Physical Evidence

Physical Evidence

The finding, collecting and preservation of physical evidence are the most important phases in a criminal investigation.

Physical evidence is of value only if it helps prove a case or clear a suspect. The most valuable evidence may be worthless if inefficiently handled. In general, the term “chain of evidence” may be defined as the documentation of every article of evidence, from the point of initial discovery at a crime scene, to its collection and transport to a laboratory, its temporary custody and its final disposition. Within this context, it is natural that:— the admissibility of the information derived from any article of evidence be directly proportional to and fully dependent on the manner and precautions taken to ensure that the evidence presented to a court has been protected; — there be no viable alternative to a strong chain of evidence. It is not always possible to know whether or not an object has evidential value until it is analyzed. For example, one is generally unable to see all the details in a shoe imprint until a cast has been made and that cast; compared with the shoe. In collecting any object of possible evidential value an officer should keep in mind the importance of the following:

1. The possibilities of fingerprints being found on it.

2. The chances of certain pieces of microscopic debris, such as hair, blood, paint, fibres, etc., adhering to it.

3. How that article should be removed, marked, packaged and transported.

  Physical evidence is something that is concrete, something that can generally be measured, photographed, analyzed, and presented as a physical object in court.

   Circumstantial evidence is a specific circumstance. For example, a suspect might be accused of burglary, and the shoes he is wearing are proved to have made certain impressions found at the scene of a crime. The shoes and the imprint are physical evidence, while the fact that the suspect was wearing the shoes when arrested is circumstantial evidence. Someone else could have worn the shoes at the time the burglary was committed, therefore that type of evidence is circumstantial.

   If there are witnesses, the investigator needs corroborative evidence; if there are no witnesses, the entire case must often be proved through physical evidence alone. Alone piece of evidence, because of its great intrinsic value and the impossibility of being duplicated, may be sufficiently important to warrant a conviction — for example, a fingerprint. At other times it may be a combination of a number of articles of physical evidence, none of which are conclusive, that proves the case.

The intrinsic value of physical evidence often depends on its location. A hat on one’s head has little significance but if it is found beside a murder victim it might become of great importance.

  There is no such thing as a perfect crime, a crime that leaves no traces  there is only the inability to find the evidence.

  When the investigating officer arrives at a crime scene it is necessary that he should first protect the scene and prevent anybody from touching any object. The preliminary survey is to acquaint the investigating officer with the entire scene and its important details. After he has completed his preliminary survey the photographer may go to work. It is important that the investigator should accompany the photographer, pointing out various objects of possible evidential value. He should note possible location of latent prints (invisible prints), and guard against contamination of such objects and surfaces. After the general scene has been completely photographed, the officer with casting equipment casts all possible imprints, if such are present, and then the fingerprint man should work on various objects. He should also note movable objects where fingerprints may be found, and should carefully remove them to a safe place for dusting and developing later. As the fingerprint man completes his work, the investigator may go to work thoroughly searching the scene of possible evidential value. As evidence is found, it should be marked, carefully packaged, each article separately, and placed in some locality where it will not be destroyed or contaminated, until it is transported to a laboratory.

(“Scientific Investigation and Physical Evidence”, L. V. Jones)

Notes:

none o f which are — ни один из которых

conclusive — here: убедительный

Ex.1. найдите синонимичные пары

to look for, to analyze, a possibility, custody, latent, impressions, a picture, a dactyloscopic expert, to search for, an article, a criminal, a probability, to examine, imprints, a photograph, preservation, invisible, an item, a fingerprint man, a perpetrator.

Ex.2. найдите эквиваленты

доказать дело, снять подозрения с подозреваемого, ценные вещественные доказательства, сделать слепок, косвенные улики, кража со взломом, убийство, подтверждающие доказательства, предварительный осмотр места происшествия, изъять предметы, уничтожить или загрязнить улики, осматривать место происшествия в целях нахождения отпечатков пальцев, жертва, доказывать дело лишь с помощью вещественных доказательств, оберегать место происшествия, закончить предварительный осмотр, отметить расположение отпечатков пальцев, дактилоскопист, обработать порошком, промаркировать улики, упаковать улики.

