Among the most important investigative actions are such as the inspection of the scene. In the course of its production, traces of the crime are found, evidence is collected, the course of the unlawful action, the behavior of the participants, the reaction and much more are analyzed and visualized. That is why in modern forensics the methods of inspecting the scene of an incident are constantly being improved, supplemented and updated. We will analyze the stages of the inspection of the scene in the traditional sense, as well as modern techniques.
Procedural characteristics of the inspection of the scene
The Code of Criminal Procedure defines the purpose of the investigative action. Article 176 states that the main purpose of inspecting a room, housing or area is to record traces of illegal actions, to search for details that are relevant to the investigation.
This is an urgent action, that is, after law enforcement authorities became aware of the crime, the task force travels to the scene and conducts an inspection. It is impossible to delay this process in any way, because the traces can be erased, rendered unusable for identification or changed. The investigator, and, if necessary, experts, detectives examine the territory in detail and record all materials found and relevant to the case in the minutes.
We recall that the methods of inspecting the scene can be varied, unlike the stages of work. The whole process is traditionally divided into three stages - preparatory, working and final. We will analyze each of them further.
The distinction between the concepts of "scene" and "crime scene"
At first glance, the concepts mentioned above may seem the same and in everyday speech can easily replace each other. In the theory of forensics and the criminal process, this is completely wrong.
The scene of the incident means the territory within the boundaries of which there are traces of crime and evidence confirming the guilt of a particular person or orienting the investigator in the investigation. It can be an apartment in which a corpse is found or stolen valuables, weapons, drugs and other things are stored.
A crime scene is the territory where the crime was committed; it may not even have traces of the crime. For example, this is the victim’s apartment, in which jewelry was stored. In the case of their abduction, the apartment is the scene of the crime, and the room in which the stolen was hidden is the scene of the incident.
The distinction between these concepts is formal and gives rise to a difference in determining how to inspect the scene of an accident and crime. In some cases, these places can be in the same territory, and sometimes vice versa. In practice, theoretical concepts always "work" differently, we are more interested in visiting the scene.
Preparatory phase of the investigative action
In turn, this stage is divided into two blocks:
- The first is to ensure the safety and integrity of the scene, as well as the tracks that are located on it. Having received a message from the duty station, the investigator decides to travel to the area, but before that he checks that all measures have been taken to protect the territory from strangers. At this stage, the area of ​​the inspected place is fixed and a patrol is set around the perimeter. In some cases, the assistance of the district or patrols is used. If necessary, an ambulance or firefighters are called. It is also crucial to ensure the presence of eyewitnesses in order to interview them and quickly investigate the crime. At this stage, methods for inspecting the scene of the incident are determined, which means that the material base that will be needed to travel and the experts who will assist. The circle of the operational group is determined depending on the specifics of the crime. Without fail, an investigator, interrogator, several witnesses are involved, if there is a human body, a forensic expert or a doctor is called. Additionally, witnesses, a victim or a specialist, as well as dog handlers and many others may be involved.
- The second part involves the arrival at the scene of a group of employees. If people are involved in the implementation of the crime, you need to check their health and apply the help of doctors. Check if the activities listed in the first block of the preparatory phase are completed. In the event that there are eyewitnesses, the investigator interviews them and reflects the evidence in the protocol. At this stage of the work, the incident is assessed: is it a crime? In addition to all protocols, one generalizing is compiled, which reflects all the results.
Work stage
It is also divided into two stages:
- A general inspection, during which the employee is guided on the spot, describes the location, it is advisable to use coordinates and reference to large objects that will be visible in any weather conditions and will not disappear over time. At this time, the so-called starting point from which the observation will be conducted is also determined. It is also described in detail. Here various methods and methods of inspection of the scene are used. The investigator chooses the tactics, he examines the entire territory or only the alleged path of the offender.
- Detailed inspection. The name itself says that at this stage of the work, all objects located on the territory are separately considered. If necessary, search measures are applied, and photography of found objects is also taking place. The fuller and more detailed this stage of work will be, the greater the likelihood of a quick resolution of the case.
Final stage
At this stage of the work, methods of fixing the results of the inspection of the scene are already applied - all the necessary documents are drawn up. The investigator checks whether all the activities that were planned in the first stage are implemented, if necessary, diagrams and drawings are drawn up that will help in further work. Traces of crime, evidence, objects are individually packaged and sent to an expert center or laboratory. If there is a corpse, send it to the bureau of medical examination. Preliminary results are summarized, and an assessment of the perfect act is given, the investigator builds the tactics of conducting an investigation and guides the direction of work.
