The Real CSI

A Forensic Handbook for Crime Writers

Kate Bendelow

• Publisher: Robert Hale Non Fiction
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9780719822292

Who is allowed access to a crime scene? What happens when a body is discovered? Will a blood transfusion alter DNA? How can the distribution of gunshot residue inform your plot? The Real CIS - A Forensic Handbook for Crime Writers answers these questions and more in a unique and exclusive insight into crime scene investigation. Using real-life examples and case studies, experienced CSI Kate Bendelow shines a light behind the yellow tape and debunks the myths popularized by the 'CSI Effect'. Each chapter explores the latest procedures in contemporary practice including: Crime Scene access and preservation; fingerprints and DNA profiling; footwear; trace evidence; fire scenes; drugs and toxicology and, finally, firearms. Packed with insider knowledge, handy tips and compelling storylines, this is the definitive guide for all crime writers who wish to write with authenticity and authority."Every crime writer should have a copy of this book on their desk." Lynda La Plante. Illustrated with 59 colour images.

CHAPTER 1

A Day in the Life of a Real CSI

I have already mentioned the ‘CSI effect’ and how this has influenced the public’s perception regarding the levels of service available to them if they become a victim of crime. In addition, it has provided offenders with an awareness of how to cover their tracks when committing certain crimes in order to avoid detection and identification. The role of a crime scene investigator is one of those few roles that invite people to question how competent you are at your job and to challenge your judgment, which I will illustrate in the following example.

‘CSI: The experience’: a tourist attraction in Orlando, Florida.

Whilst on duty one day I was asked to examine a car that had been broken into. On arrival at the address, the vehicle’s owner told me that he would ‘help’ me examine the car, as he knew more about my job than I did. When I politely enquired about his credentials he informed me that he owned the full box set of the series CSI. Laughing, I complimented him on his sense of humour – only to realize he was deadly serious. He then spent the next forty-five minutes ‘helping’ me, telling me how to do my job and what I should be looking for, even pointing out that the torch I was using looked like the wrong one. At the same time I tried to convince him that CSI is a fictional American television series and not a documentary.

Because victims of crime develop such unrealistic expectations of what can be done for them, this has a negative impact on their relationship with police and can often leave them thinking that we don’t care or haven’t done enough, which could not be further from the truth. In the vast majority of cases, police officers, police support staff such as PCSOs and crime scene investigators choose to do the job they do because they want to help people and make a difference.

I know how devastating and frustrating it can be for a victim of crime to be told there is nothing that can be done from a policing or forensic perspective to help catch the offender. It is natural for the victim’s anger and frustration to then be directed at the officer or the police force as a whole, when the reality is that the offender is solely responsible for the offence that has taken place. That is why it is such a wonderful feeling, even after all these years, to discover that the fingerprint or forensic evidence recovered from a crime scene has resulted in the arrest and charge of an offender, be it a murderer or a burglar.

The CSI effect is further exacerbated by the financial constraints that are currently putting increased pressure on the police and other emergency services. Such cutbacks mean that every penny spent has to be justified, and the resources available are spread thinner and wider. To ensure that you, as a writer, create characters that reflect the reality of the service provided by today’s police forces, we can start by looking at the role of a crime scene investigator, and the different types of crime scene they attend.

THE ROLE OF THE CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATOR

Crime scene investigators used to be known as ‘scene of crime officers’, or SOCOs for short. This role was first introduced in the United Kingdom in the late sixties, and replaced specialist Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers with trained civilian personnel. British crime scene investigators are employed by police forces but are civilians and not police officers, which is a common misconception held by many members of the public and subsequently some writers. The crime scene investigator’s office is usually based within a police station or police HQ.

Because it is a civilian role, crime scene investigators are non-warranted, which means they do not have the power of arrest, nor access to handcuffs, body armour or batons. Crime scene investigators (CSIs) are issued with a police personal radio, CSI uniform and a liveried forensic investigation vehicle. The majority of police forces across the UK have crime scene investigation units that work twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, or alternatively offer an on-call pager system for major incidents. The CSI units are usually also supported by administrative staff who are an invaluable resource in the smooth running of office operations.

