15.3: Crime Scene Reports

Crime scene reports are a form of narrative report but are more detailed than any other incident report because subsequent analysis by other forensic specialists such as bloodstain pattern analysts, shooting scene or crime scene reconstruction specialists, and entomologists may rely upon the condition of the crime scene immediately following the event. As an example, a bloodstain pattern examiner may need to know the environmental condition of the crime scene to understand the drying time of the blood documented in the scene. An arson investigator may need to know the ambient temperature, wind direction, and percentage of humidity to understand the behavior and spread of a fire. I document this information, which is handily found in the weather application on my cellular telephone, immediately upon reaching the crime scene, and I document this information in the introduction of the report like this:

‘On December 29, 2022, at approximately 1900 hours, I responded to 1503 Redding Avenue to provide mutual aid from the Greenfield Police Department, Forensic Services Unit, following a stabbing incident resulting in an officer-involved shooting. I arrived on scene at 2015 hours. The ambient outside temperature upon my arrival was 48 degrees Fahrenheit, with no detectable winds, with 80% humidity. Outdoor scene lighting was provided by overhead lamps, vehicles headlights, and supplemented with handheld flashlights. Although sufficient for scene inspection and evidence detection, electronic flash was required for photographic documentation purposes. The crime scene perimeter had been established prior to my arrival on scene.’

Crime scene reports should also contain the following paragraphs:

The introduction

The introduction paragraph informs the reader the date, time, and location of the crime scene. It also includes how you were notified to respond to the crime scene, your title and agency information, and your time of arrival.

Environmental condition

The environmental conditions of the crime scene include the previously discussed weather conditions if the scene is outdoors, or the environmental conditions of an interior location. In indoor settings, this might include the ambient temperature, lighting conditions, whether doors or windows were open or if an air conditioner or heater was running.

Initial observations

Initial observations include all the details of the crime scene upon the first inspection. This may include information regarding the crime scene perimeter, the presence of a decedent, the presence of fired cartridge shell casings, the presence of weapons and their conditions, the need to preserve perishable or transient evidence, evidence of emergency medical attention, and any other observation related to items of evidence first noted in the scene.

The body of the report

The body of the report is a detailed presentation of everything that was done to properly preserve, document, and process the crime scene, and the collection and disposition of the evidence discovered within the crime scene. This may include efforts to enhance latent evidence in the scene or any other procedural effort to identify or visualize trace evidence. This may also include information pertinent to bloodstain pattern analysis or any other impression evidence in the scene.

Evidence inventory

Before closing the report, please include an itemized inventory of the evidence that you collected and its disposition. It is frustrating as a forensic analyst to read through a dozen reports from a shooting incident and seeing that evidence was collected, but is only referenced as, ‘Five shell casings were collected from the scene.’ It is helpful to include an inventory of the evidence in one convenient place in your report like this:

• While processing the crime scene, I collected the following items of evidence:

Item #1 – One Remington Peters brand 9mm Luger brass fired cartridge casing

Item #2 – One Federal Cartridge brand 9mm Luger aluminum fired cartridge casing

Item #3 – One Winchester brand 9mm Luger brass fired cartridge casing

Item #4 – One Remington Peters brand .40 S&W caliber brass fired cartridgecasing

Item #5 – One CCI brand .40 S&W caliber aluminum brass fired cartridge casing

Include a disposition for the items as well, such as: All items of evidence were processed into long term evidence storage at the Greenfield Police Department.

The following is an excerpt from a homicide investigation. The case has been adjudicated in court, but the names and addresses have been changed and photographs omitted:

On January 13, 2023, at approximately 1540 hours, while assigned as an investigator and senior forensic specialist with the Greenfield Police Department, and as a member of the Major Crimes Unit, I was notified by telephone of the activation of the Major Crimes Unit following the discovery of a victim of multiple gunshot wounds on the sidewalk in front of 225 Belmont Street, in the city of Greenfield. I arrived on the scene at approximately 1700 hours and was briefed of the known facts by Detective J. Guzman. The deceased victim of the gunshot wounds was preliminarily identified as Robert Cambridge (aged 21); later confirmed by the photograph as it appeared on his California Driver’s License. The decedent was covered by a yellow plastic tarp placed by members of the Greenfield Fire Department.

Ambient temperature was approximately 55-degrees Fahrenheit, with winds from the south-east at 7mph. The ambient outside temperature upon my arrival was 48 degrees Fahrenheit, with no detectable winds, with 80% humidity and barometric pressure of 30.06inHg. Outdoor scene lighting was provided by overhead tungsten lamps, vehicles headlights, and supplemented with handheld flashlights. Although sufficient for scene inspection and evidence detection, electronic flash was required for photographic documentation purposes.

225 Belmont Street is the fourth house northwest of Holly Oak Avenue on the west-south-west side of the street. The house has an east-north-east exposure. It is a single-dwelling residence with a small, attached apartment on the south-south-west corner of the house. Crime scene tape was stretched across the intersection of Belmont Street and Date Avenue to the north-north-west of the crime scene, and across Belmont Street from the telephone pole at the corner of 213 to 212 Belmont Street. The primary crime scene was on the sidewalk and roadway in front of 223 and 225 Belmont Street. A crime scene log had been maintained by Officer T. Grant of the Greenfield Police Department.

