7 Steps of a Crime Scene Investigation (2024)

7 Steps of a Crime Scene Investigation (1)

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Advance Your Career in Criminal Justice

A career in criminal justice can lead you to many roles along the path of crime scene investigation. If you’re interested in earning your criminal justice degree online, Campbellsville University offers three options.

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7 Steps of a Crime Scene Investigation

Crime scene examination is complex. How officers approach the crime scene of a burglary differs from that of a homicide. Indoor, outdoor and conveyance crime scenes all have unique aspects to consider.

Still, these seven steps of a crime scene investigation remain no matter where or what the crime. (1) Find out how these steps apply to any investigation.

1. Identify Scene Dimensions

  • Locate the focal point of the scene
  • Establish a perimeter large enough to contain relevant evidence

It’s better to establish a larger scene than needed. (2)

2. Establish Security

  • Tape around the perimeter
  • Depending on the number of people, consider security guards

3. Create a Plan & Communicate

  • Determine the type of crime that occurred
  • Identify any threats to evidence, such as weather
  • Consider if additional resources are necessary
  • Communicate with your team about how to proceed

Outdoor crime scenes are more vulnerable to loss due to the elements. (3)

4. Conduct Primary Survey

  • Identify potential evidence
  • Capture photographs and take good notes

5. Document and Process Scene

  • Using the plan from step three, begin processing the scene
  • Collect all evidence and keep detailed documentation

It is imperative to follow proper procedures for collection so that no evidence is destroyed or contaminated.

6. Conduct Secondary Survey

  • Conduct another walkthrough to ensure everything has been processed and recorded

7. Record and Preserve Evidence

  • Use an inventory log to account for all evidence
  • Create thorough descriptions that match photographs taken at the scene
  • Follow a clear chain of custody throughout the investigation

By following those simple steps and getting the right education, you’ll be ready to join the field as a crime scene investigator!

Interested in Crime Scene Investigation?

A career in criminal justice can lead you to many roles along the path of crime scene investigation, from the front lines to evidence processing. If you’re interested in earning your online criminal justice degree, Campbellsville University offers three options, including an online A.S. in Criminal Justice, an online B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration and an online M.S. in Criminal Justice.

Sources

1. forensicsciencesimplified.org
2. forensicmag.com
3. nfstc.org

7 Steps of a Crime Scene Investigation (2024)

FAQs

7 Steps of a Crime Scene Investigation? ›

In the field of Crime Scene Investigation (CSI), investigators mark evidence with evidence markers during two steps: documentation and collection. Documentation: Investigators use evidence markers to document the location and position of evidence at the crime scene.

What are the 7 steps of crime scene investigation? ›

The 7 S's of Crime Scene Investigation
  • Secure the Scene.
  • Separate the Witnesses.
  • Scan the Scene.
  • See the Scene.
  • Sketch the Scene.
  • Search for Evidence.
  • Secure and Collect Evidence.

What are the 7 S's of crime scene investigation Quizlet? ›

Realidades 2: Practice Workbook 2
  • Securing the scene. responsibility of the first-responding police officer (first responder), safety of individuals is first priority. ...
  • Separating the witnesses. Next priority. ...
  • Scanning the scene. ...
  • Seeing the scene. ...
  • Sketching the scene. ...
  • Searching for evidence. ...
  • Securing and collecting evidence.

During which of the 7 steps of crime scene investigation are evidence markers used to mark evidence? ›

In the field of Crime Scene Investigation (CSI), investigators mark evidence with evidence markers during two steps: documentation and collection. Documentation: Investigators use evidence markers to document the location and position of evidence at the crime scene.

What are the 7 steps of the CSI in order? ›

The 7 S's of crime scene processing are a series of steps that include securing the scene, separating the witnesses, scanning the scene, seeing the scene, sketching the scene, searching for evidence, and securing and collecting evidence.

What are the 7 steps to the criminal process? ›

MENU Steps in the Federal Criminal Process
  • Investigation.
  • Charging.
  • Initial Hearing / Arraignment.
  • Discovery.
  • Plea Bargaining.
  • Preliminary Hearing.
  • Pre-Trial Motions.
  • Trial.

What are the 7 components of an investigation? ›

7 Elements of a Sound Investigation
  • Carefully review the allegations and preserve evidence. ...
  • Draft an investigation plan. ...
  • Execute the investigation plan. ...
  • Analyze evidence and reach a conclusion. ...
  • Record your analysis and conclusion in a written investigation report. ...
  • Update your case management system.
Sep 1, 2019

What are the 7 objectives of a criminal investigation? ›

To determine whether a crime has been committed, to legally obtain sufficient information and evidence to identify the person responsible for a crime, to locate and arrest the suspect, to recover stolen property, to present the best possible case to the prosecutor, and ultimately to gain a conviction.

What is criminology 7? ›

Criminology is the study of crime and criminal behavior, informed by principles of sociology and other non-legal fields, including psychology, economics, statistics, and anthropology. Criminologists examine a variety of related areas open_in_new, including: Characteristics of people who commit crimes.

What are the seven elements of a crime explained? ›

The elements of a crime are criminal act, criminal intent, concurrence, causation, harm, and attendant circ*mstances. Only crimes that specify a bad result have the elements of causation and harm.

Which of the seven S's of crime scene investigation was violated? ›

Final answer: The seven S's principle of scanning may have been violated in the OJ Simpson case due to improper evidence collection and site preservation, raising questions about the initial survey strategy used by investigators.

What is crime scene investigation procedure? ›

Description. Crime scene investigators document the crime scene. They take photographs and physical measurements of the scene, identify and collect forensic evidence, and maintain the proper chain of custody of that evidence.

What are the 7 steps of a crime scene investigation? ›

7 Steps of a Crime Scene Investigation
  • Identify Scene Dimensions. Locate the focal point of the scene. ...
  • Establish Security. Tape around the perimeter. ...
  • Create a Plan & Communicate. Determine the type of crime that occurred. ...
  • Conduct Primary Survey. ...
  • Document and Process Scene. ...
  • Conduct Secondary Survey. ...
  • Record and Preserve Evidence.

What are the seven investigative techniques? ›

For countless years, criminal investigators have relied on six basic investigative techniques to solve crimes; i.e., (1) the development of informants, (2) use of undercover agents, (3) laboratory analysis of physical evidence, (4) physical and electronic surveillance, (5) interroga- tion, and (6) where permitted by ...

What are the 9 steps of crime scene investigation? ›

9 Strategic Steps for a Successful Crime Scene Investigation
  • Establish Scene Dimensions / Identify Potential Hazards. ...
  • Secure the Perimeter. ...
  • Organize and Communicate. ...
  • Perform Initial Survey of Scene. ...
  • Process the Scene. ...
  • Conduct Second Walkthrough. ...
  • Preserve and Record Evidence. ...
  • Perform Final Survey.
Feb 24, 2022

What are the 12 steps to a crime scene? ›

The steps include: (1) approach scene; (2) secure an protect scene; (3) preliminary survey; (4) narrative description; (5) photograph scene; (6) sketch scene; (7) evaluate latent fingerprint evidence; (8) evaluate physical evidence; (9) detailed search; (10) collect, record, mark, and preserve evidence; (11) final ...

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