Sorry people, another author pestering you asking dumb questions.

[Loretta L.]

I'm new to this sight so bare with me, its a cool sight by the way. I'm writing a book (first time) so if i seem to be asking amatuer questions.... get over it. I wasn't born "all knowing"... and I'm still not there yet. So here's my first question.......

Story takes place in Chicago btw, so if there's any detectives from there I would love to chat with you.

QUESTION: At a murder scene, would the homicide detective do the same sort of things as the CSI team, or would they get out of the way / find something else to do and let CSI do their thing? Or work together?

[Kimble]

QUESTION: At a murder scene, would the homicide detective do the same sort of things as the CSI team, or would they get out of the way / find something else to do and let CSI do their thing? Or work together?

Well, at least your honest about who you are and your mostives... more than can be said for some of authors that have stopped in.

Totally depends on the individual department. Some agencies don't have a full-time "CSI" unit, these are typically found with larger agencies (Chicago would definitely have a unit for evidence collection). Forget what you see on the "CSI" TV shows, as the characters they show are a combination of detective, evidence technican and forensic scientist. These are often three separate positions (our agency does have investigators/special agents serving as evidence technicans and on crime scene response teams, but we do not do the lab work a qualified forensic scientist does).

Long story short, they all work together. The detective starts identifying evidence and leads, and begins following up on leads with interviews. The evidence technicans collect the evidence on the scene and package it according to department policy for submission to the crime lab. Once it's received in the crime lab, the scientists work their alchemy on any forensic evidence (DNA, GSR, toxicology, etc.) recoverable on the evidence seized from the scene.

[GoDirectly2Jail]

And no one EVER runs into a room and says, "Hey, Davis just found something important on your case! You should come see!"

[mcsap]

The state of PA does not have CSI like on TV.

ALL of our evidence collection techs are sworn police officers. Only in the lab will you find non-sworn people and they don't come to crime scenes.

[Loretta L.]

Thanx for info and of course questions spawn more questions:

When they point out evidence to CSI do they just point and say "bag that up" or do they mark it with fancy little numbered cards?

[mcsap]

How about photographing and videoing the scene quite thoroughly FIRST ? Probably would even use a forensic mapping equipment to make a scale diagram of the scene and every item of interest BEFORE moving anything. They can even make a 3D map of the location.

[Safety Steve]

Howdy Loretta! A big welcome to you from TX. Glad your here.



Be Safe.

[eaglei]

I'm not from Chicago but our homicide protocol is for the County Crime Lab come in & process the scene & collect the evidence. (Including video taping & photographs.) We would shadow them so we can document what they did. The detective identifies the evidence. My fancy little numbers cards were 3x5 index cards that I folded & numbered. The Evidence Techs carry the plastic numbered cards in their van.