Setting the Standard: Maintaining Professionalism
By Dick Warrington
In this column, we’ll look at some ways to set a high level of professionalism even when you’re watching the bottom line.
Money Matters: Making the Most of Your CSI Budget
By Dick Warrington
With today’s challenging economy, we all need to figure out the most cost effective ways to do our jobs. By doing your research and planning accordingly, you’ll stretch your department’s dollars without sacrificing quality.
Crime Scene Basics
By Dick Warrington
When it comes to processing a scene, you need to focus on the basics. Knowing what evidence to look for and how to prevent contamination is essential.
Scanning For Answers
By Greg Richards
Laser scanning technology helps investigators piece together a champion boxer’s death.
Clandestine Graves: Geophysical Methods Used In Their Discovery and Subsequent Exposure
By James S. Mellett, Ph.D., CPG
Geophysics involves the use of a variety of electromagnetic techniques that can be used to outline, discover, and plan an exhumation.
Back to Basics
By Dick Warrington
Being aware of the latest technology and the newest advances can certainly be important to performing your job well, but you don’t want to fall into the trap of thinking that you can’t do your job properly unless your department purchases every piece of high-end equipment.
Impression Evidence: The Right Materials for the Job
By Dick Warrington
Impression evidence from tire tracks, footprints, tool marks, extruder marks on different casings, etc. can be just as important in making your case as DNA or fingerprints.
Optical Filters and Light Modifiers for Forensic Imaging in the Visible Spectrum
By Jason Schneider
The latest optical filters as well as some tried-and-true classics can be extremely useful in enhancing forensic images and adding to their evidentiary value.
On the Scene: Improvised Tools of the Trade
By Dick Warrington
Sometimes the techniques taught in classes and workshops, or the tools or equipment we have at our disposal simply won’t work given the specifics of the crime scene in front of us. When you find yourself in such a situation, you need to think outside the box.
Crime Scene 101: Locating and Documenting Evidence
By Dick Warrington
At the heart of every crime scene are two basic questions for the Crime Scene Officer: how do you find the evidence and how do you properly document it once you find it?
Solving Cases with Technology: Voice Stress Analysis
By Brad Schlerf
The purpose of this article is to educate you about Voice Stress Analysis, a forensic tool that can be used to determine whether someone is telling the truth or being deceptive.
RFID In Forensics: What is it and what will it do?
By Randy Nagy, Andrew Singer, Gordon Fraser
Integrated RFID solutions can provide all the software and hardware needed to develop and keep an electronic chain-of-custody from the crime scene through the courtroom.
Crime Scene Kits
By Dick Warrington
In this article, I’ll give you an overview of the basic crime scene equipment that every scene officer should have available for every investigation, and then I’ll point out some items you may want to consider for special situations.
High Definition Laser Scanning Takes Forensic Geosciences to a New Level
By Jacob Dabrowski
Using High Definition Laser Scanning, an entire crime scene can be thoroughly documented making it possible to revisit the scene as the evidence is analyzed.
LABRADOR: New Alpha Dog in Human Remains Detection?
By Douglas Page
The newest advance in clandestine grave detection may come from a handheld device, not from the next generation of human remains detection dogs.
A Primer on 3D Scanning in Forensics: Part 2
By Eugene Liscio
3D scanning for forensics is an ever growing and useful application of laser based measurement technologies in fighting crimes and reconstructing events. Like all forensic tools, however, 3D scanning has its strengths and its limitations.
A Primer on 3D Scanning in Forensics: Part 1
By Eugene Liscio
As 3D scanners become more common for capturing and preserving evidence, police, forensic technicians, and others involved in the field need to be aware of the applications, benefits, and limitations of this technology and how it can be used in the analysis of evidence and crime scenes.
Preparation and Crime Scene Processing
By Dick Warrington
Some of your most important prep work for a crime scene should occur before you ever leave your office. Remember to keep your crime scene vehicle fully stocked with the equipment and supplies that you’re likely to need no matter the type of crime scene.
Biometrics: Eye on the Future
By Rebecca Waters
Biometrics technology has matured, offering some exciting new forensic products—and promising revolutionary innovations in the near future.
Crime Scene Safety
By Dick Warrington
When a call comes in, a crime scene officer must be ready to respond, no matter the situation. Depending on the situation, you'll need to protect your head, eyes, lungs, hands, feet, and occasionally your entire body.
Crime Scene Equipment
By Dick Warrington
For an officer first starting out in this field, the work can seem overwhelming. One of the most important things you can do is determine the equipment that is essential to your job.
Mobile Crime Scene Vehicles
By Dick Warrington
Investigators now realize that with the right vehicle, they can often make an even stronger case by processing evidence right at major crime scenes. In this article, I’ll look at these issues and some of the options available for mobile crime scene vehicles.
As I travel around the country to lecture and teach at conferences and seminars, I always hear the same comment from crime scene investigators: the “CSI Effect” has profoundly affected the way they perform their job. Juries everywhere expect a high level of professionalism.
CSI Cameras of Today
By Caroleann Fusco
With rapid development in the technology field, it’s difficult for a forensic photographer to choose the right camera and equipment. I receive calls daily from forensic photographers in many fields wanting to know which camera can do it all.
With rapid development in the technology field, it’s difficult for a forensic photographer to choose the right camera and equipment.
Protecting Your Crime Scene
By Dick Warrington
As crime scene officers we have the responsibility of protecting the crime scene and its integrity, and protecting the dignity of the victim. In this article, I’ll discuss problems you need to watch out for and products you can use to help protect your crime scene.
