success of a crime prosecution as the evidence is required to prove to the jury beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant was guilty of breaking the law. It is therefore necessary to ensure that a crime scene is protected by following the steps discussed above.
Reference
Fish, J., Miller, L. & Braswell, M. (2010). Crime Scene Investigation, 2nd Ed. Ohio: Anderson
Publishers