Ex. 3. образуйте все возможные словосочетания

prints (скрытые, видимые, невидимые, пластичные)

evidence (вещественные, косвенные, прямые, подтверждающие,

убедительные)

fingerprints (найти, обработать порошком, проявить, подделать) evidence (искать, измерять, извлекать, разрушать, загрязнять, собирать)

the scene o f the crime (осматривать, охранять, фотографировать)

Ex. 4. закончите предложения, используя слова в скобках: (circumstantial, value, a cast, examined, the preliminary survey, to clear, contamination, to prove, marked, fingerprints, gathering, removed, corroborative, to protect).

1. Physical evidence is of value only if it helps ... a case o r ... a suspect.

2. The first phase in handling physical evidcncc is ... all potential evidence at the scene of a crime.

3. If a shoe imprint is found at the crime scene, ... should be made and

compared with the shoe.

4. ... may be found on any object of possible evidential value.

5. No article should be moved or touched until it has been photographed

and ... for fingerprints.

6. If there arc no witnesses, the investigator needs ... evidence.

7. The first responsibility of an officer is ... the crime scene.

8. The investigating officer should prevent ... of objects which may bear

fingerprints.

9. After being photographed objects where fingerprints may be found

should be carefully ... from the scene.

10. When the fingerprint man completes his work, the investigating officer

should examine the scene for articles of possible evidential....

11. All evidence found at the scene of a crimc should be ... and packaged

carefully and transported to a laboratory.

12. The aim of ... is to acquaint the investigator with the entire crime scene and its important details.

13. Besides physical and corroborative there is also ... evidence.

Ex. 5.прочитайте и скажите верно или неверно утверждение, если неверно исправьте:

1. The investigator always knows whether or not an object has evidential

value.

2. The investigator should handle objects at the scene o f a crimc with great care.

3. Objects from the crimc scene should be removed and then photographed and examined.

4. Physical cvidcncc is something that can be presented in court as a

physical object.

5. Circumstantial cvidcncc has no absolute evidential value.

6. A lone piece o f evidence is always enough to prove a case.

7. Corroborative evidence is needed when there arc no witnesses.

8. On arriving at a crimc scene the officer should first remove objects of

possible evidential value.

9. The investigating officer’s duty is to protect objects which may bear

fingerprints.

10. The aim o f the preliminary survey is to note the location o f separate

objects.

11. As articles o f evidential value arc found, they should be transported to a laboratory.

12. The investigator should prevent evidence from being contaminated.

Ex. 6. ответьте на вопросы к тексту:

1. What arc the most important phases o f a criminal investigation?

2. Why should an officcr keep in mind that any article on the crimc sccne

should be handled with great care?

3. What docs the term “chain o f evidence” define?

4. What types o f evidence do you know?

5. What is physical evidence?

6. In what way is circumstantial evidence different from physical evidence?

7. When is corroborative evidcncc very important?

8. What is the first responsibility o f an officcr at a crime scene?

9. What is the aim o f preliminary investigation?

10. How should the investigating officer conduct the examination o f the

crime sccne?

11. What should be done with physical cvidcncc found at a crimc scene?

Ex. 7. Read the definitions and give the name o f the corresponding actions or notions. 

1. All articles found at the scene o f a crimc which help prove a ease arc called ....

2. The prints o f the hands left by a criminal on objccts which he touchcd

during the commission o f the crime arc called ... .

3. The process o f observing the whole o f the crime scene and noting the

location o f its objects is callcd ....

4. The process o f using special powder to develop latent prints is callcd ....

5. A person who can give information about the crimc or the criminal is

called a ....

6. An imprint left by the criminal which cannot be seen without special

techniques is callcd ....

Ex. 8. Explain what is:

1) physical evidence;

2) circumstantial evidence;

3) corroborative evidence;

4) a fingerprint;

5) a latent print;

6) contamination o f evidence;

7) the preliminary survey.

Ex. 9. Translate the sentences into English:

1. Следователь должен собрать всe вещественные улики на месте

преступления.

2. Во время предварительного осмотра следователь знакомится с

местом происшествия и его деталями.

3. Цель вещественных улик — обеспечить доказывание.

4. Полицейский должен обеспечить сохранность места происшествия.

5. Каждый преступник оставляет следы.

6. Предметы на месте преступления нельзя трогать, поскольку на них могут быть отпечатки пальцев.

7. Все предметы, на которых могут быть скрытые отпечатки, следует осторожно изъять с места происшествия.

8. Если есть отпечатки обуви, с них следует сделать слепки.

9. Все вещественные улики, найденные на месте происшествия,

должны быть промаркированы, упакованы и отправлены в лабораторию.