Errors in crime scene investigating Research Paper

Errors in crime scene investigating - Research Paper Example The court also must make sure that no innocent person is ever wrongly punished or convicted for offences that he or she has not committed. In the modern day, with the advent of technology and the availability of modern forensic test facilities, crime scene investigation (CSI) has acquired much significance in the process of police investigations and the conducting of trials. During 1998, the US Department of Justice, in what could be termed as a landmark study, has unearthed 28 cases of â€Å"wrongful convictions† by means of DNA tests and thus brought to the fore the â€Å"fallibility† of the law enforcement system (Doyle, 2010, 110). In most cases, the jury has relied on eyewitness accounts, which is the â€Å"oldest form of evidence† to pass their verdicts and 24 out of the 28 cases have entailed wrongful conviction due to â€Å"misidentification† (110). This adequately underlines the significance of scientific methods of investigation in determining th e complicity of offenders in the crimes they are accused of and to minimize errors in crime scene investigations. Thus, it transpires that in the interests of imparting criminal justice and to rule out errors in crime scene investigations the law enforcement system needs to deploy advanced technology. ... ost transparent and judicious manner is to facilitate the availability of forensic evidences that can irrefutably link the perpetrator to the crime under investigation. Criminals, invariably in all cases, no matter how meticulous and calculating they are, leave imprints of indelible evidence on the crime scene. While an efficient investigator, with the aid of modern technology will be able to unearth such evidences that can positively identify the perpetrator of crimes and help in proving his or her involvement in the commission or abetting of the crime. An investigation of the crime scene commences with the arrival of the first respondents at the location. Such persons may not necessarily be trained in forensics and hence they need to appreciate the significance of physical evidences that play a â€Å"pivotal and especially valuable role† and are the most â€Å"reliable† evidence (Crime Scene and Physical Evidence, 2009, p.4). Besides, they also must understand the imp ortance of proper custody and handing over of such evidences to the investigation team once they arrive on the scene. This way, the sanctity of the evidence they collect from the scene can be sustained and any possible errors can be ruled out. Crime scene investigation can be understood as a â€Å"process† that seeks to record the scene as it is and to recognize and collect any physical evidences that are â€Å"potentially relevant† to the crime (p.4). The process also envisages adherence to any â€Å"local laws, rules and regulations† that relate to CSI and forensic investigations and ethical as well as human dignity considerations (p.4). Similarly, removing unnecessary items, taking photographs and developing a â€Å"descriptive documentation† of crime scene are significant in the process of CSI (Death