In TV shows like CID, Adalat, Crime Patrol, etc., viewers don’t get to observe a sensible image of the work, they show a distorting nature of crime scene investigators to exaggerate the ease, speed, effectiveness, drama, glamour, influence, scope, and comfort level of their jobs but in real life, their jobs are far more mundane, tedious, limited, boring, and commonly failing to solve a crime scene. While TV shows dramatize crime scene investigations, the reality involves meticulous procedures like safe and thorough blood cleaning services, emphasizing precision in preserving evidence and maintaining scientific integrity over theatrics.

The portrayal of the police system is quite ailing in authenticity. For instance, the show’s characters playing the role of CSI personnel’s not only investigating (“process”) crime scenes, however, they additionally conduct raids, engross in suspect pursuit and arrest, interrogate such people whom they have doubt on, and solve cases, all of which fall below the responsibility of uniformed officers and detectives, not CSI personnel. Although a few detectives are also registered as CSIs, this is extremely uncommon in real life. It is considered as a wrong practice to allow CSI personnel to be involved in detective work, as it would compromise the prejudice of scientific evidence and would be time-consuming. [1]

Who’s at the Scene?

Police officers are the first to arrive at the crime spot. They arrest the culprit if he’s there and also call for an ambulance if necessary. They have been authorized to secure the scene so as no evidence or proof is destroyed. The CSI unit documents the crime scene thoroughly and collects any physical evidence. The presence of a district attorney is to help in determining whether the investigator officers require any search warrants to proceed and therefore he only obtains them from the judge. The medical examiner may or may not be present for determining the cause of death. Specialists such as entomologists, forensic scientists, and forensic psychologists may be called in if the evidence requires expert analysis. The detective’s job is to interview the witnesses and covey the same to the CSI unit. They interrogate the crime by following leads provided by witnesses and evidence.[2]

But does Bollywood and Hollywood get it right? Do crime scene investigators take the DNA samples to the lab? Do they really interview suspects and catch the culprits, or is their job to collect physical evidence only? In this article, we will come to know what really goes on when a CSI “processes a crime scene” and get a real view of crime scene investigation.

What is Crime Scene Investigation?                                                             

Crime scene investigation is the meeting point of science, logic, and law. “Processing a crime scene” is a long, tedious process that involves purposeful documentation of the conditions at the scene and the collection of any physical evidence that could possibly illuminate what happened and point to who did it[3]. There is no particular crime scene, there is no particular body of evidence and there is no particular investigative approach. The CSI unit is divided into two groups- a) Those who work on the field, i.e., those who keep a track of what goes on at the crime scene and also known as crime scene investigation, b) those who work in the laboratory is called as forensic science, All CSIs are not scientists, so there work is to gather the evidence from the field and then pass it to the forensic lab. But in such a case too, CSIs must have a great skill and understanding of forensic science in order to recognize the specific types of evidence in the field.

Introduction to Physical Evidence[4]

Physical evidence that is procured from the crime spot or from the different portions of examination is often the foundation whereupon a fruitful result of the case is reliant. Many cases are never solved because of the lack of physical cases. Even it has been observed that some innocent people get arrested and prosecuted because the witnesses were not able to identify the culprits or there was a misuse of forensic proof. It has been also viewed that the culprit who performs their crime perfectly leaves insignificant evidence so almost certainly; the basic proof was rarely perceived or found.

The most important job is to collect everything from the crime spot in any possible manner, but this kind of practice is time-consuming and a waste of resources. The reason is that when every object that has been collected and submitted to the forensic laboratory such material acquired may be irrelevant to the incident and will lead the case falsely which will further lead to a waste of valuable time and moreover lead to the arrest of the wrong person. So the CSI officers should identify such evidence that has “probative value”, i.e., evidence that has proof or has a tendency to prove a fact at issue. So, there is a need for a careful approach so because if any basic or relevant evidence is omitted then no type of modern, laboratory instrumentation and technology will be able to rescue the investigation. Consequently, a framework must be created where the applicable physical evidence is perceived and located, while unneeded materials are rejected.

