Блог преподавателя английского языка Азизовой Луизы Ризвановны: 12.05.2022 г. Задание для студентов 2 курса ПСА, ПД, ПОСО.

Physical Evidence

The finding, collecting and preservation of physical evidence arc the most important phases in a criminal investigation.

Physical evidence is of value only if it helps prove a case or clear a suspect. The most valuable evidence may be worthless if inefficiently handled.

In general, the term “chain of evidence” may be defined as the documentation of every articlc of evidence, from the point of initial discovery at a crime scene, to its collection and transport to a laboratory, its temporary custody and its final disposition. Within this context, it is natural that:

— the admissibility of the information derived from any article of evidence be directly proportional to and fully dependent on the manner and precautions taken to ensure that the evidence presented to a court has been protected;

— there be no viable alternative to a strong chain o f evidence.

It is not always possible to know whether or not an object has evidential value until it is analyzed. For example, one is generally unable to see all the details in a shoe imprint until a cast has been made and that cast; compared with the shoe.

In collecting any object of possible evidential value an officcr should keep in mind the importance of the following:

1. The possibilities o f fingerprints being found on it.

2. The chances of certain pieces of microscopic debris, such as hair, blood,

paint, fibres, etc., adhering to it.

3. How that article should be removed, marked, packaged and transported. Physical evidence is something that is concrete, something that can generally

be measured, photographed, analyzed, and presented as a physical object in court. Circumstantial evidence is a specific circumstance. For example, a suspect might be accuscd of burglary, and the shoes he is wearing arc proved to have made certain impressions found at the scene of a crime. The shoes and the imprint arc physical evidence, while the fact that the suspect was wearing the shoes when arrested is circumstantial evidence. Someone else could have worn the shoes at the time the burglary was committed, therefore that type of evidence is circumstantial.

If there are witnesses, the investigator needs corroborative evidence; if there arc no witnesses, the entire case must often be proved through physical evidence alone.

A lone piece of evidence, because of its great intrinsic value and the impossibility of being duplicated, may be sufficiently important to warrant a conviction — for example, a fingerprint. At other times it may be a combination of a number of articles of physical evidence, none of which arc conclusive, that proves the case.

The intrinsic value o f physical evidence often depends on its location. A hat on one’s head has little significance but if it is found beside a murder victim it might become of great importance.

There is no such thing as a pcrfcct crimc, a crimc that leaves no traces — there is only the inability to find the evidence.

When the investigating officcr arrives at a crimc scene it is necessary that he should first protect the scene and prevent anybody from touching any object.

The preliminary survey is to acquaint the investigating officcr with the entire scene and its important details. After he has completed his preliminary survey the photographer may go to work. It is important that the investigator should accompany the photographer, pointing out various objects o f possible evidential value. He should note possible location of latent prints (invisible prints), and guard against contamination of such objects and surfaces.

After the general scene has been completely photographed, the officer with casting equipment casts all possible imprints, if such are present, and then the fingerprint man should work on various objects. He should also note movable objects where fingerprints may be found, and should carefully remove them to a safe place for dusting and developing later.

As the fingerprint man completes his work, the investigator may go to work thoroughly searching the scene o f possible evidential value.

As evidence is found, it should be marked, carefully packaged, each article separately, and placcd in some locality where it will not be destroyed or contaminated, until it is transported to a laboratory.

(“Scientific Investigation and Physical Evidence”, L. V. Jones)

Notes:

none of which arc — ни один из которых conclusive — here: убедительный

Ex. II. Find synonyms:

to look for, to analyze, a possibility, custody, latent, impressions, a picture, a

dactyloscopic expert, to search for, an article, a criminal, a probability, to examine, imprints, a photograph, preservation, invisible, an item, a fingerprint man, a perpetrator.

Ex. 12. Find the equivalents in the text:

доказать дело, снять подозрения с подозреваемого, ценные вещественные

доказательства, сделать слепок, косвенные улики, кража со взломом, убийство, подтверждающие доказательства, предварительный осмотр места происшествия, изъять предметы, уничтожить или загрязнить улики, осматривать место происшествия в целях нахождения отпечатков пальцев, жертва, доказывать дело лишь с помощью вещественных доказательств, оберегать место происшествия, закончить предварительный осмотр, отметить расположение отпечатков пальцев, дактилоскопист, обработать порошком, промаркировать улики, упаковать улики.