NCJ Number
209401
Journal
Evidence Technology Magazine Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: January-February 2005 Pages: 22-25
Date Published
January 2005
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes the importance of processing bodies for trace evidence in a controlled environment.
Abstract
At any scene involving a death, the body is one of the most important pieces of evidence. However, processing a body for trace and latent evidence at a crime scene is not ideal for many reasons; the best way to process a body is inside a controlled environment, often called a clean room. Crime scenes are not ideal places for processing bodies because of the immense opportunities for contamination. They often have a heavy human traffic flow that results in a great deal of skin flakes, perspiration, and hair emitted into the environment. Additionally, processing a body on the ground is difficult for any individual, possibly resulting in missed trace evidence. Lighting and temperature factors are other reasons bodies should be moved to a clean room for processing. Next, the author describes the clean room facility at the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiners Department, which will be a state-of-the-art facility until around the year 2010. The design and features of the facility are described and include a CosaTron filtration system to control odor, tight security to control human contamination, and bright illumination. While establishing this type of system may take time, effort, and funding, the best results will be gained from processing bodies in this type of controlled environment. Exhibits