At the start of each shift the crime scene investigator will either be passed any outstanding scene visits from the previous shift, or will monitor the computer or police radio so they are aware when relevant scene visits are reported. These scene visits may be burglaries or more serious incidents that are reported by members of the public. Alternatively, police officers or members of the CID will contact the crime scene investigation unit directly and request a crime scene investigator to attend a scene or examine a piece of evidence.

Senior crime scene investigators oversee any major investigations such as a murder, and are also in charge of the crime scene investigators within their unit. Senior CSIs attend crime scenes either to mentor and train new staff, or to oversee major scene examinations. Prior to closing down a major crime scene, another senior CSI, who has had no previous involvement in the case, will do a final walk-through as a quality-control process to ensure that nothing has been missed or overlooked.

In essence the role of a crime scene investigator is therefore to record, examine and recover evidence from a crime scene. The crime is investigated by police officers, and the recovered evidence is processed and analysed further by other forensic experts such as fingerprint officers. CSIs, like detectives, work as part of a team, therefore the stereotypical lone, maverick investigator is not only a predictable, regurgitated character but is also wholly inaccurate.

To avoid further misconceptions I also need to emphasize that there is nothing glamorous about being a crime scene investigator. The salary won’t tempt you to stop doing the lottery, and it isn’t always easy working nights, weekends and Christmas rather than being with friends and family. Investigations can be painstaking, back-breaking and at times tedious and very unpleasant. As a writer it is important to recognize this, and to acknowledge that it is the crime scene investigators who work in prolonged, close proximity to the deceased, and not the detectives.

Despite the more difficult scenes, what motivates a crime scene investigator is the fact that it is an amazing, rewarding and worthwhile job. Each shift offers different challenges and also provides an insight into the best and worst of society. The experiences that a CSI will gain in this line of work can be quite unique, as is the camaraderie with colleagues. The role provides an opportunity to help people and make a difference, resulting in overwhelming job satisfaction when an investigation is concluded and offenders have been brought to justice.

Contrary to the role portrayed on CSI, real crime scene investigators do not collect the evidence, analyse it, then arrest and interview the suspects. Nor do they have access to a personal-issue firearm or Taser!

VOLUME CRIME

It is important to be aware that crime scene investigators do not spend each shift working with dead bodies – it very much depends on what occurs during each individual’s shift. It is not unusual to go several weeks or months without having to deal with a major incident, while at other times it may seem that a major incident occurs on each shift: this ‘feast or famine’ scenario is typical to police work.

In order to appreciate the type of incident a CSI may be required to attend, I will differentiate between the two crime types. In policing terms, crime is classified as either ‘major’ or ‘volume’, and as a result there are two types of crime scene investigators: those who only attend volume crime scenes and those who attend everything, including the major scenes. Volume crime refers to everyday, low-level crime, which, unfortunately, most of us may experience during our lifetime. Volume crime scene investigators deal specifically with these types of incident, which include:

• burglary

• vehicle crime

• theft

• criminal damage

• minor assault injuries

DNA – Then and Now

When I first joined Greater Manchester Police as a volume crime scene investigator in 2002 there was not as much public awareness regarding DNA recovery from crime scenes as there is today. It was quite common to attend burglaries and discover cigarette ends discarded at the scene by offenders, and also fingerprint evidence from a window point of entry or from inside the ignition cowlings of stolen vehicles. Unfortunately modern-day villains tend to be more forensically aware and are careful to cover their tracks, so it is less common these days to find an offender’s DNA or fingerprints at a volume crime scene – however, no one is infallible, and many offenders are still caught and brought to justice. You may choose to create characters who are not forensically aware or who are just careless, and therefore do leave fingerprints and DNA at a scene.

As a writer, it is also important to be aware that offenders are not just identified through fingerprint or DNA evidence. Chapter 7 will discuss the evidential value of trace evidence, which includes anti-intruder devices such as SmartWater and Smoke Cloak. And bear in mind that many offenders are caught through good old-fashioned policing methods and more basic technology. The following case study highlights how easy it is for the best laid plans to fail.

