Mock Crime Scene Investigation: Analysis and Evidence Review
This paper presents a mock crime scene investigation based on a fictional scenario involving four elementary school boys in South Park, Colorado. The paper walks through the full investigative process: evidence collection and chain of custody, forensic analysis of blood, hair, footprints, and drug samples, and a suspect inclusion/exclusion matrix. Blood typing via precipitin testing, footprint measurement comparison, and drug screening are documented in detail. The paper concludes with a crime scene recreation that integrates physical evidence with witness interviews, ultimately identifying a likely perpetrator while acknowledging the complexity of group involvement and the absence of premeditation.
- Crime Scenario and Initial Response: Scene description, initial police response, and overview
- Evidence Inventory and Chain of Custody: Cataloging drugs, hair, blood, and photo evidence
- Forensic Analysis of Evidence: Lab procedures and results for all evidence types
- Suspect Inclusion and Exclusion: Suspect matrix comparing evidence across all four boys
- Crime Scene Recreation and Conclusion: Narrative reconstruction integrating physical and interview evidence
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper follows a logical, procedural structure that mirrors an actual forensic investigation, moving from scene description to evidence collection to lab analysis to conclusion.
- It effectively uses tabular data — blood typing results, footprint measurements, and a suspect matrix — to present comparative forensic evidence in a clear, organized format.
- The crime scene recreation section demonstrates critical thinking by integrating physical evidence with interview data, avoiding a purely mechanical interpretation of lab results.
Key academic technique demonstrated
This paper demonstrates the use of a suspect inclusion/exclusion matrix as an analytical tool. By systematically evaluating each suspect across four evidence categories (hair, shoe prints, drugs, and blood), the paper avoids confirmation bias and shows how forensic conclusions must be built from converging evidence rather than a single data point. This multi-variable approach is a foundational technique in forensic science methodology.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a narrative crime scenario, then catalogs evidence by type (drugs, hair, blood). The forensic analysis section covers each evidence category with documented procedures and observations. A suspect matrix summarizes inclusion/exclusion results. The paper closes with a narrative crime scene recreation that synthesizes all findings into a probable account of events. This structure reflects a standard forensic case report format.
Crime Scenario and Initial Response
Date: November 8, 2011
Location: South Park, Colorado — a small town on the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
A teacher at South Park Elementary School called the police on the evening of November 1, 2011, at approximately 17:56. She noticed four boys who habitually spent time together entering the school after hours. Based on her recollection, she identified all four boys as 4th graders: Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick. When police arrived, they moved into a classroom and found Kenny with a sword through his face. The other three boys — identified as Stan, Cartman, and Kyle — were standing in the room pointing at Kenny. Kyle turned to the police and shouted, "Oh my God, they killed Kenny! You bastards." The boys then fled the room. Officers secured the room, collected evidence samples, and sent Kenny's body to the morgue.
At first assessment, the scene appeared to involve some kind of a childish prank gone wrong. Officers immediately bagged the sword and covered the hilt for fingerprint processing. They also worked to identify any debris or material around the body and swabbed for blood. Kenny's blood was typed for further matching, and officers requested a detailed report on any fibers or clothing found at or missing from the scene. The police then secured search warrants for all of the boys' homes and collected the evidence listed below.
For general background on crime scene investigation procedures, including evidence collection and chain of custody, the Wikipedia overview provides a useful reference.
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