Front view method
In forensic science, the methods for examining a scene are divided into three large groups — frontal, eccentric, and concentric examinations.
The frontal approach is differently called a linear approach in science. In practice, it implies the tactics of researching a large area, as a rule, this is not a room, but an open area. In accordance with this technique, the entire territory is conditionally divided into bands, each of which has a start and end point. In most cases, the stripes run in parallel, so everyone has the same start and end, they are opposite each other. The width should be chosen so that each part of the territory can be easily viewed by a person. For convenience, with the help of pegs and rope (tape), these strips are designated materially so as not to be mistaken. This approach is one of the main ways to inspect the scene of an accident, which is often used when the area is large.
Eccentric method
It is advisable to apply when the borders of the territory on which there are traces of a crime are difficult to determine. In this case, the investigator stands in the approximate center of the area, which is determined by eye. Such a center can be a safe that a criminal has cracked, a corpse, a table, a closet or something else that is of great importance for the case. The movements of the investigator flow in a spiral, from the center to the periphery. The scale is determined by the employee independently, depending on the details of the incident. Like the previous method, this is used in most cases in an open area. Each of the methods for conducting an inspection of the scene is unique in its own way and convenient in a particular case.
Eccentric and frontal methods are preferred when exploring an open area that is not limited by clear boundaries. Each approach has its own nuances that help the investigator in the implementation of the investigative action.
Concentric method
The concentric approach completes the list of basic methods for inspecting the scene of an incident. Its name has something similar to the previous one, there are similarities in tactics. The concentric method is the opposite of the eccentric one. In this case, the movement of the investigator is carried out in an imaginary spiral from the periphery to the center. It is used in the inspection of the premises, regardless of its size and architecture. An object or place of importance for the investigation of a case is also taken here as a center. It can be a corpse, a place of ignition, some point in a room, a house. In contrast to the open area in the room, the borders are precisely defined, so the movement from the edge to the center will not be difficult.
Then, when there is no center point, an approximate central place in the room is used from a geometric point of view. In this case, the inspection is more convenient to carry out from the front door, moving gradually towards the center. A feature of the concentric method of inspecting the scene is the study of a closed area in which the two previous methods cannot be applied.
Methods and methods of fixing the results
Of great importance is the fixation of the results of the inspection. It is thanks to this stage of the investigator’s work that all the work done will be visualized, and the results can be used in the process of proving. Modern achievements of science and technology are increasingly improving this aspect of work. Let's consider how and with what help this is done.
Ways of fixing the inspection of the scene are used at the final stage of work, when the investigator begins to take stock and combine the data. The main means of consolidating the results is the compilation of a protocol for the inspection of the scene. This procedural document has evidentiary value, it can be used in court. That is why the requirements are put forward for him, which are described in the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure. We will not separately consider the structure of the protocol, we note that it reflects a general description of the territory, the territorial location of the place, the situation and the complex of traces of the crime.
The protocol is the main way of fixing the inspection of the scene of an incident; an application is often attached to it, which more clearly shows the essence and situation of the area.
Appendix to the Protocol
As an application, plans, photos, videos can be used:
- Plans are in most cases placed as schemes. Traces of a crime — a knife, a bottle, fingerprints, sole prints, or something else — are marked on paper as a symbol. Also nearby are those objects that cannot move and collapse in the near future. The plan indicates the approximate distance from one track to another, as well as from the track to the object. For greater clarity, a general plan is used with the terrain and surrounding territory and a detailed scheme with all traces, more detailed.
- Photo table is a brighter and more visual option. A table is formed of two columns, the name of the object or place is signed in one, it describes what type of shooting was used, and the location and name of the equipment, resolution are noted in detail. In the second column, a photograph that matches the signature is pasted or printed.
- Video recording is not used as often. In the modern world, instead of the testimony of witnesses, they begin to use video recordings, which display the entire course of the investigative action. Many employees still follow the old pattern and use witnesses, some use witnesses and record. This eliminates the possibility of falsification of traces and bribing the investigator. As an application, the video is attached to the protocol as a removable medium.
All these are the main ways to record the results of the inspection of the scene. In order to compose them, drawing accessories, paper, a camera, video recording equipment, and a lens are used to increase or decrease the size of an object in a photo. Also, if you leave at night, the flash is used.
The value of the investigative action
Inspection is the first and urgent action that the investigator performs before the initiation of a criminal case. The results will help to draw up a general understanding of the deed, whether there is a crime, what are the traces, what to do next and what are the tactics of the task force.
We examined the main stages, types and methods of inspecting the scene of the incident, which create a general impression of the essence of the investigative action. Further investigation of the case depends on the correctness and completeness of the results.