Case Study: Pride Before a Fall

Aaron was very forensically aware. He took pride in kitting himself out in his burglar’s uniform. He wore the most common brand of trainers, which he ensured he changed regularly. He wore leather gloves to avoid leaving fingerprint evidence and because they gave him greater protection near broken glass, therefore minimizing the chances of cutting himself.

He wore a hooded waterproof jacket to avoid shedding fibres, and a scarf that he used to cover his nose and mouth. However, his vanity caught up with him, because just before breaking into the White Lion pub he couldn’t resist admiring his own reflection in the darkened window as he put on his scarf and carefully arranged his hood, totally unaware that the CCTV cameras were capturing every detail of his not-so-pretty face.

Evidence from Volume Crime Scenes

The types of evidence that volume crime scene examiners will typically look for when examining a scene include fingerprints, DNA and footwear. If an offender has been arrested they may also look for relevant trace evidence: this will be covered in more detail in Chapter 7.

Unless there is a particular health and safety issue, CSIs are not required to wear the customary white paper scene suits typically associated with them when attending a volume crime scene. These are only worn at major crime scenes, as discussed further in Chapter 3. However, when collecting DNA evidence such as saliva or blood from volume crime scenes, CSIs will wear gloves and facemasks.

The Emotional Impact of Volume Crime

At this point it is worth considering that it is not just major crime scenes that can have an emotional effect on investigators or victims: volume crime scenes, particularly burglaries, can also have an impact, especially when it involves vulnerable members of society. Some people find it easier to deal with the aftermath of a burglary by begrudgingly accepting that it is ‘one of those things that can happen to anyone’ – they do what is needed in practical terms, then put it behind them and move on. In an ideal scenario they will have home insurance to rely on, to replace the items that have been stolen or to repair the damage to doors or windows.

Some burglary victims are understandably more devastated. They take the attack personally, and afterwards live in fear because they feel they and their house have been watched and deliberately targeted: they feel too scared to stay in their home, and at the same time too scared to leave it in case the burglars return. Being in someone’s home with them whilst they experience this myriad of emotions can be difficult.

Having to accept that items of overwhelming sentimental value are gone for good can be unbearable. Losing a family heirloom, which carries the memories of generations, probably so the burglar can pay for a bag of drugs adds insult to injury. And think how frustrating it is for the victim, the crime scene investigator and the police officer when no evidence is found at the scene, and there is no CCTV coverage or any other clue that will help find an offender. Imagine how those victims who could not afford home insurance must feel.

In fiction you need to allow your characters to feel these sorts of emotion – and be aware that they will not feel them in isolation. The consequences of crime have a ripple effect on all those concerned, from the victim and the offender to their families and even investigators. Whether a crime is classed as major or volume, the after-effects can never be underestimated – as detailed in the following case study.

Case Study: Aftermath of a Burglary

Mr Aitken had worked for years as a newsagent since returning home after World War II. He had married his childhood sweetheart, and they had been blessed with two children and five grandchildren, their photographs proudly adorning the walls of the lounge. There were also two large display cabinets bursting with precious family memorabilia, including Mr Aitken’s war medals, the crystal vase bought for the couple’s golden wedding anniversary, and Mrs Aitken’s beloved candle-holders.

Sadly, Mrs Aitken had died earlier that year and now, rather than having her by his side, Mr Aitken slept with her photograph on his bedside table. He had threaded her wedding ring through the necklace she always used to wear, and had draped this across the ornate golden picture frame. He took great comfort from the fact that they were next to him whilst he slept.

In the early hours of Tuesday morning a burglar scouring the local area noticed that Mr Aitken’s front door was unlocked. He crept in and emptied the contents of both the display cabinets before creeping upstairs and helping himself to the picture frame and jewellery. He also stole a wodge of cash and a watch that Mr Aitken habitually kept under his pillow whilst he slept.

Mr Aitken woke up a few hours later and immediately knew something had happened as the picture frame had gone. He was understandably devastated to realize he had been burgled. He fought back tears as he told me that losing Mrs Aitken’s picture and jewellery made h...