ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on how to identify evidence at a crime scene, specifically a sexual assault incident, and to then properly document, collect, and preserve this evidence. The primary responsibility of a crime scene investigator is to retain the integrity of the crime scene as a whole and any evidence located at the crime scene. Forensic science and crime scene investigation have become popular fields. Evidence where the originating source is unknown is often considered and referred to as a “questioned sample.” These questioned samples may be recovered from a crime scene, a victim, or a suspect. A class characteristic means it could have originated from more than one source. Law enforcement personnel, to include crime scene investigators, are listed as an occupation at risk for exposure to blood borne pathogens by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA advocates that employees should treat all human blood and body fluids as if they are infected with disease.
