Initial Scene Assessment

A Scene of crimes officer would carry out an initial scene assessment of a crime scene, and this is always carried out before any evidence is collected from the scene. An initial scene assessment involves recording everything that is present at the crime scene including details such as whether the lights were on or windows were open and other important information. This is done as it provides a report of exactly how the scene was found before being processed by scene of crimes officers. It also helps to ensure that no evidence is overlooked, as everything seen should be recorded in the initial scene assessment. As part of this initial scene assessment the scenes of crime officer this point would also complete a plan of the premises, this is a basic plan of the crime scene represented by sketches, showing the layout of the scene and this can be referred to after the scene has been processed if necessary.

At this point the scene would also be photographed, this is carried out as part of the initial scene assessment procedure as it allows a permanent visual record to be kept showing the original state of the crime scene and how and where any evidence is before it is processed by a scene of crime officer. Once found, evidence can also be photographed with measurement scales – this allows the precise size of the evidence to be visible and apparent in a photograph.

The initial scene assessment, plan of premises and photographs of the scene and evidence can be seen as effective as they can be referred to in court as evidence and it also helps to give the judge and jury a better understanding of the crime scene.

The initial scene assessment at the scene of the murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman was not carried out by the scenes of crime officers, nor by one specific officer involved in the case, instead each of the lead officers made their own notes regarding the scene and evidence they had discovered. However these notes were not shared with each other and this led to some evidence not being collected as the officers present when the SOCO’s arrived were not aware of certain pieces of evidence which should have been collected. The police photographer on his arrival at the scene took general photographs of the scene, however he was not allowed to take photos of the evidence or the bodies until the scenes of crime officers arrived. This led to suspicion that evidence could have been planted within this time as not official documentation of the scene was carried out.

When the scenes of crime officers arrived they did not complete their own initial scene assessment as they were urged by the lead detectives to begin collecting evidence, as there had already been a considerable amount of time between the crime being reported and the SOCO’s arriving and also the fact that media and neighbours had begun showing up at the scene and the officers wanted the evidence collected and the scene shut down as soon as possible.