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1 Collection of Evidence at Crime Scenes Student Name University Course Professor Name Date

2 Collection of Evidence at Crime Scenes The collection of evidence is critical knowledge that can assist incident responders in comprehending the process of tracing and attacking the attacker. Hence, the incident responders should capture where they can find the proof and how to collect it. The collection, recognition, analysis, and preservation of the evidence should be well maintained because physical evidence plays a critical role and influence in law enforcement. Without the proper processing and handling of evidence, the forensic value of the proof may be inadmissible to the court or diminish (Miller, 2018). The most significant factor of evidence preservation and collection is to protect the crime scene. The preservation, collection, and forensic analysis of traditional and environmental evidence in most cases of crime are often essential in the determination of those who are guilty and innocent. In an investigation, the evidence must be carefully recorded, handled, and preserved (Houck et al., 2018). The essay analyses and explains how identification and evidence collection at environmental crime scenes differs from that of conventional crime investigation applying a particular form of environmental crime in this case oil spills. The Difference Between Traditional and Environmental Crime Scene Investigation and Analysis The major difference between traditional and environmental crime scene investigation is the kind of evidence that is being collected. In the traditional crime scene, investigators collect proof such as blood stains, fingerprints, or weapons. However, in an environmental crime scene, the investigators collect samples of water, soil, or air to test for the claimed contamination. In addition, they can collect photographic or video proof of the destruction caused (Houck et al., 2018). In case there is no criminal investigation conducted, then the evidence must be sampled only to determine the right ways of disposing of materials. Nonetheless, if the case represents a possible environmental crime scene, having prosecutors

3 and investigators side interests to follow the case, proof collection should be regarded in addition to clean-up, mitigation, and disposal activities. In an incident that poses an abrupt threat to public safety, it will be appropriate to gather evidence while stabilizing the situation, for example, when over-packing a diesel leaking tank (Miller, 2018). Nevertheless, evidence collection may also be carried out during the incident clean-up stage. Evidence from environmental crime scenes due to oil spills may be challenging to get as the oil can be spread over a vast region or positioned in a site that is inaccessible to crime investigators. It becomes more challenging for investigators to collect the proof they require. An investigator will have to utilize specialized equipment or gadgets to collect samples from oil spills; some examples of the equipment are absorbent pads and skimmers (Drielak, 2018). The incident should be recorded for it to be used as evidence in a legal case in the future highlighting the significance of the evidence collection stage. The collecting and analysis of evidence at the crime scenes that comprise an oil spill could be challenging because it can necessitate the application of sophisticated laboratory equipment. In the case of an oil spill, forensic oil spill modeling is needed to put interdisciplinary information, for example, oceanographic, chemical, and atmospheric together to narrate a coherent story. In addition, to identify, for example, whether or not oil and water samples have potentially harmful substances, it will be critical to carry out a sample analysis. The outcomes of the analyses have the possibility of providing critical evidence for the case against those who are responsible for the oil spills. This is in line with the potential risks that oil spills present to the environment and people’s health, they should be comprehensively investigated (Houck et al., 2018). The oiled materials as evidence are collected in drums and buckets for transfer to the laboratory for analysis. Further, investigators may use suction hoses, vacuum trucks, and pumps to recover the spilled oil. The spilled oil samples are collected to spot the source in the mystery spill

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4 case and to gauge the toxicity and potential effect of the oil spills on people and the environment. The forensic oil model demands putting interdisciplinary information, for instance, atmospheric, chemical, and oceanographic together to narrate a coherent narrative and present facts to the public regarding the oil spills. In addition, the Gulf oil spill emerged to be the worst environmental catastrophe in the United States history (Osofsky & Osofsky, 2020). It is the most critical criminal case that ever was prosecuted based on US environmental laws and regulations. Furthermore, the collection of oil spills evidence to aid prosecution that can shape the public views about environmental crime cases for understandable reasons provided the disputes of the spill and penalties. It involved in the Gulf oil spill were the same as those other environmental crimes as it concerns large companies that committed serious breaches since they put profits before employee safety and environmental compliance. The most distinctive evidence qualities of the spill create an inconsistent environmental crime; hence, the Justice Department needs to press criminal charges as per the oil spill. It is noted that criminal prosecution can deter future oil spills better than the preferred civil penalties. It may articulate societal condemnation of the negligence that contributed to the spills where civil enforcement fails (Miller, 2018). In the case of an oil spill, investigators should pay greater attention to public safety and rigorously enforce their drilling regulations and laws. Oil spills physical evidence may be found at the crime scene allowing investigators to establish a sense of how the crime was committed. The samples of oil collected at the scene can show an area where the conflict occurred. The physical evidence gathered is a valued exhibit that can offer general information between people, objects, and incidents. Further, the use of forensic analysis and examination of oil samples collected might turn the exhibits into potential ways of addressing the crime (Houck et al., 2018). In references to different federal

5 and state laws that can be meaningful to prosecute environmental crime based on the evidence collected due to oil spill incidents. Conclusion Consequently, evidence collected at the crime scene, for example, an oil spill may help to bring perpetrators of these crimes to justice and dissuade others from committing similar actions in the future. Oil spill bulks are not because people are irresponsible but they are the effect of government agencies and corporations being negligent. Hence, an investigation into these sorts of crimes may be difficult for several reasons including the probability that more than one person was accountable and responsible and substantial evidence quantity gathered. Nonetheless, if a considerable amount of effort and time is invested in evaluating and investigating the incident. It is probable to develop an enthralling case against people responsible for the oil spills such as the Gulf oil spill in Mexico case.

6 References Drielak, S. C. (2018). Environmental crime: Evidence gathering and investigative techniques . Charles C Thomas Publisher. Houck, M. M., Crispino, F., & McAdam, T. (2018). Collection. The Science of Crime Scenes , 1 (4), 167-186. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-849878-1.00016-8 Miller, M. T. (2018). Physical evidence at the crime scenes. Crime Scene Investigation Laboratory Manual , 7-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-812845-9.00002-9 Osofsky, J. D., & Osofsky, H. J. (2020). Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf oil spill: Lessons learned about short ‐ term and long ‐ term effects. International Journal of Psychology , 56 (1), 56-63. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12729

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