Updated:

Discussion: Documenting Crime Scenes Research Paper

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Documentation is one of the core aspects of a comprehensive crime scene investigation. When criminal justice officers collect and keep a record of various data bits, it helps the police experts to assess the crime scene properly and restore the crime scenario based on repetitive analysis of documentation. According to Pazarena (2022), there could be a variety of types of crime scene documentation intended to help criminal justice officers, such as taking notes, drawing sketches, and taking photos and videos of the crime scene. Overall, the core task of the person documenting the crime scene is to record all the vital information so that the offense can be reviewed from multiple angles (Geldenhuys, 2021). Further investigation can significantly benefit from the implementation of proper crime scene documentation, as different types of evidence could enhance the grade of consistency of the investigation. The final case report could look completely different if some information pertaining to the crime was not observed and recorded.

The importance of documenting crime scenes can be perceived through the lens of the appropriate positioning of the person responsible for collecting evidence. I believe that this field of criminal justice is exceptionally interesting because it forces the responsible criminal justice agent to learn more about how one should compile non-homogeneous data sets. In the case where information is not documented properly, it will not be allowed for court use as a means of testimony. All the benefits related to how evidence could simplify the outlook on the crime scene would be lost. I am interested in the topic of documenting crime scenes because I see it as an activity that places emphasis on proper investigative methods and directs the whole investigation process. If a criminal justice agent makes a mistake when documenting the evidence, it will most likely lead to skewed outcomes, including the incarceration of innocent people.

The primary reason why crime scene documentation remains a tangible trend even in today’s criminal justice environment is the fact that every criminal justice agent working at the scene could affect the investigation. Even so, court judges do not rely on people’s memory because certain details might not be recounted objectively (Shaw & Vredeveldt, 2019). The initial status of the scene could be utilized by criminal justice officers to identify who had committed the crime and how. These benefits are not merely chronological or person-centered because evidence collection is directly related to the traceability of available information. According to Pazarena (2022), crime scenes can be documented to recover specific items that could contribute to the continuity of the case. The evidence can be compromised due to the failure to initiate the chain of custody, and all the subsequent examinations will be refuted.

The future of the crime scene documentation profession looks bright because relevant evidence is always required to gain a better understanding of the case. An unrecognized bit of evidence could become the decisive factor that turned from an irretrievably lost picture into an idle direction of the investigation (Shaw & Vredeveldt, 2019). The grade of controversy surrounding crime scene documentation is not going to reduce because there are pieces of evidence that are less obvious or harder to obtain. This is why many criminal justice cases are still affected by evidence contamination and degradation (Geldenhuys, 2021). The field of crime scene documentation may serve different purposes, but the biggest challenge for criminal justice agents is to complete the crime scene puzzles and tell the story of how certain crimes were committed. Thus, the importance of documenting evidence cannot be overlooked by criminal justice experts expecting to solve crimes more often.

References

Geldenhuys, K. (2021). Crime Scene Investigation: Collecting evidence to put the puzzle together. Servamus Community-based Safety and Security Magazine, 114(8), 16-19. Web.

Pazarena, L. (2022). General guidelines for writing CSI reports for crime scenes. In Report Writing for Crime Scene Investigators (pp. 45-62). CRC Press.

Shaw, J., & Vredeveldt, A. (2019). . Clinical Psychological Science, 7(1), 27-28. Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2024, May 6). Discussion: Documenting Crime Scenes. https://ivypanda.com/essays/discussion-documenting-crime-scenes/

Work Cited

"Discussion: Documenting Crime Scenes." IvyPanda, 6 May 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/discussion-documenting-crime-scenes/.

References

IvyPanda. (2024) 'Discussion: Documenting Crime Scenes'. 6 May.

References

IvyPanda. 2024. "Discussion: Documenting Crime Scenes." May 6, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/discussion-documenting-crime-scenes/.

1. IvyPanda. "Discussion: Documenting Crime Scenes." May 6, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/discussion-documenting-crime-scenes/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Discussion: Documenting Crime Scenes." May 6, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/discussion-documenting-crime-scenes/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1