Preventing Crime Scene Contamination

Sat, 01/04/2014 - 4:40amby Dick Warrington

Preventing Crime Scene ContaminationA

call comes in, and officers race to the crime scene. Crime Scene Officers
investigating a scene have a crucial responsibility: to find and preserve evidence. In
the past, we simply pulled on a pair of gloves and maybe a mask to filter out odors,
and got to work. Nowadays, we know thats not enough to protect scenes from
unintentional contamination of evidence. Contamination is a serious problem that
can ruin evidence and jeopardize a criminal case. Attorneys for the defense and the
prosecution will scrutinize the integrity of your evidence. You can expect questions
about the methods used to collect and handle evidence when your case goes to
court. While it may be impossible to eliminate contamination from every scene, you
can prevent most of the problem by planning ahead and developing standard
methods for working a scene.
As a CSO, your job is to preserve the scene as it is and to account for the evidence
left by the suspect. Contamination occurs when something is introduced into the
scene that was not previously there. Most contamination comes from the people
investigating the scene. Remember, any time you walk in or out of the scene, you
can bring something in or out with you. By taking a few precautions, you can avoid
a lot of problems.
One of the most important ways to limit contamination is by limiting access to the
scene. First, evaluate the scene. Consider what types of evidence are present and
the best method for collecting them. Figure out if youll need additional staff or
outside experts. Some evidence may need to be processed quickly and carefully
because its fragile. At an outdoor scene, weather and the environment become
factors. You may need a tent to protect the scene and to maintain privacy. Once
you have an overall plan in place, you can control who enters the scene. Doing so
decreases the chances of contamination. People who arent working the scene
usually dont need to be there. Often with a major crime, a variety of detectives
and other officials will want to view the scene. But with the availability of smart
phones and other devices, they dont all need to be there; instead, you can use live
stream videotaping to bring the scene to them. Do your best to keep the number of

people at the scene to a minimum, and make sure you keep a log of everyone who
enters and leaves the scene. Anyone at the scene can be subpoenaed, so an
accurate record is critical.
In some cases, preventing contamination may be especially difficult. If multiple first
responders are tending to the victim, their first responsibility is to the victim; they
are not necessarily thinking about scene preservation. As a result, they may
inadvertently leave fingerprints, footprints, and even DNA evidence behind. You
must account for that evidence. Interview each responder and get a full report of
their actions while at the scene. Get fingerprints, shoe print patterns, DNA, etc.,
from each person for elimination purposes.
Once youve established who will enter the scene, limit contamination by wearing
the proper protective clothing. Tyvek suits, masks, gloves, and booties are
essential. Cover your head to avoid dropping hair on the scene. Change gloves and
booties frequently. Evidence is often on the floor; if you get blood or other evidence
on your booties, change them.
Gloves can become contaminated in many ways. Whenever you touch blood or
other fluids, change gloves. Also be alert to other sources of contamination. If you
touch your eyes, scratch your nose, or cover your mouth when you cough, change
gloves. If you pick up an item at the scene, change gloves before touching anything
else. The first item might have the suspects DNA on it. If you touch the item and
then grab something else, you could transfer evidence onto the second item. Every
time you think your gloves have been compromised, change them. Consider
wearing two pairs of gloves; when you need to change them, you can remove the
top layer and quickly put on a fresh pair.
Collect booties in a paper sack and send them for processing in case they have any
evidence on them. Dispose of gloves and other items in a bag labeled as biohazard.
All items you dispose of should be bagged and documented, but not thrown away.
Save these items until youre certain theyre not needed.
A staging area can make it easier to protect your scene. Set up a tent outside the
main crime scene for this purpose. This area gives officers a convenient place to
change into booties, Tyvek suits, gloves, and masks. It also allows them do their
work out of the view of the public and the press.
Contamination can also occur when dealing with prints and DNA evidence. DNA can
be transferred from one crime scene to another through tools. Use new tweezers at
each scene. Fingerprint brushes and powders can retain DNA, so always use a clean
brush and new magnetic powder at each scene. If you dont, DNA from an old
scene could show up at the new scene. Once you process a sample, protect it from
contamination. For instance, if you swab a sample to air dry and then cough over it,
youve compromised your evidence.
Keeping contamination of evidence to a minimum is especially critical when
investigating a homicide. Homicide crime scenes are ripe for potential DNA

evidence. Collect as much evidence as possible. Even if DNA cant be lifted from a
sample in the present, new methods may be available in the future.
Eliminating contamination at a crime scene can make or break a case. Its up to you
to be diligent about protecting the scene and your evidence.
Dick Warrington is in research and development and a crime scene consultant
and training instructor for the Lynn Peavey Company.
[email protected]
http://www.forensicmag.com/article/2014/01/preventing-crime-scene-contamination

