Lecture 4 - Initial Actions

Question 1

What is Lockard’s exchange principle?

Answer 1

• Every contact leaves a trace
• With contact between two items, there will be an exchange

Question 2

Forensic evidence can be used to?

Answer 2

• Identify an offender
• Link suspect to victim
• Link suspect to crime scene
• Reconstruct a sequence of events

Question 3

What happens in initial action?

Answer 3

• Preserve life
• Risk assessment
• Call for additional units

Question 4

What happens in initial assessment?

Answer 4

Preserve the scene

Question 5

How would you preserve a scene and protect it from contamination?

Answer 5

• Cordons (scene guard)
• Common approach path
• zones (cold, warm, hot)
• Personal protection equipment (PPE) requirements

Question 6

What happens during reconnaissance?

Answer 6

• Walk through scene
• Gather information (CCTV; witness)

Question 7

What happens during preliminary reconstruction?

Answer 7

• Initial hypothesis
• Discuss with other experts present

Question 8

What happens during forensic strategy?

Answer 8

• Formal or informal plan
• Resources (people and equipment)
• Review options and order of examination

Question 9

What happens during scene examination?

Answer 9

• Photograph and document the scene
• Carry out forensic examination
• As more information comes to light, update reconstruction

Question 10

What happens during forensic examination?

Answer 10

• Visual searching
• Chemical testing of suspect stains (if required)
• Collection of evidence
• Document evidence collection

Question 11

What happens initially before a scene examination?

Answer 11

• Initial action
• Initial assessment
• Reconnaissance
• Preliminary reconstruction
• Forensic strategy
• Scene examination