Collecting evidence

Collecting the evidence is the role of a Scene of Crime Officer. When collecting the evidence from the scene the SOCO should make sure that all Personal Protective Equipment is worn, such as a full body suit (with hood), googles, mask to cover nose and mouth, gloves and shoe protectors. This is to ensure that evidence at the crime scene is not contaminated by the work of the SOCO. 

Also when collecting a piece of evidence from the crime scene certain procedures must take place, firstly when a piece of evidence is found at the crime scene it will be photographed. However before the photograph can be taken a set of L-shaped scales need to be alongside of the piece of evidence, this is so that when investigators look back to the photographs they will be able to determine an estimated size for the item. Also within the photograph must be an evidence card, upon this evidence card will be details from the SOCO that is retrieving the piece of evidence, description of what type of evidence it is and where it was found. This evidence card is important as if any questions need to be asked about the piece of evidence, investigators can refer back to the evidence card in order to find the Scene of Crime Officer who seized the piece of evidence. 

The O.J. Simpson Case

During the collection of evidence at the murder scene of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman, sloppy work was carrie out by the Scene of Crime Officers and Police Officers at the scene. When collecting the evidence, scales were not set next to the item of evidence, therefore when investigators referred back to these photographs taken from the scene, they were not able to estimate the measurment of the item. Also, evidence cards were not filled out by Scene of Crime Officers, therefore it was extremely difficult for investigator who were analysing these hotoraphs to find out where the piece of evidence was found at the scene of the crime. 

A major problem with the collection of vital evidence that occured at the crime scene was when Nicole Brown's body was covered with a blanket from inside her house. This meant that all evidence that was upon her body was now ruined due to the fibres from the blanket contaminating the crucial evidence.