Crime Scene Search Research Articles

Current Situation of Illegal Usage of Special Expertise while Investigating Thefts

The author of the article has studied regulatory legal acts of Ukraine that regulate the usage of special expertise while investigating secret theft of another’s property. The concepts of “an expert”, “a specialist”, “a forensic inspector” have been revealed. The role of a specialist and an expert during the pre-trial investigation has been reflected. The author has analyzed the necessity of involving persons with special expertise during the conduction of the crime scene search in criminal proceedings on the fact of thefts. The functions of the forensic inspector while conducting the crime scene search have been considered. The author has revealed the essence of expert research conducted during the the crime scene search to investigate the secret theft of another’s property. Besides, the author has distinguished specific features of conducting the expert study of individual objects of the material situation at the crime scene and the expert study of the crime scene in the whole. The relevance of trasological research during the investigation of thefts on railway transport has been highlighted. Specific features of fingerprinting of victims during the investigation of thefts of personal property on railway transport have been provided. A number of examinations have been identified that can improve the investigation of thefts from vehicle. The author has analyzed the importance of interaction between the investigator and persons with special expertise during the investigation of thefts committed on the territory of horticultural associations and country house cooperatives. The need to conduct the crime scene search after the report of pickpocketing or attempted pickpocket has been revealed. The relevance of using special expertise while investigating pickpocketing has been highlighted. The research on the involvement of specialists while conducting examinations, searches in criminal proceedings on the fact of burglaries has been analyzed. The emphasis has been placed on the objects that should be initially examined during the investigation of the secret theft of someone else’s property, combined with the penetration into the premises. The importance of involving experts and specialists while preparing and conducting an investigative experiment has been studied. The necessity of appointing a commodity examination during the pre-trial investigation by the fact of the secret theft of someone else’s property has been revealed. The author has highlighted the role of a psychologist, teacher, physician as persons with special expertise.

Experts Participation in Crime Scene Search while Investigating Murders

The need to involve experts into crime scene search while investigating murders has been substantiated. The categories of experts who are most often involved by investigators into crime scene search have been defined. The author has clarified the method of determining the normative aspect of involving the latter into murders’ crime scene search.
 It has been determined that forensic inspectors, who are members of the investigative task force, are most often involved into investigations. It has been found out that the main assistance of the latter during the crime scene search is to carry out photo and video recording, as well as the detection, removal and packaging of traces and physical evidence.
 It has been established that a canine handler with a service dog may be a member of the investigative task force. The author has provided conditions, which are the basis for the investigator to decide to use the dog at the scene. The author has formulated the basic tasks, which can help a canine handler with a service dog to solve them during murder’s crime scene search.
 According to the analysis of investigative and judicial practice of investigating intentional homicides, the author has defined the frequency of involving forensic experts by investigators to crime scene search, where the dead body was found. The reasons why investigators do not examine the corpse at the place of its discovery have been established. The information that should be established and recorded during the examination of the corpse at the scene has been identified. Circumstances have been revealed that indicate the expediency of conducting an examination of the corpse at the crime scene, but not in the premises of the forensic examination bureau.
 The author has provided circumstances that may take place in case of a murder and which are the grounds for the involvement of a specialized mobile laboratory of the Expert Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. The procedure of actions of the employees of the specified laboratory on a crime scene has been defined.
 The specifics of the explosives specialist’s activity at the crime scene have been revealed, and the author has also determined the documents that are compiled by the latter based on the results of his participation in the crime scene search. The specifics of divers’ activities in the crime scene search while investigating a murder have been determined.
 It has been substantiated that the procedural, theoretical and practical aspects of the participation of experts in the crime scene search while investigating murders, depending on the specifics of the methods of committing these crimes, need further research.

Some Peculiarities of the Tactics of Investigative (Search) Actions while Investigating Murders Committed in Relation to Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is becoming more widespread every day, but few people consider it as a prerequisite for other criminal offenses, among which the most serious and inevitable is murder, i.e. the onset of person’s death. According to the analysis of investigative and judicial practice during the investigation of murders, investigators do not fully investigate the preconditions that contributed to the crime, family relationships, the psychological state of those involved in the murder, etc. Most homicides are investigated and prosecuted without any evidence of domestic violence. Therefore, there is a need to develop a methodology for investigating murders committed in connection with the use of domestic violence, which would contain practical recommendations for conducting certain investigative (search) actions during the investigation of this category of cases.
 The author has determined the tactical features of conducting crime scene search and interrogation during the investigation of murders committed in connection with the use of domestic violence; has analyzed the scientific literature, investigative and judicial practice.
 The author has provided some peculiarities of tactics of carrying out certain investigative (search) actions during the investigation of murders committed in connection with the use of domestic violence. The most common investigative (search) actions have been analyzed. They are crime scene search and interrogation. The tactical techniquess that should be used during the investigation of this category of criminal offenses have been identified, and some statistics on the places of murder and the condition of persons involved in this crime have been provided.

Determining the Grounds for Conducting Examination through the Prism of Investigative Practice

The problems of determining the grounds for such an investigative (search) action as an examination have been clarified. The purpose of the article is to determine the grounds for conducting an examination, as well as to distinguish problematic aspects that arise in the investigative practice at the initial stage of conducting an examination.
 It has been determined that there must be factual and legal grounds for conducting an examination. The factual grounds, in contrast to the legal ones, are not defined in the Criminal Procedural Code of Ukraine. However, their legislative specification is inexpedient, since it is impossible to predict all cases for this investigative (search) action in advance. The factual grounds are the data recorded in the materials of criminal proceedings, for example, that the body of a suspect, witness or victim has traces of a criminal offense or special signs, the detection of which is important for criminal proceedings. The legal ground for conducting the examination is the decision of the prosecutor (Part 2 of the Art. 241 of the Criminal Procedural Code of Ukraine).
 The study of investigative practice has revealed investigators, prosecutors’ violations of the procedure of conducting the examination, in particular failure to present the prosecutor’s decision and “substitution” of the examination with the crime scene search during the recording the person’s handwipes, which are the grounds for the court to declare the evidence inadmissible. The analysis of the investigative practice showed the need for legislative amendments in regard to conducting the examination. We should stipulate the possibility to conduct the examination by the order of an investigator, followed by notification of a prosecutor. The indicated propositions should be implemented in Part 2 of the Art. 241 of the Criminal Procedural Code of Ukraine.

