Crime Scene Investigator Essay

In the criminal justice system a police officer or crime scene investigator cannot legally search a person or property without a search warrant. There have been ongoing debates and revisions on the legal requirements and circumstances under which it is necessary to obtain a search and seizure warrant before crime scene processing. According to the Fourth Amendment search and seizure requirements, a warrant is required any time a reasonable expectation of privacy exists. Therefore, in an effort to protect the right of the people and their belongings against unreasonable search and seizures and up hold the law officials accountable for fair treatment and processing procedures. When a crime scene investigator comes upon the scene, they must …show more content…
Among some of the most obvious, but detrimental issues, are damaging to the crime scene and evidence, loss of witnesses and valuable evidence, breaks in the chain of custody, and the qualification of personnel. All of these things could lead to the contamination of the crime scene which could allow a criminal to go free on a technicality. Therefore, a perimeter needs to be set up on arrival to the scene and it needs to be determined how much of the scene has been protected from any contamination. There also needs to be adequate security at the scene for the safety of the investigator as well as everyone else on the scene to include …show more content…
They have to know that they cannot touch or process anything on the scene without a warrant. Furthermore, they have to ensure that all of the evidence is collected properly, as well as a proper perimeter is established around the crime scene to keep unauthorized people out of the scene to avoid contamination and collection of evidence. They have to also deal with the issue of sometimes getting information from witness, while making sure that their safety is not placed in any