The decedent was lying on the sidewalk, in front of the east-south-east corner of the driveway, in the supine position in a north-north-east orientation. The decedent was wearing red athletic shorts, black Nike brand socks, and black Air Jordan brand tennis shoes. A red and black in color nylon jacket and maroon in color long-sleeved shirt had been cut from the decedent and remained in the scene underneath the torso of the decedent. Two AED pads and four electro-monitoring pads were affixed to the chest and stomach of the decedent. Pooled blood was noted underneath the head of the decedent and blood exhibiting flow was noted originating under the right heel of the decedent.

Evidence markers had not been placed by responding officers and therefore the scene was documented in its entirety using scene establishing, evidence establishing, and evidentiary photography prior to the placement of evidence markers, and again after evidence markers were placed to identify items of evidence. It should be noted documentation and processing of the crime scene and the items of evidence it contained occurred overnight and therefore the items of evidence were collected and booked on the morning of January 14, 2021.

Seventeen .45ACP caliber fired Federal brand cartridge casings were noted in the roadway and sidewalk in the primary crime scene. Seven 9mm caliber fired Winchester brand cartridge casings were noted in the roadway directly in front of 223 Belmont Street. It should be noted several of the fired cartridge casings were underneath or in proximity to Greenfield Police Department patrol vehicle #31. After documenting the position of these shell casings, and the position of each tire, I carefully guided the patrol vehicle out of the scene in a manner not to disturb the position of the shell casings. It appeared only one fired cartridge casing (#18) was damaged by the patrol vehicle on arrival at the scene. A 1992 Honda Civic hatchback, white in color (Vehicle Identification Number and California License Plate have been provided on the face page), was parked in front of 223 Belmont Street. The driver’s side and passenger side doors were in the open position. One penetrated bullet defect was noted on the driver’s exterior door. One grazed bullet defect was noted on the exterior sunroof. The driver’s door window and hatchback window were compromised, and the glass fragmented and displaced. No other defects were noted on the vehicle. The floor mats for the vehicle were removed and on top of the hedges in front of 223 Belmont Street. A 2015 Chevrolet Cruze sedan (provided on the face page), dark grey in color, was parked directly behind the Honda Civic. One perforated bullet defect was noted on the front passenger windshield, and one penetrated bullet defect was noted on the roof line above the driver’s side windshield.

The report lists the precise location and description of each item of evidence in the crime scene, as well as bloodstain pattern analysis, shooting investigation details, and other important aspects of the crime scene.

The following is an excerpt from a forensic examination report. The case has been adjudicated in court, but the identifying details have been changed and photographs omitted:

On January 20, 2024, the Gabilan Police Department requested the assistance of the Greenfield Police Department, Forensic Services Unit, for the forensic examination of a firearm and accompanying magazine recovered on January 16, 2022, and processed into evidence by Officer S. Barron as follows:

Item #SB18 – One Taurus brand PT709 Model, silver and black in color, serial number X04228, caliber 9mm Luger (9mmx19mm).

On this date, I conducted a forensic examination and functions test of the above listed item as follows:

Item #SB18 is a Taurus firearms brand PT709 “Slim” model semi-automatic pistol chambered in 9mm Luger (9mm x 19mm), 3” barrel, black polymer frame and matte stainless-steel slide. The unloaded seven-round capacity magazine was inserted in the pistol.

I collected two DNA-specimen swabs from the grips, forestrap, backstrap, slide grooves, and levers as item DJD#1. I collected two additional DNA-specimen swabs from the trigger face of the pistol as item DJD#2. It should be noted all DNA-typing swabs were collected under sterile conditions in the Airstream laminar flow PCR down-draft chamber following standard sterilization procedures. The barrel was tested for gunshot residue using the sodium rhodizonate color test method. This method produced positive results for having been recently fired. I processed the firearm and magazine for latent prints using the cyanoacrylate ester fuming method. This method produced a positive result for a left thumb ridge-print impression on the right side of the slide behind the ejection port. This impression presented sufficient ridge retail for individualization. The impression was photographed with a scale and left in situ for subsequent development using Basic Yellow dye. Portions of the impression that lacked sufficient detail for individualization were swabbed for touch-DNA as item DJD#3.

It should be noted that the pistol functioned properly (extractor, ejector, firing pin, slide, safety, magazine release, sear, and trigger). While conducting the forensic examination of the above listed items of evidence, I collected the following items of evidence:

Item DJD#1 – Two DNA specimen swabs from the grips, forestrap, backstrap, slide grooves, and levers from item #SB18.

Item DJD#2 – Two DNA specimen swabs from the trigger face of item #SB18.

Item DJD#3 – Two touch-DNA specimen swabs from developed ridge-print impression on the right side of the slide of item #SB18.

All items of evidence were surrendered to the Gabilan Police Department with this report.

Conjunctions

Conjunctions have no place in formal report writing unless the writer is directly quoting a person. Conjunctions have invaded not only our common dialogue, but also in our written forms of communication. Even AI programs include conjunctions while “assisting” people with writing essays and emails. This is another example of a lazy writer. Therefore, please, it is (it’s) imperative that you do not (don’t) use contractions unless you cannot (can’t) avoid their use because you are quoting a person. Your author cannot stress this enough.

Your final report

Once you have submitted your final report, no changes to that document should occur. Corrections and additional information should be provided as a supplemental report. Never make a change to your report after the original has become part of discovery in court proceedings.