Transcript Lobbying for After

Sexual Assault Crimes Training
for Law Enforcement
Module 4:
The Crime Scene: Effective
Investigations
What Do You Already Know?
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What You’ll Learn
• Priorities for investigative tasks
• Tips for processing the crime scene
• How to prepare for defense
strategies
• Keys to protecting evidence
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Priorities
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In your role as a first responder, try to
remember to do the following:
Ensure that the victim is safe and let them
know that their safety is your top priority
Call for assistance if needed
Contact a Sexual Assault Victim Advocate
Address any specific needs of the victim
Secure and process the crime scene
Identify and locate witnesses
Transport the victim to forensic exam if
appropriate
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Initial Officer Response
In addition to talking with the victim and
securing the scene, remember to also:
• Evaluate the scene for people, vehicles,
or objects involved
• Relay vital information to responding
officers and supervisors; be sure to flag
specific victim needs, such as
translation services
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What to Say to the Victim
The rapport you build with a victim can positively
impact both their experience and the
investigation. Here are some helpful phrases to
remember:
• I am sorry this happened to you.
• My job is to provide help and protection.
• You didn’t do anything to deserve what
happened to you.
• Is there anyone who should be called or
notified? If yes, facilitate this contact.
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Protecting the Victim
• Make sure victim is not left alone unless
there is a critical threat
• Make sure their privacy and dignity is
protected at all times
• Find a private place to conduct the
interview
Do your best to demonstrate understanding,
patience, and respect while attempting to
establish trust and rapport.
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Victim’s Rights
• Identify and address any needs related to:
» Language and/or communication
» Mobility or ability
» Mental or physical impairment
• Notify a Sexual Assault Victim Advocate
» See the CONNSACS Map in the Participant Guide
for contact information.
» If a victim does not want to use an Advocate,
provide them with contact information for the
local sexual assault crisis program in the event
they want to seek services in the future.
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Searching for Suspect
If the sexual assault occurred recently,
you might need to do the following:
• Gather information from the victim
to help identify and apprehend the
suspect
• Request additional officers to look
for the suspect when appropriate
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Identify and Locate Witnesses
• Identify and isolate any potential witnesses
when possible
• If there are multiple witnesses, such as at a
party, utilize another officer to monitor
witnesses to prevent them from talking to
each other
• Get contact information from witnesses
• Remember that if you wait to interview
witnesses, that gives the suspect and/or
their lawyer the opportunity to get to the
witness first
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Forensic Exam
It is your role as a police officer to be
knowledgeable about the evidence collection
process in order to share information with
victims. You should be able to:
• Explain the purpose of the exam, the
importance of gathering evidence, and what
will be done with the evidence after its
collected
• Ask the victim if they want to have the exam
done and provide transportation to a
medical facility if appropriate
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Forensic Exam
• Inform the victim of their right to decline
any or all steps of exam
• Notify the victim of their right to use a
Sexual Assault Advocate to offer support
• Explain that they can have the exam done
anonymously and make a decision about
filing a police report later
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Securing the Scene
Make sure that evidence is not:
» Lost
» Changed
» Contaminated
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Document Scene
It is important to document the scene of
the crime including:
• Taking photographs
• Drawing a detailed diagram
• Videotaping the scene if appropriate
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Processing the Crime Scene
When processing the crime scene, it is
your job to:
• Protect the integrity of specimens
• Guard chain of custody including
properly marking, packaging, and
labeling all evidence for future
identification
• Call upon a crime scene technician
and/or forensic scientist when needed
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Anti-Contamination Measures
• Persons handling physical evidence needs to wear
gloves, facemasks, and other appropriate attire
• Change gloves often including between each
sample, after touching doors/equipment, and
after touching glasses/mask
• Do not keep disposable gloves in your pockets
because you will contaminate them with your
DNA. Pull gloves carefully out of box, don’t touch
finger areas, place in biohazard waste container
after use
• Facemask must cover mouth and nose
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Anti-Contamination Measures
• Remember to clean utensils, pens, rulers,
etc. between each item examined
• Clean utensils by washing with 10-20%
bleach followed by an Ethanol rinse to
remove the bleach
• All bleach must be removed because any
residual bleach will destroy the DNA being
collected
• Using disposable utensils is a best practice
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ACTIVITY
One Minute Review
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ACTIVITY
Defense Strategies
• What are some common defense
strategies that suspects typically
use?
• Why is this important for
investigating the crime scene?
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Types of Evidence That
Can Be Collected
• Victim Forensic Exam & Evidence
Collection kit (CT 100 Kit) including bag of
clothing from victim
• Toxicology Screening Kit (CT 400)
• Suspect Kit (CT 200 Kit) including bag of
clothing from suspect(s)
• Condom(s)
• Bedding
• Other – car interiors, samples from scene
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Collecting Known Samples
If appropriate, you
can use the CT 100
Kit to collect a blood
sample.
If appropriate, collect
a known Buccal swab
from the victim and
the suspect
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Touch DNA Testing
Wet two (2) swabs
with sterile water or
saline
Swab surface where
contact is suspected
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DNA Testing
How sensitive is DNA testing?
• For Nuclear DNA testing, roughly 20-25
cells are needed for a complete genetic
profile. The nature, age, and condition
of the sample may affect the DNA
testing.
• Partial profiles may be obtained with
fewer cells.
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ACTIVITY
Review of Learning
• Compare and contrast the
knowledge and assumptions you
had about investigations and report
writing with what you know now.
• Use the worksheet to write down
some comparisons.
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Checklists to Review
on Your Own
What to SAY to a Victim During
First Response
What to SAY to a Victim During
the Follow Up Interview
What to GIVE a Victim
Forensic Exams
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Special Thanks
Special thanks to Joanne Archambault, End Violence Against Women
International (EVAWI). Foundational material in this module is based
on concepts and information found in the Online Training Institute
developed by EVAWI. For more information, please contact:
Joanne Archambault, Executive Director
End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI)
http://www.evawintl.org/onlinetraining.aspx
Special thanks to Joy Reho, Forensic Science Examiner II, and Anita
Vailonis, Forensic Examiner, from the Connecticut Forensic Science
Laboratory for lending their expertise in the development of this
presentation.
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Citations
• International Association of Chiefs of Police:
Training Key #571 - Investigating Sexual Assaults Part
I: Elements of Sexual Assault & Initial Responses
Model Policy
• Archambault, J. Investigating Sexual Assaults,
Concepts and Issues Paper, 2005.
This module was produced by Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services, Inc. (CONNSACS) in collaboration with
the Connecticut Police Officers Standards and Training Council (POSTC) and the Connecticut Police Chiefs
Association (CPCA) through the support of subgrant No. 2009-WF-AX-0019 awarded by the state administrating
office for the STOP Formula Grant Program. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations
expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the state or
the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.
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