Marcela A. Oliveira-Antunovich
What is Forensic Science?
As portrayed by the very popular television shows crime scene investigators do not exist. On the contrary, there are criminalists, crime scene analysts, document examiners, evidence custodians, firearms specialists, firearms/toolmark examiners, and photo technicians. The job titles and/or the description of their jobs, varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
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The Collection of Evidence:
There is a difference between the "scenes of the crime" as compared to the "crime scene." The scene of the crime is the location where the crime took place, whereas the crime scene is the investigatory realm that forensic scientists establish to obtain relevant information to solve the crime. A "crime scene" is not only the actual location of the crime--it is also the staging and planning areas, the paths of flight to and from the primary scene, and the paths between the primary and secondary scenes.
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The first responder has many responsibilities that range from turning the "scene of the crime" into a secured "crime scene" by maintaining its legitimacy to finalizing the documentation. In preparing the crime scene for evidence collection, the first responder must maintain the integrity of the scene by closing it off to the public or anyone outside of the investigative forces.