Casting a Wide Net: Lifting Fingerprints from Difficult Surfaces

Sat, 01/08/2005 - 3:00amby Mill Morris

castCasting materials are not just for bite and tool mark
impressions, but can be used to obtain fingerprint evidence on rough
surfaces, human skin, blood prints, and other types of evidence.
Ask any evidence technician or crime scene detective, What is the best way to
collect or preserve bite and tool mark evidence? The answer would most likely be:
use a casting material. Casting materials are great for recording gouges, scrapes,
and scratches in metals and some types of wood products.
Traditionally, firearm and tool mark examiners use casting materials to record the
scratches and striations on recovered projectiles, firing pin marks on bullet casings,
and tool mark impressions from tools used to break in or pry open doors and
windows. Tools often have nicks from wear and tear that leave individual
characteristics. There are various types of materials used to record impression
marks, such as: AccuTrans Auto-Mix, a casting silicone applied by an extruder gun;
Mikrosil, a self-mix putty with a catalyst applied by spatula; Liquid Silicone, mixed
with several different agents used to release the rubber or thin the rubber; and
DuroCast, a compound mixed with a catalyst (hardener) applied by spatula.
New Technology for an Old Problem
As a Crime Scene Detective, I often look for new techniques that will aid me in the
collection and preservation of crime scene evidence. When problems arise, old and
new methods must be obtained or adapted to meet these problems. There are
several common problems that crime scene evidence technicians and detectives
encounter. One such problem is that of preserving fingerprint evidence on rough
surfaces, human skin, blood prints, and curved surfaces.
Photography is the current choice to record fingerprints on rough surfaces, human
skin, blood prints, and curved surfaces; however, poor lighting conditions, type of
surface, and a technicians knowledge of photography all play a crucial role in the
quality and usefulness of the photos. Photographs should always be taken but other
methods should also be used to preserve fingerprint evidence, especially when
photographical means fail to record the image properly. This is the reason why I
began to experiment with using casting materials for applications other than what
they were intended.

Casting materials usually come in white or brown. Different colors give the evidence
technicians a better choice of selecting a contrasting color when used with
fingerprint powders. When casting materials are used to lift fingerprints, the
technician lifts a reverse image of the print. This image must be reversed for
comparison. Reversing the image is accomplished by photography. The image is
photographed and the negative is simply reversed for printing. Technicians with
access to an AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System) simply scan the lift
into the AFIS. The image can then be directly checked in the database.
Rough surface prints do not lift with ordinary hinge lifters. The textured surfaces
tend to break up ridge formations. Casting materials fill in the textured areas
allowing the whole print to be lifted. I set out to determine if casting materials
could be used for lifting prints from surfaces that are traditionally difficult.
Current casting studies talk about lifting prints from uneven surfaces and tool
marks. Few studies have been done involving the use of casting materials to
recover latent fingerprints on other types of surfaces or evidence.
Choice of Casting Silicone
For my experiments, I chose to use AccuTrans Auto Mix from Ultronics, Inc., a
casting silicone applied by extruder gun. The material, also used in the dental
industry for making impression molds, is flexible and does not distort the image.
Once the impression is lifted, it cannot be smeared or smudged; it is permanent on
the lift. The extruder gun allows the material, and not the tip of the gun, to come in
contact with the fingerprint, preserving the integrity of the print.
The silicone comes in both white and brown and is also available as a transparent
material. This allows for instant comparison of the print without reversing the
image. The transparent silicone allows the technician to place the lift on any color of
background. This works well for photographic purposes. The silicone can be used on
curved surfaces, horizontal, and vertical planes. When used on vertical planes, only
a small amount of the silicone is needed. The material will smooth itself over the
area. If too much of the material is applied, the silicone may run down past the
fingerprint. To avoid this, the technician can simply place a piece of tape a few
inches below the print. The tape will allow for the excess to gather in this area. This
casting silicone can be used on rough surfaces, human skin, blood evidence, and
curved surfaces.
It should be noted that before treatment with silicone, rough or grooved surfaces
should first be dusted with magnetic fingerprint powders. Magnetic powders come
in a variety of colors, which is beneficial for surface contrast and for photographic
purposes. Magnetic powders contain ferromagnetic particles. The powder is applied