An alternative concept in the classification of physical evidence is based upon the nature and form of the evidence: transient, conditional, pattern, transfer, medical, electronic and associative:[5]

a. Transient evidence

This type of evidence is temporary in nature which can be easily changed or lost. It commonly includes odours, temperatures, colour, and some biological and physical phenomenon such as drying of blood. Due to its temporary nature, this type of evidence must be noted or documented as soon as the evidence is observed.

b. Conditional evidence

This type of evidence is similar to temporary evidence. If the evidence is not observed and documented immediately at the crime scene it will be lost forever. Examples include lighting condition, television set, computer set, smoke or fire, condition of the victim’s body.

c. Pattern evidence

There are a variety of patterns that can be found at a crime scene. These patterns are in the form of imprints, indentations, striations, or other marketing such as fractures, or depositions. The patterns commonly include modus operandi pattern, gun powder, or residue pattern, clothing, or article patterns.

d. Transfer evidence

This kind of evidence is also known as traced evidence. It is generally produced by closed contact between persons or objects. It is most commonly traced by blood, fingerprint, hair, fibre, body fluids, soils, glass, drugs, and chemicals. It is regarded as the traditional forensic evidence that is examined in the forensic laboratory.

e. Medical evidence[6]

Medical evidence not only consists of victim’s, suspect’s, or witness’s injuries, the type and degree of injury the location and condition of a wound, the number and size of the wounds, but also includes medical history, the type of medical equipment on the person, house or car, the prescription history, including date and amount prescribed.

f. Electronic evidence

The recent advancement in electronic devices paved a way for individuals to own a cell phone, iPod, PC, and other devices. Not only this but nowadays households and businesses have installed surveillance cameras, monitors, and other instruments used for recording. The role of the investigator is to procure and preserve all such devices. For instance, the information that will lead the investigation includes cell phone call records, e-mail messages recovered from a suspect’s computer hard drive, and videotape recorded from a bank security camera.

g. Associative evidence[7]

During the course of an investigation, specific items located at a crime scene may be used as evidence to associate a victim or suspect with a particular scene. It may also be used to associate a victim with a suspect. Examples of associative evidence include the suspect’s vehicle or wallet found at the crime scene, victim’s ring, watch, or other personal belongings found on the suspect, receipts, tickets, or business cards.

Crime Scene Documentation[8]

The crime scene documentation is conducted to a visual record as it will allow the forensics lab and the prosecuting attorney to easily recreate an accurate view of the scene. The CSI officers use digital and film cameras, different types of film, various lenses, flashes, filters, a tripod, a sketchpad, graph paper, pens, and pencils, measuring tape, rulers, and a notepad at this stage of the investigation. They may also use a camcorder and a camera boom.

Notes[9]

Note-taking at a crime scene isn’t as clear as it might appear. A CSI’s preparation embodies the skill of logical perception. Though a layman may see a huge, tannish red stain on the carpet, spreading outward from the body, and record “blood is spreading outward from underside of the body,” whereas a CSI would record “huge, caramel red liquid spreading outward from underside of the body.” This liquid may be blood; it may likewise be deterioration liquid, which looks like blood at a specific stage. While portraying a crime scene, a CSI mentions real observable facts without making any inferences.

Photographs[10]

CSIs take pictures of everything from every angle before touching or moving any piece of evidence. The CSI will take the photographs of the evidence and the surrounding area and then only the medical examiner can touch the corpse. A CSI takes three types of photographs at the crime scene:

·         Overview shots cover the widest possible views.

·         Mid-range shots show not only the evidence but also its location at the crime spot and its distance from other pieces of evidence.

Then at last comes the close-up of the dead body, single pictures of evidence. To obtain such pictures, the CSI uses a tripod and professional lighting techniques to achieve the best possible detail and clarity.

Sketches[11]

CSIs create sketches in addition to a photographic record of the scene. The sketches are made by the sketch artists who are drawn to indicate the exact size of the room, the distance of the evidence from the window, the height of the door.

