Sexual Abuse (Police Foundations Course) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sexual Abuse (Police Foundations Course) - Essay Example Moreover, the taboos surrounding the sex act affect the investigation of offenses related to it. The victim is often blamed and treated insensitively with callous disregard for the outcome. Given the situation, it is imperative that the investigation be conducted with painstaking attention to detail, because failure to do so will allow the offenders to escape the justice they so richly deserve. The crime scene investigation is crucial as it is the foundation on which the case against the offender will be built. The crime scene must be secured and photographs should be taken before following the prescribed protocol for such situations. The next step is the collection of forensic evidence "which might provide a clue to the identity of the killer" (Geberth 440) . Such evidence may often be the only way to trace, implicate and convict the guilty party. Physical evidence from the scene such as fingerprints, stray hairs, fibers, used condoms, gloves, urine, feces, blood, and the like must be carefully gathered and preserved as they are the means by which the offender may be linked to the scene of the crime and the victim. The collection of these materials must be documented and photographed in order to avoid damage from exposure to the weather or careless handling. The next step is the thorough medical examination of the victim.