CJK 0078C - Crime Scene to Courtroom

Credit Hours: 1.2
Prerequisite(s): None
Corequisite(s): None
Upon arriving at an incident or crime scene, an officer will take a sequence of steps to protect all parties: gather information; identify, separate, and interview subjects; and complete the initial investigation successfully. The single most significant part of the initial stage of a criminal investigation is the processing of the crime scene. Identify types of evidence that might be present at a scene, based on an evaluation of the incident or type of crime. Know when and how to get help in searching the scene. The first priority is to secure, protect, and preserve the scene to avoid contaminating the evidence. The second priority must be to search for, identify, document, collect, and maintain the physical evidence, or the prosecution of the suspect may be in jeopardy. Victims and witnesses must be located, identified, and separated to obtain detailed information about what happened. Identify and arrest the offender if he or she is on the scene. If the offender has fled, initiate a Be On the Look Out (BOLO). Often, law enforcement officers think that the arrest is the end of their participation in a criminal case; however, an arrest is only a suspect’s entrance into the criminal justice system. Officers remain an integral part of the prosecution process until the case is resolved through entry of a plea, a conviction, or an acquittal after trial.
Post-Secondary Adult Vocational