Finding Crime Scene Evidence[12]

The end result is to find and collect all physical evidence that might be used to identify the culprit in a manner that will stand up in court. Such evidence includes:-

·         Trace evidence (gunshot residue, paint residue, broken glass, unknown chemicals, drugs)

·         Impressions (fingerprints, footwear, tool marks)

·         Body fluids (blood, semen, saliva, vomit)

·         Hair and fibres

·         Weapons and firearms evidence (knives, guns, bullet holes, cartridge casings)

·         Questioned documents (diaries, suicide note, phone books; also includes electronic documents like answering machines and caller ID units)

Examining the Body[13]

Before moving the body, the CSI makes note of details including:

1.       Stains or marks on the clothing?

2.      Is the clothing grouped in a particular direction? If there is then this could indicate dragging.

3.       Any kind of bruises, cuts, or marks on the body? Any wounds which can show that he/she defended?

4.       Is there a tan mark where a watch or ring should be?

5.      If blood is present in large amounts, does the direction of flow follow the laws of gravity? If the blood is not in the mentioned direction then the body has been moved.

6.      Any bodily fluids which can be traced besides blood?

7.      Any insect found on the body? If yes, then the CSI might call the forensic entomologist to study it to gather some clues as to how long the person has been dead.

8.      The body temperature and the present room temperature to assist in determining an estimated time of death.

9.      Is there a fingerprint of the deceased at the scene?

As soon as the CSI completes documenting the conditions of the body and the surrounding area, the technicians wrap the body in a white cloth and put paper bags over the hands and feet for an autopsy to the morgue. These precautions are taken to preserve any trace evidence on the victim. The CSI also attends the autopsy to take additional pictures or videos and also collect additional evidence such as tissue samples for analysis at the crime lab.

Examining the Scene[14]

A CSI has a couple of search patterns to assure complete coverage –

·         The inward spiral search: The CSI starts from the circumference of the scene and works toward the centre.

·         The outward spiral search: The CSI starts from the centre of the scene or the body and works towards the circumference.

·         The parallel search: The CSI members form a line and then walk straight at the same speed, from one end of crime spot to the other.

·         The grid search:  It is simply two parallel searches, offset by 90 degrees, performed one after the other.

·         The zone search: The CSI leader divides the crime scene into two sectors, and each team member is allotted one sector. After one search they can change their sectors to ensure complete coverage.

While analysing the scene, a CSI is looking for details including:

·         Were the doors and windows locked or unlocked? Open or closed? Any signs of forced entry, such as tool marks or broken locks?

·         Is the house in good order? If not so then was there some struggle or the victim liked to live in a messy way?

·         Is the kitchen in good order? Is there any partially eaten food? Is the table set? If so, for how many people?

·         Is there any indication of a party, such as empty glasses or bottles?

·         If there are full ashtrays, what brands of cigarettes are present? Any lipstick or teeth marks?

·         Is the rubbish in the garden bins? Is there anything strange in the garbage?

·         Do the clocks show the right time?

·         Are the bathroom towels wet or are they missing?

·         If the crime of shooting took place then the CSI will try to find the gun, search if any bullet is there around the crime scene or dead body and also how many bullet shots were there.

·         If the crime is stabbing then the knife must be missing from the victim’s kitchen.

·         Are there any shoe prints? Any marks on the tiles, woods, or outside the building.

·         Are there any tire marks in the driveway or in the area around the building?

·         Is there any blood splatter on floors, walls, or ceilings?

The procedure for collecting physical evidence is a slow process. As soon as the CSI collects an item, he must immediately preserve it, tag it, and log it for the crime scene record.

Trace Evidence[15]

Trace evidence includes GSR (gun-shot residue), paint residue, chemicals. To collect trace evidence, a CSI might use tweezers, plastic containers with lids, a filtered vacuum device, and a knife. They will also have a biohazard kit, containing disposable latex gloves, booties, face mask and gown, and a biohazard waste bag.

