When conducting an investigation of an event or offense, it is crucial to properly address the location where the event or offense took place — the crime scene — and to handle it correctly. This article will discuss the necessary actions for preserving the crime scene and preventing the disruption of the evidence found there. Proper preservation of the scene and the evidence can generate Concealed Investigation Details (CIDs) that will assist in the continued investigation and the identification of the perpetrators. CIDs from the crime scene are details found at the scene that indicate special characteristics of the crime and the event, which must be kept confidential and not disclosed to the public. A suspect who reveals information about these CIDs during their interrogation will find it more difficult to later retract their confession or claim that it was obtained under duress or force.
In the past, it was common to regard a suspect's confession as the "mother of all evidence." However, over time, it has become clear that additional evidence is necessary to support or substantiate the confession, and that one cannot rely solely on the confession. A suspect who reveals in their confession concealed details from the crime scene or details unique to the specific offense, which are known only to the perpetrator and have not been made public, is likely familiar with these details because they were directly or indirectly involved in the crime.

Crime Scene – Definition
The crime scene is defined as the location where an offense was committed or where a criminal, security, or disciplinary event occurred.
The crime scene also includes any location where objects or evidence related to the offense or event may be found.
In the case of a robbery at a diamond polishing workshop, for example, the crime scene would include the workshop itself (the location where the robbery took place), the stairwell through which the wall of the workshop was broken to gain entry, the escape route of the robbers — where they may have discarded burglary tools or stolen goods, the location where the preparations and planning for the robbery took place, and the location where the stolen goods/weapons/burglary tools, etc., were hidden.

Types of crime scenes
A. Initiated – Due to intelligence information that leads the investigator to decide to carry out some activity, either overt or covert, at the scene of the incident or at a location relevant to the information.
B. Due to an event

Criminal, security-related, fire, or accident. The crime scene essentially dictates the conditions for the investigation. There are crime scenes that are prone to disruption or evidence destruction due to environmental conditions, such as a beach or dunes that may be washed away by seawater or rain, and evidence in these areas may be covered by sand due to wind. Open fields during the rainy season or plowing season, waste disposal sites due to the pushing of upper layers by bulldozers,
etc
.

Method of obtaining information from the crime scene:
A. Live sources – Suspects, complainants, witnesses, victims. The information will be collected through either overt or covert questioning.
B. Objects Located at the Scene
C. Forensic Examinations – Fingerprints, Tool Mark Evidence, Ballistic Marks on Shell Casings and Bullets, Fabric Fibers, Shoeprints, Semen, DNA.

Initial Procedures to Be Carried Out at the Crime Scene:
A. Actions to Stop the Offense or the Danger / Eliminate the Threat to Life and Safety / Halt Threats Such as Gunfire.
Fire, Looting, Destruction of Evidence, etc.
B. Saving Lives / Treating and Evacuating the Wounded and Injured from the Scene / Summoning Rescue Forces to the Location.
C. Conducting Initial Actions for Handling the Scene:

• Conducting Initial Interviews with Individuals Present at the Scene to Obtain a Preliminary Situation Assessment and Information Regarding the Nature of the Incident, How It Occurred, Who Is Involved, and in What Manner.
• Attempting to Identify the Victim, Witnesses, and Suspects, if Any.
• Attempting to Separate the Victim from the Suspect, as well as Separating Suspects from Each Other if There Are Multiple Suspects, in Order to Minimize the Possibility of Coordinating Testimonies and Obstructing the Investigation.
• Issuing an Initial Report to Supervisors or to Those Who Commissioned the Investigation, and Transferring the Collected Information to a State Investigation Authority if One Has Arrived at the Scene.

Actions for Preserving the Crime Scene
To optimally preserve the scene, preventing unauthorized access and minimizing the risk of contamination—whether intentional or unintentional by onlookers or other parties—numerous actions are required to secure the scene:

• Defining and Isolating the Outer Boundaries of the Scene by Setting Up Barriers or Appointing a "Guard" to Prevent Unauthorized Individuals from Accessing the Scene.
• Clearly Marking the Boundaries of the Scene Using Appropriate Barrier Tape, Aiming to Prevent the Disturbance, Smearing, or Damage to Evidence Located Within It.
• Removing Individuals Unrelated to the Incident.
• Systematic Documentation of Everyone Entering the Scene, Including Security Forces, Rescue Personnel, etc.
• Systematic Documentation of Everyone Leaving the Scene — for the Purpose of Identifying Potential Witnesses or Suspects.
• Systematic Documentation of All Findings at the Scene, Including a Description of Potential Evidence, a General Description of the Scene, Objects Related to the Offense, Signs of Forced Entry or Disorder, etc.
• Preparing a Diagram or Sketch of the Scene, Indicating the Locations of Relevant Findings Within It.
• Documenting the Scene Through Photographs in a Manner That Allows for the Reconstruction of the Existing Situation and Its Presentation Later During the Investigation and in Court, if Necessary.

Considerations for Conducting an Investigation at the Crime Scene
Following my previous article published in Issue No. 5 of "Matzuda," in which the importance of the interrogation location was mentioned, it must be taken into account that the place where the interrogation is conducted has a crucial impact on the success of the investigation. As a rule, the investigator's aim should be to conduct the interrogation "on his home turf," a place where he feels comfortable. In cases where a crime scene exists, the investigator is sometimes required to conduct the interrogation at the scene.
Below Are Several Considerations for Conducting an Investigation at the Scene:

• Conducting an Investigation at the Crime Scene Will Enable the Planning of Immediate Actions Necessary for the Continuation of the Investigation.
• Immediate Interrogation of Witnesses or Suspects Located at the Scene — There Is an Immediate Need to Question Them, as the First Version Given by a Witness or Suspect Is Highly Important Due to Its Spontaneity and Authenticity, Resulting from Their Being Surprised and Unprepared. A Version Taken Later May Be Influenced by Their Attempts to Deny the Information or Minimize Their Involvement in the Incident, Following Legal Counsel They May Have Received, etc.
• Interrogation of a Victim or Complainant — When the questioning is conducted at the scene and the individual is not in a state of emotional turmoil, there is a reasonable chance they will recall important details that might later fade from memory. In extreme cases of emotional turmoil or hysteria, interrogating the witness or victim at this stage may be problematic, as the information obtained may not be accurate due to the emotional distress and mental state of the person being questioned.

Conclusion of Actions at the Scene
There Are Several Guidelines for Concluding Actions at the Scene:

• The Scene Has Been Documented Through Photographs or a Proper Diagram.
• All Evidence and Findings from the Scene Have Been Collected, Marked, and Recorded in a Proper Seizure and Marking Report.
• The Forensic Unit, if Present, Has Completed the Collection of Evidence and the Professional Examination of the Scene.
• Confirmation of the Victim’s Availability at a Later Stage for Further Investigation.
• The Scene Will Be Reopened to the Public Only When It Is Clear That Doing So Will Not Compromise the Ongoing Investigation.