Deck 2: The Crime Scene: Field Notes, documenting, and Reporting

Question 1

Which of the following is the best example of a prejudicial photo?

A)A photo of a body with chalk drawn around it
B)A color photo of blood stains on a wall
C)An arrest photo of the suspect showing him dirty and unkempt
D)A photo of the murder weapon,taken at the scene

Answer 1

C

Question 2

An officer uses field interview cards (FI cards)to:

A)record names of potential witnesses in a neighborhood canvass.
B)sketch physical evidence at a crime scene.
C)jot down notes about suspicious persons not connected with any case.
D)make personal notes about a case when the officer does not intend for any other person to see the notes.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which one of the following is NOT one of the three-pronged rule of thumb about reports?

A)They should be factual.
B)They should be written using police jargon.
C)They should be thorough.
D)They should be to the point.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The note-taking process should begin:

A)when the first witness is identified.
B)when the responding officer notices evidence for the first time.
C)as soon as an officer gets a call to the scene of a crime.
D)after the search of the crime scene is complete.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT typically included with a crime scene sketch?

A)The investigator's name and rank
B)The date,time,type of crime,and assigned case number
C)The list of possible suspects
D)The scale of the drawing

Question 6

The advantage of a crime scene sketch that cannot be accomplished with any type of photography is the:

A)ability to improve lighting conditions.
B)elimination of unnecessary detail.
C)unique ability of the artist come through.
D)addition of missing or necessary detail.

Question 7

For every photograph taken at the crime scene,the officer should annotate the:

A)Shutter speed
B)Time of photograph
C)Distance
D)All of the above

Question 8

For photographs to be admissible in court,they must be:

A)legal.
B)at least 16" X 24" in size.
C)material and relevant.
D)None of the above.

Question 9

Which types of investigation commonly use surveillance photography?

A)Prostitution
B)Vice and organized crime
C)Drugs and missing persons
D)Burglary and theft

Question 10

Which of the following is the best use of a close-up photo?

A)Conducting surveillance
B)Getting a picture of a getaway car
C)Noting bullet holes in a wall
D)Documenting blood splatters on a rug

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT considered essential information for a report?

A)Preliminary information
B)A list of possible suspects
C)Information about witnesses
D)Information about physical evidence

Question 12

Which of the following is meant to provide a reader with information about an investigation quickly and succinctly?

A)Field notes
B)The report
C)Photographs
D)Sketches

Question 13

Supplemental information by officers should include:

A)Time of arrival at crime scene
B)Lighting and weather conditions
C)Names of officers contacted
D)All of the above

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a common sketching method?

A)The cross-projection method
B)The Mercator projection
C)The coordinate method
D)The triangulation method

Question 15

Which of the following methods is best for sketching an outdoor crime scene that has no easily identifiable points of reference?

A)The cross-projection method
B)The Mercator projection
C)The coordinate method
D)The triangulation method

Question 16

Which of the following best expresses the purpose of using markers at a crime scene?

A)To register specific places on videotape of the crime scene
B)To assist in listing all physical evidence at the scene
C)To provide a sense of the size of physical evidence
D)To note the exact location of bullet holes at the crime scene

Question 17

This is the backbone of the criminal prosecution process:

A)Time of events
B)Official police report
C)Photographs
D)Recordings

Question 18

Which of the following is the most accurate interpretation of the "best evidence rule"?

A)Videotapes are usually better than photos.
B)Testimony is better than physical evidence.
C)Original notes are usually better than photocopies.
D)Authenticated photocopies are admissible in court.

Question 19

Which of the following is the most important method for police officers in initially documenting a crime scene?

A)Photographing the crime scene
B)Taking field notes
C)Obtaining laboratory reports
D)Sketching the crime scene

Question 20

Which of the following would be the best wording to use in a report?

A)John Brown indicated he was white.
B)John Brown said,"He was white."
C)Subj.stated sus.was wht.
D)The witness indicated he was white.

Question 21

Field notes may be required later as _____ in court.

Question 22

An officer may use a tape recorder instead of taking field notes;however,it is highly recommended that the officer make a transcript of the tape.

Question 23

Investigators should remember that it is the officer's memory,not the official police report that is the backbone of the criminal prosecution process.

Question 24

The _____- _____ process should begin as soon as an officer gets a call to the scene of a crime.

Question 25

It is vital in prosecuting a case for the person who took the photos of a crime scene to be the one who testifies about them in court.

Question 26

_____ _____ made during the search of a crime scene are the basic record of the search and the evidence discovered.

Question 27

Once the officer has prepared the official detailed investigative report,it is okay to discard the original field notes.

Question 28

Ideally,an officer should begin to take notes after she has arrived at the crime scene,after all evidence has been located (including witnesses),but before any arrests are made.

Question 29

Typically,crime scene photographers should take between 25 and 50 photos,depending on the nature and complexity of the crime.

Question 30

The investigator's field notes should include the date and time of her assignment to the case.

Question 31

The finished sketch is simply a completed sketch drawn from information contained in photographs or from the drawer's memory.

Question 32

As a rule,the crime scene photographer will find that natural light at the scene is adequate for good-quality photos.

Question 33

The increased use of photography at crime scenes has made sketching crime scenes unnecessary and obsolete.

Question 34

The report should be structured to give information about an investigation quickly and succinctly.

Question 35

The face sheet contains a summary of an investigation.

Question 36

New information that is gathered during an investigation should be included in the supplemental report.

Question 37

When first encountering a witness or a victim,it is important for the investigator to allow the person to state in his or her own words what occurred.This is best accomplished by asking the simple question,"_____ _____?"

Question 38

A rough sketch is one drawn by the police officer at the crime scene and is not generally drawn to scale.

Question 39

Officers usually write field notes in the order in which information was learned,rather than in chronological order.

Question 40

Photos frequently convey information more accurately than does an officer's verbal explanation.

Question 41

The _______ sketch is simply a completed sketch drawn from information contained in photographs or from the drawer's memory.

Question 42

Matching
Locate the correct matches from Column 1 to Column 2

Question 43

Certain information should always be included within the photographic log of a crime scene investigator.Define the six types of required information.

Question 44

Define and discuss the advantages and disadvantages to taking crime scene photographs.

Question 45

You have responded to a crime scene and will be in charge of processing this scene.It is imperative that you complete a crime scene sketch for accuracy and use in court.Discuss the pertinent information which you will place in the sketch and why this is important.

Question 46

Information should be _____ before stating it as fact in an official report.

Question 47

For each official police report,there must be sufficient information to define and describe the accounts of a crime.List a minimum of 5 areas of information which should be contained within this report.

Question 48

The _______ sheet,or initial page,of the initial complaint contains a summary of an investigation.

Question 49

A _______ sketch is one drawn by the police officer at the crime scene and is not generally drawn to scale.

Question 50

The ________ __________ _______ is the backbone of the criminal prosecution process.

Question 51

Measurements for a crime scene sketch should extend along and from _____ and identifiable points.