using a magnetic applicator or wand. The powder sticks to the wand. The
advantage here is that the applicator does not come into direct contact with the
print, just the powder. Excess powder is easily removed by moving the applicator
back over the print. Magnetic powders cannot be used on other ferrous surfaces.
Experiment 1: Rough Surfaces
My first experiment was to place test prints on rough surfaces. Prints were placed
on bricks and textured surfaces including the side of a computer monitor, textured
wall, and leather handbag. The prints were then dusted with black magnetic
powder. The prints could be viewed by the naked eye and could have been
photographed. Both white and transparent casting silicones were then placed on top
of the dusted prints. Once the silicone had hardened, the casts were removed from
the four surfaces. The silicone lifts contained very good ridge detail; they were of
comparison quality. One must remember that the prints lifted by the white silicone
contain a reversed image and the transparent lift would not be a reversed image
because the image can be viewed as it was on the surface. The transparent lift
allowed me to do a direct comparison for minutia points. Figures 1-7 show my
results.

Figure 1

Figure 1: Print on Brick

Figure 2

Figure 2: Transparent silicone lift from brick

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 3: White silicone lift from brick

Figure 4: Fingerprints on side of textured

surface (computer)

Figure 5
Figure 6

Figure 5: White silicone lift from textured

surface (computer)

Figure 6: Transparent silicone lift from

textured surface (computer)

Figure 7

Figure 7: Transparent silicone lift from textured wall

Experiment 2: Human Skin

Lifting fingerprints from human skin is one of the hardest tasks a crime scene
technician can attempt. There are many factors that contribute to the rapid
deterioration of the fingerprints on human skin. Heat, moisture, age of the
fingerprint, condition of the skin, and environmental exposure all affect recovery.
Most prints on human skin must be recovered within the first few hours of deposit.

There are many chemical applications used to enhance fingerprints on human skin.
Cyanoacrylate (superglue), fuming (then treated with a luminescent stain), iodine
fuming, and ninhydrin are just a few of the chemicals used for enhancing
fingerprints on dead bodies. The most common techniques for preserving prints off
of live skin are the use of magneticpowders, lifting paper, and photography.
For my second experiment, I placed several test prints on my skin. I pressed
several of my fingers into my forearm for about 20 to 30 seconds. Afterward, I
dusted the area with black magnetic powder. The prints could be seen by the naked
eye and were of photographic quality. I tried to lift the prints with conventional
hinge lifters, but this did not produce a quality lift. I then covered the test prints
with white and transparent AccuTrans casting silicone. After the silicone had
hardened, the lifts were removed.
The ridge details on the transparent lifts were of comparison quality. The
transparent silicone had better ridge detail than the white. The white casting
silicone lifted the print too, but skin patterns could be seen on the print. The skin
pattern interfered with the minutia points of comparison. This problem can be
corrected by using a scanner program that allows the technician to remove the skin
pattern by filtering them out. Once the area is filtered, the print can be seen.
The transparent casting silicone eliminates this process altogether. No skin patterns
were seen in the transparent casting silicone. The transparent material allows for
direct comparison of minutia points. This technique, which worked well for fresh
prints, under two hours old, can be used on live and dead bodies. The main
advantage of the casting silicone over lifting papers is that there is no fear of
smearing the print. The silicone lift also preserves the print for additional
examination at a later date.
Note that magnetic powder is not carcinogenic thus is safe to use on live persons.
After dusting and lifting a print, the area dusted with magnetic powder should be
washed with soap and water. Those persons who have skin rashes or skin allergies
should not be dusted with the magnetic powder. Dusting them may cause additional
irritations and redness.1 The AccuTrans is also non-toxic. The material is made from
Polyvinylsiloxane, a silicone elastomer. It has no harmful reactions or secondary
effects.2 It is advised to wash with water after handling the silicone and avoid
contact with eyes.3 This type of material was originally developed for use in dental
procedures. Figures 8 and 9 show results of my experiments using human skin.

