Evidence Found: An Approach to Crime Scene Investigation - Softcover

Miranda, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0128020660 ISBN 13: 9780128020661

Publisher: Academic Press, 2015

Synopsis

Evidence Found: An Approach to Crime Scene Investigation examines the thought processes that can lead to forensic errors. It includes tips and tricks gleaned from the author's 25 years of relevant experience in the field. As both low and high profile crime scene investigations suffer from errors that lead to negative impacts on both investigation results and court proceedings, this text evaluates the decision-making process, including case studies and logical arguments that provide a framework readers can use to recognize, evaluate, and alter negative decision-making patterns, including self-examination, before they negatively impact an investigation or the overall operation of a forensic unit.

About this title

About the Author

I worked for the Pasadena (CA) Police Department for 24 years and was a founding member of the forensic unit when it became civilianized. During my tenure, I attained a high level of expertise in several areas including crime scene investigation, evidence processing, fingerprint comparisons, crime scene reconstruction, and courtroom testimony. Prior to retirement, I became the primary trainer of all new hires for crime scene processing, lab processing of evidence, and training to competency in print comparisons. I also worked several years as a part-time in instructor at a local forensic school, with several students going on to employment and current service in the field in various agencies throughout Southern California and one in Michigan. My career included work in several high profile cases such as the 1993 Halloween Homicide and the assisting in the Glendale Train Wreck of 2005. During my tenure, I began work on the Instructor Development Course from the California Peace Officer Standard and Training (California POST) and recently completed the Level 3 Certification. I will be applying for the Master Instructor course in 2015. After retirement from Pasadena, I worked for BAE Systems in the JEFF Program (Joint Expeditionary Forensics Facilities) and deployed to Afghanistan as a contractor for a total of 21 months. This was in support of the Coalition mission. I worked in different labs as an evidence processor as well as a fingerprint expert. I also was privileged to be an instructor of Afghan nationals from the Ministry of Interior of the government of Afghanistan. My field of instruction included developing their expertise in fingerprint comparisons as well as giving them tools to be trainers of future examiners. This relationship also led to the sponsorship of the first members from Afghanistan to the International Association for Identification, 2011-2012. During my employ, I passed the required elements and became a Certified Latent Print Examiner (CLPE). Prior to my career in forensics I attained a Master’s degree in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary, one of the top seminaries in the world and worked as a ministry professional, obtaining an ordination from the American Baptist Church in 1983. I hold a 1st degree Black Belt in Hapkido. Finally, my first job was as a park construction worker in my hometown of Fort Collins, Colorado. A park I constructed, 95% solo, can be seen on Goggle Maps as Blevins Park, Ft Collins, Colorado.

From the Back Cover

Evidence Found: An Approach to Crime Scene Investigation is not another analysis of forensic errors using an "After the Fact" or "Lessons Learned" approach but a "Before the Fact" guide that examines the thought processes that can lead to those mistakes. Plus a few extras tips and tricks from the author’s experience of over 25 years.

Many high-profile crime scene investigations (and routine ones, for that matter) have suffered errors that have had negative impact on the investigation result and in the courtroom. Typically, we examine what happened and develop a useful list of what to do and what not to do, fixing the symptoms but potentially leaving ourselves open to the same error type on the next scene. The reason? Many crime scene mistakes are the result of systemic issues that are repeated due to a failure to include an evaluation of the decision-making process, including our own foundations of knowledge. Through case study and logical argument, this book attempts to provide a framework to recognize, evaluate, and alter negative decision-making patterns, including evaluating our own experience, before they negatively impact an investigation or the overall operation of a forensic unit.

Edition details

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0128020660
• ISBN 13: 9780128020661
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 198