Locard Forensic Evidence

As most know, it is taboo to alter a crime scene before it has been processed by appropriate officials. It should always be remembered that each time the body of the decedent is touched or moved, there is a significant possibility that valuable evidence could be lost or contaminated. The Locard’s exchange principle is an idea that whenever someone makes contact with an item, person, or location physical evidence is either taken or left behind, which is then collected and used as forensic evidence. Because the officer touched the revolver with his bare hands, he contaminated the evidence by possibly leaving his hairs, fibers and or fingerprints. At that time, the officer’s prints and hairs should be collected to use as a comparison when the evidence is tested.
Each time the victim is moved, in this case with the rookie officer grabbing the gun, he realizes he acted against proper procedures. As he attempted to replace the weapon, he altered the position of the body. …show more content…
The only way to fix what had occurred is to continue as customary since, at this point, the damage has already been done, and further handling of the body will not be permitted. The team will go forth with the knowledge the body was moved, but also in the customary manner. The examination of the body will begin with taking photographs; photos of the body should be taken at eye level to provide the most useful perspective as well as close up shots of the face, injuries that may be visually present, and the revolver in the victim's hand to avoid any distortion of the photo. Not only is photographing important, but videotaping could be equally as important as it will show the geography of the scene as well as neighboring objects or additional evidence. Sketching of the death scene will need to be attained as it includes measured distances and the overall relationship of the victim and the death scene