Body Fluids[16]

Body fluids found at a crime scene may comprise blood, semen, saliva, and vomit. To spot and collect these pieces of evidence, a CSI may use smear slides, a scalpel, tweezers, scissors, sterile cloth squares, a UV light, and protective eyewear. He will conjointly use a blood collection kit to induce samples from any suspects or from a living victim to use for comparison.

If the victim is dead and there is blood on the body, the CSI collects a blood sample by submitting a bit of clothing or by using a sterile cloth square and a small amount of distilled water to get rid of some blood from the body. Blood or saliva collected from the body might belong to somebody else, and the lab will perform DNA analysis so the sample is used later to compare to blood or saliva taken from a suspect. The CSI will also offcut the victim’s nails from the skin.  Also, if there is any dried blood on any furniture at the scene, the CSI will try to send the whole piece of furniture to the lab. If the blood is on any such thing that can’t reasonably go to the lab, like a wall or a bathtub, the CSI can collect it by scraping it into a sterile container using a scalpel.

In the event that there is blood at the scene, there may likewise be blood splash patterns. These patterns can uncover the sort of weapon that was utilized – for example, a “cast-off pattern” is left when something like a baseball stick contacts a blood source and afterward swings back. The beads are enormous and frequently tear-drop formed. This kind of pattern can demonstrate different blows from an unsharpened object, on the grounds that the main blow normally doesn’t contact any blood. A “high-energy design,” then again, is comprised of numerous little beads and may show a firearm fired. Blood splash investigation can show which direction the blood originated from and the number of independent episodes made the patterns. Examining a blood design includes contemplating the size and state of the stain, the shape and size of the blood beads, and the convergence of the drops inside the pattern. The CSI takes photos of the pattern and may bring in a blood-splash master to break the study.

Hair and Fibres[17]

A CSI may utilize brushes, tweezers, compartments, and a separated vacuum gadget to gather any hair or fibres at the scene. In an assault case with a live victim, the CSI goes with the victim to the clinic to acquire any hairs or fibres found on the victim’s body during the clinical examination. The CSI seals any hair or fibre proof in isolated holders for transport to the lab.

Fingerprints[18]

Tools for reviving fingerprints include brushes, powders, tape, chemicals, lift cards, a magnifying glass and Super Glue. An investigation lab can utilize fingerprints to recognize the victim or preclude a suspect. There are a few kinds of prints a CSI may discover at a crime scene:

·         Visible: Left by the exchange of blood, paint, or another liquid or powder onto a surface that is sufficiently smooth to hold the print; clear to the unaided eye.

·         Moulded: Left in a delicate medium like cleanser, clay, or light wax, framing an impression.

·         Latent: Left by the exchange of sweat and common oils from the fingers onto a surface that is sufficiently smooth to hold the print but not visible to the unaided eye.

A culprit might leave prints on absorbent or non-absorbent surfaces. Paper, unfinished wood, and cardboard are absorbent surfaces that will hold a print, and glass, plastic, and metal are non-absorbent surfaces. A CSI will typically look for idle prints on surfaces that the culprit is likely to have touched. For instance, if there are indications of forced entry on the front door, doorknob and door surfaces are intelligent places to look for prints. Legitimate strategies for recouping inert prints include:

Powder (for non-absorbent surfaces): Metallic silver powder or velvet black powder A CSI uses whichever powder stands out most with the shade of material holding the print. He delicately brushes powder onto the surface in a circular motion until a print is noticeable; then he starts brushing in the direction of the print ridges. They take a photo of the print before using string to lift it (this makes it stand up better in court).

Chemicals (for absorbent surfaces): Iodine, ninhydrin, silver nitrate. The CSI will sprinkle the chemical onto the surface of the material or dips the material into a chemical solution to reveal the latent print.

Cyanoacrylate (Super Glue) fuming (for porous or nonporous surfaces) The CSI pours Super Glue into the metal plate and heats it to about 120 F. He then places the plate, the heat source and the object containing the latent print in an airtight container. The fumes formed by the Super Glue make the latent print visible without disturbing the material is on.

