Crime Scene: Alternate Light Source Inspection

In some cases, trace evidence may not be visible to the naked eye or may be in the shadow of evidence that cannot be easily moved without disturbing the crime scene. An investigator may use The Crime Scene: Alternate Light Source Inspection Form app is used to record evidence collection procured from law enforcement officers, crime scene specialists, or a forensic team.

Alternate light sources are used to illuminate latent fingerprints, crime scene reconstruction, highlight evidence that is in the dark, or for searching for blood that may have been cleaned when evidence was tampered with or mishandled. Alternate Light Sources are typically used in crime scene investigation to identify many forms of evidence. Bodily fluids (semen, urine, and saliva) can be identified through their natural fluorescent properties utilizing UV light.

This app provides a checklist for crime scene investigators to use when performing a scene investigation with a forensic light source, black light or alternative light source. A criminal investigation team may also customize the fields on this app to suit their own specifications. The app can also capture the GPS location and images of the scene, which makes a very thorough incident report.

Sometimes, when law enforcement arrives at a traffic accident or other accident scene, it’s unclear if the incident is an accident or crime. Witnesses can be unreliable and the evidence may indicate criminal activity. Police may decide an investigative study may lead to the procurement of a search warrant. Then, the law enforcement officers may determine further forensic science the investigation is required and they may need to secure a search warrant. The evidence recorded in this form may collaborate with the work from the reports from the forensic laboratory and medical examiner's autopsy.