Forensic Examination of Money and Securities

The article is focused on the peculiarities of forensic examination of money and securities. The purpose of the article is to determine the essence of forensic examination of money and securities.
 It is alleged that money or securities with counterfeiting features may be found during the crime scene search or inspection. The specifics of the inspection of such objects are determined. The characteristic features of forgery are given, which should be paid attention to during the inspection. The procedure for appointing and conducting a forensic examination of money and securities has been clarified. It is noted that the examination of metal money counterfeit requires other examination. The list of questions which can be solved during carrying out examination is defined. The characteristics of the objects that should be sent for examination are given. The requirements for the expert’s opinion are given.
 Counterfeit money or government securities are defined as objects produced by any person against the procedure established by the law on the relevant information sources, images of their details, design and protection elements that makes them similar to the real ones (originals).
 To confirm the fact of counterfeiting of funds or securities, a forensic examination of monetary funds are assigned. While conducting technical and forensic examination of banknotes some expert tasks require a comprehensive study by using the methods of forensic documentation, the study of materials of banknotes and securities by special methods of forensic chemistry, forensic physics, etc. The main issues to be addressed during such an examination are the compliance of the security or banknote with similar securities or banknotes produced by the State Mark or the National Bank of Ukraine. The results of the expert examination should be presented and formalized in the expert’s opinion.

Investigation of benzophenoxazine derivatives for the detection of latent fingerprints on porous surfaces

In this report, two classes of benzophenoxazine dyes, Nile red and Nile blue derivatives, were evaluated for the detection of latent fingerprints on porous surfaces. The efficiency to develop fingerprints is influenced by the physical properties of the dye molecules including hydrophobicity as characterized by distribution coefficient value (logD), and other factors such as chemical structure of the dye and hydrogen bonds. Both Nile red and the basic form of Nile blue showed excellent to acceptable ability to detect fingerprints due to their great hydrophobicity at 515 and Crime Scene Search (CSS) settings of the forensic light source. Higher hydrophobicity derivatives of Nile red and Nile blue (in the basic form) improved both quality and sensitivity of fingerprint detection in comparison with their corresponding parent dyes. They developed strong luminescent and visible fingerprints, and a better contrast was achieved between impressions and the background surface suggesting the potential use of these compounds in forensic investigation. Therefore, the hydrophobic derivatives are considered dual-fingerprint reagents because the developed prints can be seen by the naked eye and under illumination process. However, lower hydrophobicity derivatives of Nile red and Nile blue and derivatives with different substituents developed weak or non-luminescent fingerprints with poor contrast. A complete analysis of what dye properties are the most important in fingerprint detection is discussed along with dye optimization for improved performance.

Criminology Students’ Discourse Writing Deficiencies: An ESP Monograph

This study examines the discourse writing deficiencies of Criminology freshmen of Cagayan de Oro College-PHINMA, using the qualitative research method of case analysis.Forty criminology freshmen were asked to write on the topic “Why did you enroll in the Criminology program?” All the errors in students’ compositions were identified and classified into various criteria of discourse writing based on the modified Jacobs et al.’s instrument for writing evaluation.The findings of the study show that Criminology freshmen are generally deficient in the five areas of discourse writing namely: content, organization, grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics. The results of this case analysis form the data-based English for Criminology: An ESP Monograph which is constructed in five lessons:Narrating the Emergence of Criminology, Investigating the Shooting Incident, Discussing the Crime Scene Search, Reporting the Traffic Violators and Violations, Cause and Effect of Why People Join Gangs. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijhss.11.3.1

The Threaded Bolt Injury Pattern

Abstract Threaded metal weapons may impart a characteristic abrasion of the skin with or without a laceration. When the head is struck, the threaded pattern may also be imprinted into the skull. Four cases of injury are described. Recognition of this pattern can be important in terms of the crime scene search for the suspect weapon.

Barriers to Quality Achievement in Crime Laboratory Operations

Abstract Crime laboratory output consists of both quality and faulty work. The paper discusses three areas of crime laboratory functions which require upgrading: crime scene search, crime laboratory management, and proficiency. The impact on these areas of prioritization of work together with optimization of resource and the recognition of the educational problem are discussed. Keys to gaining further insight into these problems are given and referenced.

Trace element distributions in man-made fibers

A preliminary study to evaluate the use of neutron activation analysis for the characterization of six groups of man-made fibers for forensic purposes has been made. A total of 81 samples of acetate, acrylic, modacrylic, nylon, polyester and rayon were analyzed. Small samples, approximately the size typically found during a crime scene search, were analyzed using a Ge(Li) detector system following a 20 min irradiation at a flux of 5·1013 n·cm−2·sec−1. The following elements were determined quantitatively in one or more of the samples: Ti, Sr, Au, Zn, Sb, Br. Mn, Mg, Cu, In, Co, Cu, V, K, Al, Cl, Na, Ca, and S. Significant qualitative and quantitative differences were found both between and within the six groups. However, within certain groups some fibers from different manufacturers showed marked similarities in qualitative and quantitative composition.