Arson Investigation
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- Category: Crime Scene Investigation
- Published on Monday, 17 October 2011 17:29
- Written by Kathy Steck-Flynn
- Hits: 1121
The Fire
Arson investigation starts with the fire itself. To create and sustain a fire three factors must be present. The three factors are known as the fire triangle (Peige ed.,1977). The fire triangle consists of oxygen, a fuel source, and heat. In most cases the percentage of oxygen concentration must be above 16% (Peige, ed.,1977). The fuel may be any flammable substance. The heat source needs only to match the ignition temperature of the fuel.
In a fire involving arson the arsonist will have tampered with one or more of the factors in the fire triangle. The arsonist may increase the fuel load by introducing flammable material or by adding accelerants such as kerosene, gasoline or alcohol (French, 1979) The arsonist may increase the oxygen content of a structure by opening windows or punching holes in ceilings and walls (French, 1979) Fire will follow the highest concentration of oxygen to its source. By ventilating a structure at the top and starting a fire at the bottom of the structure an arsonist can cause the fire to race upward through the structure. The fire will rapidly involve the whole structure rather than be confined to one room.
Burglary Investigations
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- Category: Crime Scene Investigation
- Published on Friday, 09 September 2011 00:34
- Written by Daryl W. Clemens
- Hits: 1625
Burglary defined
Burglary is sometimes also known as Home Invasion, or Breaking and Entering. The unlawful entry into the premises of another with intent to commit a felony (usually larceny) therein.
Introduction
Burglaries represent one of the more common crimes to which patrol officers respond. Someone has returned home from an evening out and found the doors open and their property missing. The police are called, and an investigation is begun.
Often there are no witnesses to these crimes which makes the collection of evidence from the scene even more crucial. It is possible to find a great variety of evidence at burglary scenes, this article will attempt to introduce some of the more common types.
Crime Scene Protection
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- Category: Crime Scene Protection
- Published on Thursday, 08 September 2011 00:53
- Written by Dean H. Garrison, Jr.
- Hits: 1170
By D.H. Garrison, Jr.
Forensic Services Unit
Grand Rapids, Michigan, Police Department
This Article Originally Appeared in the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, September 1994.
Ask crime scene technicians to name the biggest problem that they encounter on the job and you will consistently hear the same response--crime scene contamination by curious officers, detectives, and supervisors. Whether called evidence technicians, identification bureau officers, or laboratory specialists, either civilian or sworn, most personnel responsible for the processing of crime scene evidence find the same problems repeated by the same "offenders."1
A Bibliography of Shooting Reconstruction
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- Category: Crime Scene Reconstruction
- Published on Thursday, 08 September 2011 20:40
- Written by Dean H. Garrison, Jr.
- Hits: 733
- Bell, W.P., "A Proposed Definition of Homicide Reconstruction," California Department of Justice Firearm/Toolmark Training Syllabus, reprinted Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners Journal, Vol. 23, No. 2, April 1991, pp. 740-744.
- Bergman, P. and Springer, E., "Bullet Hole Identification Kit: Case Report," Journal of Forensic Sciences, Vol. 32, No. 3, May 1987, pp. 802-805.
Intent Behind the Bullet
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- Category: Crime Scene Reconstruction
- Published on Thursday, 08 September 2011 04:42
- Written by Dean H. Garrison, Jr.
- Hits: 411
Originally published in the Association of Firearm Toolmark Examiners Journal, Oct. 1993.
Just because a shot was fired, and just because someone was injured or died as a result of the shooting, and just because a shooting reconstruction was completed...this does not mean that the expert can render an opinion about the intent behind the bullet thus fired.
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Crime Scene Protection
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Crime Scene Reconstruction
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