About the Book
First Unit Responder: A Guide to Physical Evidence Collection for Patrol Officers is a training guide and reference for patrol officers and criminal investigators, who conduct preliminary investigations of crime scenes, to aid in identification, collection, and booking of physical evidence. Written by a veteran of 24 years of law enforcement, the book stresses the importance of understanding the critical nature of physical evidence and preservation of the crime scene as part of the case against a criminal defendant. This book is an important tool for police academies that train recruits and veteran patrol officers, as well as for students of criminal justice who seek guidelines for proper collection and handling of physical evidence.
Table of Contents:
Role of the First Unit Responder, Defining Physical Evidence, Importance of Physical Evidence, Characteristics of Evidence, The First Unit Responder and the Crime Scene, "The Process" of Acronym "ARISN" When Handling a Crime Scene, Maintaining the Integrity of the Scene, Major/Non-Major Scenes Defined, Indoor/Outdoor Scenes, Death Case Observations, Identifying and Documenting the Evidence, Categories and Types of Evidence, Uses of, Physical Evidence, Chain of Custody, Documenting the Evidence, Photographs, Sketches, Collecting the Evidence, Most Commonly Encountered Evidence and Packaging, Clothing, Hair, Fibers, Firearms, Bullets and Cartridge Casings, Gunshot Residue, Other Weapons, Questioned Documents, Money, Jewelry, Chemical Evidence, Suspected Drugs/Narcotics, Miscellaneous Items, Latent Fingerprints - A.F.I.S., Blood, Vehicles, Fingerprints and the Crime, Victim Interaction, Categories of Fingerprints, Identifiable vs. Usable Latents, A.F.I.S. Quality Latents, Determining Likelihood of the Presence of Latents, Hand Covering during the Crime, Point of Entry (POE), Latent Fingerprint Collection, Latent Fingerprint Development Techniques, Case Preparation/Courtroom Testimony, Case Review by Officer, Direct Examination, A.D.A. Conference, Rules of Discovery, Court Attire, Stages of Court, Appearance, Introduction, Body/Introduction of Evidence, DIrect/Cross Examination, Closing/Rebuttal, Follow-Up by Officer
About the Author :
Mark R. Hawthorne (San Francisco Police Department (Retired), California, USA) (Author)
Review :
"Mark Hawthorne's easy writing style and use of personal anecdotes make this book a relaxed read. First Unit Responder is a good resource for recruit training or criminal justice/criminology students, or as review material for seasoned investigators."
-Cpl. Andreas K. Mendel, NCO in Charge, Forensic Identification Section, West Vancouver Police, in Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal
