Describe the basic principles of crime scene management.

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Research the Basic Principles of Crime Scene Investigation

Aim

Analyse the basic principles of a crime scene and the disadvantages on a crime scene.

The Exchange Principle

The Locard’s exchange principle can be summarized as “every contact leaves a trace” this type of contact is when a material is transferred. An example of this would be a suspects jumper fibre transferred to the crime scene. Any fibres that are found on a crim scene are relevant as it can come from an offender and link that person to the scene.

The Locard’s exchange principle is an important part of an investigation. This principle helps to prove that any criminal leaves behind a trace when they are committing a crime. According to this theory it is impossible to commit a crime without leaving a trace of evidence.

There are disadvantages when it comes to the Locard’s principle. This solely focuses on the physical evidence before it has been examined and collected by the personnel on the scene. There are many ways that it can lead to tampering and destruction of evidence examples of this include:

  • Staging by the offender
  • Transfer of evidence
  • Actions of the victim before the crime
  • Weather
  • Actions of the police
  • The witnesses action

All the actions above can lead to the removal or disruption of the evidence. This can mislead the investigation and cause problems when investigating the crime scene as it can lead to an injustice. When dealing with a crime scene they need to make sure they are dealing with it with care and not allowing the evidence to be contaminated or being mixed with other pieces of evidence.

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A case that shows the disadvantage of the Locard’s exchange principle would be David Butler he was charged with murder he was a partial DNA match that was found underneath the victim’s fingernails. He didn’t commit the crime, as the victim has previously ridden in his taxi and has a skin condition causing him to shred skin, this led to him being acquitted of the crime. This case not only shows the disadvantages of the Locard’s exchange principle but shows how every contact does leave a trace when connected to the right person.

Associative evidence

Associative evidence links people to the ...

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