Investigative Reporting & Documentation Flashcards
7 cards from real CSI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Investigative Reporting & Documentation flashcards as text
When documenting a subject's activity during surveillance for litigation purposes, the investigator should avoid:
Answer: Using subjective adjectives like 'suspicious' or 'clearly capable'
Subjective language in surveillance reports undermines credibility and can be challenged in court as biased or prejudicial.
A CSI investigator who discovers evidence of an unrelated crime during an investigation must:
Answer: Document it in the report and consult legal counsel or the client attorney
Documenting incidental findings and consulting legal counsel ensures the investigator meets professional obligations without violating attorney-client privilege issues.
In digital evidence documentation, a 'hash value' is used to:
Answer: Verify that electronic evidence has not been altered since collection
A hash value is a mathematical fingerprint that confirms digital evidence integrity by detecting any post-collection modifications.
Which report structure places the most important findings at the beginning rather than at the end?
Answer: Deductive format
Deductive format presents conclusions first, followed by supporting evidence, which is useful when clients need immediate access to key findings.
An investigator's notes taken during a field interview are legally considered:
Answer: Potential discoverable evidence in litigation
Field notes may be subject to discovery in litigation, meaning investigators must retain them and maintain their accuracy.
The primary difference between a 'factual finding' and an 'inference' in an investigative report is that:
Answer: Factual findings are directly observed or documented; inferences are reasoned conclusions
Factual findings are grounded in direct observation or verified documentation, while inferences are reasoned conclusions derived from those facts.
When an investigative report includes photographs, each photo should be accompanied by:
Answer: A caption including date, time, location, and what the photo depicts
Photo captions with date, time, location, and descriptive content establish the evidentiary context needed for photos to be admissible.