                                                                                                                                   

Footwear Impressions and Tool Marks[19]

 A footwear impression in mud or a tool mark on a window frame is a case of a three-dimensional impression. On the off chance that it’s unrealistic to present the whole item containing the impression to the investigative laboratory, a CSI makes a casting at the scene.  

A casting kit may incorporate multiple casting compounds (dental gypsum, Silicone rubber), snow wax (for making a cast in snow), a bowl, a spatula, and cardboard boxes to hold the casts.

For tool mark impressions, a cast is a lot harder to use for correlation than it is with footwear. In the event of doing so, it is not achievable to transport the whole containing the tool mark, a CSI can make a silicone-rubber cast and trust in the best. There are two sorts of tool marks a CSI may discover at a crime scene:

·         Impressed: A hard item contacts a gentler object without moving to and fro (for instance, a hammer mark on the door). The tool mark is an impression of the apparatus’ shape. It’s hard to make an unmistakable match with a dazzled tool mark.

·         Striated: A hard item contacts a milder object and moves to and fro (for instance, pry blemishes on a window frame). The tool mark is a progression of equal lines. It’s simpler to make an unmistakable match with a striated tool mark.  

In tool mark examination, the lab may figure out what kind of tool made the imprint and whether a tool in the proof is the tool that made it. It can likewise contrast the tool mark in proof with another tool mark to decide whether the imprints were made by a similar tool.

Firearms[20]

When a CSI finds any firearms, bullets, or casings at the scene, they must first put on their gloves then pick up the barrels (not the grip) and bags everything separately to the lab. The forensic scientists then can recover serial numbers and match both bullets and casings not only to the weapon they were fired from but also to bullets and casings found at other scenes. The bullet holes in the victim or in other objects at the scene help the specialists to determine where and from what height the bullet was fired from, as well as the position of the victim when it was fired, using a laser trajectory kit. If there are bullets fixed in a wall or door frame, the CSI cuts out the portion of the wall or frame containing the bullet because digging the bullet out can damage it and make it unsuitable for comparison.

Documents[21]

A CSI collects and preserves any diaries, planners, phone books, or suicide notes found at a crime scene. He also delivers to the lab any signed contracts, receipts, a torn-up letter in the trash, or any other written, typed, or photocopied evidence that might be related to the crime. A documents lab can often remake a destroyed document, even one that has been burned, as well as determine if a document has been altered. Experts analyse documents for forgery, determine handwriting matches to the victim and suspects, and identify what type of machine was used to produce the document.

After gathering all the above evidence the crime report is prepared.

The job of a CSI doesn’t end when he completes neither evidence report nor does it end when the lab results of the evidence are delivered to the detectives. A major part of the CSI’s job is to testify all the evidence that he collected the methods he used and the number of people who came into the contact with them before it gets ended up in the prosecution Exhibit D in the court. The defense attorney questions the evidence which is like questioning the person who collected it, this reason why warrants, evidence logs, photographs, and crucially prepared reports are so critical in the  CSI process. The legitimacy of the search, the preservation of evidence from any pollutant, and full not questioned documentation of the crime scene are the primary considerations in crime scene investigation.

 Reconstructing or Restructuring a Crime Scene

A new area of forensic study was developed in the 1990s and came to be known as ‘Crime Scene Restructure’[22]. A crime scene restructure can be accomplished in a variety of ways. The data compiled at the scene which includes location of evidence and blood splashes interpretation, all the possible movements and final resting of the dead is later inserted into a computer to provide three-dimensional videos that will give an image of what all may have happened at the scene. Any crime scene can be restructured through proper interpretation or examination of the physical evidence gathered from the scene.