Figure 9
F
igure 8

Figure 8: Fingerprint on human skin

Figure 9: Transparent silicone lift from human

skin

Experiment 3: Blood Prints

Bloody fingerprints are often found on crime scenes. Bloody fingerprints are
traditionally treated with chemical properties to enhance them for photographic
purposes. They cannot be lifted after treatment. The chemicals used are attracted
to the proteins in blood or heme (hemoglobin molecules) of red blood cells.
Benzidine was previously one of the most popular chemicals used to enhance
prints; however, it was found to be extremely carcinogenic and is no longer used for
the enhancement of bloody fingerprints. Other chemical applications used to
enhance bloody fingerprints include Amino Black, which is sensitive to the proteins
in blood.
Fresh blood prints that are easily seen are photographed for evidential value and
comparison purposes. Again, the technician must rely on his or her photographic
abilities and hope nothing goes wrong during the photo taking or the processing of
the film. Technicians find blood prints on a variety of surfaces and items which often
cannot be taken back to the laboratory for further analysis. Being able to lift a blood
print would allow the technician to preserve the print for court purposes or take any
additional photography after the technician has left the crime scene.
For my third experiment, I placed several bloody test prints on tile, painted walls, a
plastic dispenser, and raw drywall. After the prints dried, they were dusted with
black magnetic powder. The white and transparent casting silicone was then placed
on top of the dusted blood prints. After the silicone had hardened, the lifts were

removed. Both the white and transparent silicones were able to lift the prints from
the tile, plastic dispenser, and painted wall. The raw drywall blood print could not be
lifted. I speculate that this is due to the absorption of the blood into the raw
drywall. The prints that were lifted were of comparison quality. It is also important
to note that after the first lift was removed, a second dusting of magnetic powder
was applied and then the silicone again. The second lift was of better quality than
the first. This technique would allow the technician to preserve the print after
photography. See Figures 10-12 for photos of my results.

Figure 10

Figure 10: Blood print

Figure 11

Figure 11: White silicone blood print

Figure 12

Figure 12: Transparent silicone blood print lifted from plastic dispenser

Experiment 4: Curved Surfaces

Fingerprints are often found on curved surfaces such as doorknobs, bottlenecks,
cans, and glasses. Fingerprints developed on curved surfaces are usually lifted by
gel-lifters or roll tape. Care must be taken to ensure that no air bubbles are
trapped, which could lead to the distortion of the fingerprint. Most often, gel-lifters
or tape must be cut to fit the curved surface. When ordinary hinge lifters are used
on curved surfaces or tape that has not been cut properly to fit the area, creases
often form because the tape or lifter tries to wrap around the curve surface. These
creases interfere with the fingerprint. My experiments showed that casting silicone
can be used to lift prints on curved surfaces.

Several test prints were placed on various curved surfaces for my fourth
experiment. I placed prints on doorknobs, bottlenecks, and a gun magazine. The
test prints were dusted with black magnetic fingerprint powder. The white and
transparent casting silicone was then placed on the test prints. The white silicone
lifted the prints on the gun magazine. The material molded itself around the
magazine. The lifts were of comparison quality and the ridge detail was excellent.
The transparent silicone was used on a beer bottleneck. The transparent silicone
smoothed itself around the print. The detail and quality of the lift was excellent. The
transparent silicone would lay flat after it was removed from the bottleneck. The
white silicone from the gun magazine did not lie flat by itself. The white and
transparent silicones are excellent sources for lifting fingerprints from curved
surfaces. Figures 13-17 show my results.

Figure 13

Figure 13: White silicone cast

Figure 14

Figure 14: Inside view of white silicone cast

Figure 15

Figure 15: Close-up of fingerprints lifted from

curved gun magazine

Figure 16

Figure 16: Transparent silicone lift placed on

an orange background for color contrast

Figure 17

Figure 17: Transparent silicone lift from the neck

of a beer bottle

Conclusion
In conclusion, all fingerprints must be photographed before any type of recovery is
attempted. Photography, however, should not be the only means used to preserve
fingerprints. Hard to lift prints, such as those on rough surfaces, human skin, blood,
and curved surfaces can be accomplished by using magnetic powder and casting
silicone. Silicone lifts provide a means to preserve fingerprints from some of the
most difficult surfaces. Additionally, transparent silicone will allow the technician to
lift the prints and perform a direct fingerprint comparison without having to reverse
the image. The silicone lifts are permanent and will not smear or become smudged
when touched. The use of silicone casting is faster and safer than most chemical
applications. My experiments prove that casting silicone is not just for tool and
impression marks, but fingerprints too!
References
1. Lightning Powder Company, Inc., January 20, 2003, Material Data Safety Sheet
2. Coltene Whaledent, January 2004, Product Instruction for Use Sheet
3. Coltene Whaledent, December 2004, Safety Data Sheet
Detective Mill Morris is a thirteen year veteran of the Akron, OH Police
Department. She holds a Master of Evidence Technician certification from the Ohio
State Police Training Academy. Detective Morris can be reached
at [email protected]
Disclaimer: All material is original and experiments were conducted by the author.
The Akron, OH Police Department is not associated with this article in any fashion
or form.

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