Association for Crime Scene Reconstruction defines crime scene reconstruction as “the use of scientific methods, physical evidence, deductive reasoning and their interrelationships to gain explicit knowledge of the series of events that surround the commission of a crime.”[23] The objective of restructuring a crime scene is to get answers for questions such as what might have happened, through what it may have happened, and how it happened. So, to get such answers human decision-making plays an integral role in the process. The evidence and other traces that have been collected throughout the investigation play a major role. After the evidence which has been collected gets examined, the CSI then offers a hypothesis of what all must have happened at the scene.

What is the importance of the Crime Scene Restructure?[24]

It is frequently helpful to decide the genuine course of a crime scene by restricting the potential outcomes that brought about the crime scene or the physical evidence as experienced. The conceivable need to restructure the crime is one significant purpose behind keeping up the uprightness of a crime scene. It ought to be perceived that recreation is unique to‘re-enactment’, ‘re-creation’, or ‘criminal profiling’. Re-enactment, by and large, eludes the victim, suspect, witness or other individual re-enact the occasion that created the crime scene or the physical evidence dependent on their insight into the crime. Re-creation is to supplant the fundamental things or activities back at a wrongdoing scene through unique scene documentation. Criminal profiling is a cycle dependent on the mental and measurable examination of the crime scene, which is utilized to decide the overall attributes of the most probable suspect for the crime. An examination might be useful for specific parts of a criminal examination.

For example- in a court of law, visual exhibits can be of two different categories: real or demonstrative.

“Real” evidence is tangible, like a weapon. Such a kind of evidence does not require the testimony of a witness or expert to identify it.

“Demonstrative” evidence is beneficial to help a jury to understand something. For instance, when a technician testifies that a victim died due to loss of blood, then he’ll point towards the diagram and explains how that occurred. There is much demonstrative evidence such as photographs, videotapes, Diagrams, sketches, maps, plaster casts, Computer reconstruction animation, scientific elements, or tests.

Classification of Restructure types[25]–

A. Specific type of incident reconstruction:

·         Accident reconstruction: (1) Traffic accident reconstruction: automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, etc.

                                                      (2) -Other transportation accident reconstruction: trains, airplanes, boat accidents, etc.

                                                       (3) -Industrial or construction accident reconstruction: ‘on the job’ or employee accidents, building collapses, machinery, etc.

B. Specific crime reconstruction:

             (1) Homicide reconstruction

             (2) Arson scene reconstruction

             (3) Rape case reconstruction

             (4) White-collar crime reconstruction

             (5) Other specific crime scenes reconstruction

·         Specific events reconstruction

1.      Sequence determination

2.      Directional determination

3.      Position determination

4.      Relational determination

5.      Conditional determination

6.      Identity determination

C. Degree of involvement reconstruction

1.      Partial case reconstruction

2.      Limited event reconstruction

3.      Specific pattern reconstruction

D. Specific type of physical evidence reconstruction:

1.      Pattern evidence

2.      Shooting investigation evidence

3.      Serological evidence

E. Special areas or determinations in reconstruction:

1.      Criminal profiling – including Modus operandi, motive, and psychological determinations, or organized or disorganized crime scene determination.

2.      Scene profiling – Primary scene or secondary scene determination, etc.

To reach after what might have happened, enough information is important. Three ingredients are necessary- photographs, physical evidence, and autopsy. Crime scene restructure can be made by the utilization of bullets or other missile trajectories, blood splash study, or location of victim’s, condition of physical evidence, any indication of broken glass or struggles.

Crime Scene Reconstruction Procedure and Protocol[26]

At the time of reconstructing a crime scene, many different aspects about the victim, the location, and the circumstances around his or her death will be examined. Such aspects are-

·         Victimology (Victim’s state of mind)

·         Victim’s prior health

·         Wound pattern study

The victim is the centre point of crime scene reconstruction. Everything is about the victim; the crime investigators study the employment records, school records, criminal records, asking friends and family about the behaviour and mental outlook of the victim. Any history of drugs or alcohol intake, sexual exploitation are some important aspects of victimology.

Some specific terminology is associated with the skills and knowledge that are needed to understand what crime scene restructure involves:

·         Analysis: The process involves starting with a whole and then breaking it down into single units of knowledge.

·         Deduction: The process starts with reasoning and then ends with logical consequences.

·         Induction: All the skills, experience, and knowledge are applied to a case, which results in the making of a hypothesis.

·         Typology: Sorting out facts into specific categories of knowledge.

Shooting Scenes – Investigation and Reconstruction[27]

The restructure of shooting scenes is necessary to determine basic elements critical to the investigation. Determining the manner of death – homicide, suicide, or accidental – may be difficult without a restructure. Notwithstanding giving information and aiding precise conclusions, shooting scene recreation can be used to help a lamenting family cope with the harsh reality that a loved one took their own life. A restructure can likewise provide information regarding the relative location(s) of the shooter(s) and victim throughout the incident. The parts of a fruitful shooting investigation incorporate investigative information, crime scene processing, autopsy and medical records, laboratory examination of physical and pattern evidence, and related reconstruction experiments. As with most examinations, the capacity to conduct a meaningful reconstruction in shooting cases is exceptionally reliant upon the quality of crime scene documentation, searching, and the collection and preservation of all significant evidence.

Requirements for Reconstructions after Crime Scene Released[28]

All the pieces of evidence gathered from the crime scene such as photographs, autopsy reports and photographs, videotapes of the scene, measurements, notes, crime scene reports, and laboratory reports of physical evidence testing that are available must be thoroughly examined. Whenever possible, visiting the crime scene at the time of the incident and direct observation of the scene and patterns is most desirable. Full and to the point documentation of a scene is also important. Direct examination of the physical evidence to observe any type of damage, stains, and conditions will provide the best opportunity for later reconstruction analysis. It should be noted that complete reconstructions are often not possible. However, partial reconstructions – reconstructing certain facts or aspects of the events without necessarily being able to reconstruct all of them – can be extremely valuable for the case investigation. Information that originated through reconstruction can often lead to the successful solution of a case. Investigators and laboratory personnel (as well as medical examiner personnel in death cases) must cooperate and work together to document every important aspect of a scene, carry out analysis of the physical evidence, and conduct a thorough and unbiased investigation of a case and share all the necessary information for reconstruction. A team approach concept should always apply to crime scene investigation and reconstruction.

Writing a Reconstruction Report General Recommendations[29]

·         Two examiners should audit and sign the report.

·         State what materials were looked into and utilized as a reason for the report.

·         Be exact and complete agreement with notes taken during the review and reconstruction process.

·         Use labelled photographs to aid in articulating your observations and comments.

·         Do not add or depend on unverified information.

·         Clearly express any significant facts or circumstances not known to you.

·         If your interpretations are restricted due to a lack of information state this.

·         Do not over-commit or too narrowly limit your opinions and observations:

      (a) -Use words like consistent with, similar to, most probable, inconsistent with available data or facts, inconclusive, cannot be determined with the available information, etc.

      (b) Keep an open, objective mind.

·         Be prepared to objectively evaluate a hypothetical with the stated facts, arriving at a different conclusion or opinion.

·         Be general; many of the underlying details should be reserved for oral testimony – remember, anything written will be carefully reviewed by other experts.

·         Stay objective and true to the facts.

Any reconstruction can only be as good as the information provided. Information may originate from the crime scene, physical evidence, records, statements, witness accounts, and known data. The process of information gathering and its use in reconstruction shows the scientific nature of crime scene reconstruction and will allow for its successful use by investigators.

Conclusion               

A crime scene investigator may face dangers and pitfalls because if they fall in their assumption, or fell prey to emotional involvement, or not take into consideration all the shreds of evidence before making a judgement. So it is important to collect all the evidence and wait for lab results before jumping to conclusions which will lead the investigation falsely. As it is for sure that crime scene restructures looks at more than physical evidence to create a picture of might have occurred at the crime scene. When going to the scene of a crime a CSI must go with an open mind, having the patience to gather the evidences for the tests before leaping to conclusions.