DCJS Criminal Investigation Procedures — Questions and Answers

Question 1: When processing a crime scene, what is the primary purpose of establishing a perimeter?

To allow media access for documentation
To preserve evidence integrity and prevent contamination (Correct answer)
To give investigators a rest area
To speed up the investigation timeline

Correct answer: To preserve evidence integrity and prevent contamination

A crime scene perimeter is established to protect evidence from contamination, unauthorized access, and disturbance.

Question 2: A witness recants their statement after initially identifying a suspect. What should the investigator do first?

Disregard the original statement entirely
Document the recantation and investigate the reason for the change (Correct answer)
Arrest the witness for filing a false report
Close the case immediately

Correct answer: Document the recantation and investigate the reason for the change

Investigators must document recantations and probe the reasons, as witnesses may recant due to fear, coercion, or new information.

Question 3: Under Virginia law, which standard must be met before an officer can conduct a Terry stop?

Probable cause
Beyond a reasonable doubt
Reasonable articulable suspicion (Correct answer)
Preponderance of the evidence

Correct answer: Reasonable articulable suspicion

A Terry stop requires reasonable articulable suspicion of criminal activity, a lower standard than probable cause.

Question 4: What is 'chain of custody' in the context of criminal investigation?

The hierarchy of command at a crime scene
A chronological documentation of evidence handling from collection to court (Correct answer)
The order in which suspects are questioned
The sequence of arrest procedures

Correct answer: A chronological documentation of evidence handling from collection to court

Chain of custody is the documented record of every person who handled evidence and every location it was stored, ensuring admissibility.

Question 5: When interviewing a juvenile suspect in Virginia, what additional requirement typically applies?

The interview must be recorded on video only
A parent, guardian, or attorney must generally be notified or present (Correct answer)
The juvenile may not be questioned at all
The interview must occur at school

Correct answer: A parent, guardian, or attorney must generally be notified or present

Virginia law provides heightened protections for juvenile suspects, generally requiring notification of a parent, guardian, or legal counsel.

Question 6: What is the purpose of photographing a crime scene before collecting evidence?

To satisfy media requests for images
To create a permanent record of the original scene conditions (Correct answer)
To identify all potential suspects
To allow evidence to be discarded after photos are taken

Correct answer: To create a permanent record of the original scene conditions

Pre-collection photography preserves the original state of the scene, which is critical for court presentation and investigation review.

Question 7: Which type of lineup procedure is generally considered most reliable for eyewitness identification?

Showup identification at the scene
Sequential lineup administered by a blind administrator (Correct answer)
Simultaneous lineup administered by the case detective
Photo array shown in groups of ten

Correct answer: Sequential lineup administered by a blind administrator

Sequential lineups administered by someone unaware of the suspect's identity reduce suggestibility and relative judgments by witnesses.

Question 8: What does 'exculpatory evidence' mean in a criminal investigation?

Evidence that proves guilt beyond doubt
Evidence that tends to clear or excuse a suspect from guilt (Correct answer)
Physical evidence found at the scene
Testimony from law enforcement officers

Correct answer: Evidence that tends to clear or excuse a suspect from guilt

Exculpatory evidence tends to negate a defendant's guilt and must be disclosed to the defense under Brady v. Maryland.

Question 9: An officer discovers a body and suspects homicide. What should be the first investigative priority?

Identify the victim immediately by searching their pockets
Secure and protect the scene before any evidence is touched (Correct answer)
Notify the media to assist with identification
Begin canvassing the neighborhood for witnesses

Correct answer: Secure and protect the scene before any evidence is touched

Scene security is always the first priority in a homicide investigation to prevent evidence loss or contamination.

Question 10: In Virginia, a consent search requires that consent be:

Given in writing and notarized
Voluntary and not the product of coercion or duress (Correct answer)
Approved by a magistrate beforehand
Witnessed by two officers

Correct answer: Voluntary and not the product of coercion or duress

Valid consent must be freely and voluntarily given; consent obtained through threats, coercion, or deception is constitutionally invalid.

Question 11: What is a 'modus operandi' (MO) and why is it important in investigations?

A court order authorizing an arrest
A suspect's characteristic method of committing crimes, useful for linking cases (Correct answer)
The official investigation report format
A type of search warrant

Correct answer: A suspect's characteristic method of committing crimes, useful for linking cases

MO refers to a criminal's signature methods and habits, which investigators use to connect multiple crimes to a single offender.

Question 12: When is it appropriate for an investigator to use a ruse or deception during a suspect interview?

Never; any deception automatically voids the interview
Before Miranda warnings are given, within legal limits (Correct answer)
Only with written authorization from the Commonwealth's Attorney
Only in federal investigations

Correct answer: Before Miranda warnings are given, within legal limits

Courts have allowed certain deceptive interview tactics before Miranda warnings, but deception cannot be used to overbear the suspect's will.

Question 13: What is the significance of 'Locard's Exchange Principle' in criminal investigations?

Every criminal has a prior arrest record
Any contact between persons or objects results in an exchange of trace materials (Correct answer)
Witnesses always leave the scene before police arrive
Physical evidence is less reliable than eyewitness testimony

Correct answer: Any contact between persons or objects results in an exchange of trace materials

Locard's Exchange Principle holds that every contact leaves a trace, forming the scientific foundation for trace evidence collection.

Question 14: An officer responding to a burglary finds the door ajar and hears movement inside. What doctrine may justify immediate warrantless entry?

Plain view doctrine
Exigent circumstances (Correct answer)
Inevitable discovery
Good faith exception

Correct answer: Exigent circumstances

Exigent circumstances allow warrantless entry when there is an urgent need to prevent imminent danger, destruction of evidence, or escape of a suspect.

Question 15: During a traffic stop, an officer smells marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Under current Virginia law, how does this affect the search?

It automatically provides probable cause to search the entire vehicle
Odor alone may not be sufficient probable cause given marijuana's legal status in Virginia (Correct answer)
The officer must release the driver immediately
The officer can only search the glove compartment

Correct answer: Odor alone may not be sufficient probable cause given marijuana's legal status in Virginia

Since Virginia legalized marijuana possession for adults, courts have held that odor alone may no longer establish probable cause to search a vehicle.

Question 16: What is a 'victimology' analysis in a homicide investigation?

A list of all prior victims in the jurisdiction
A thorough study of the victim's background, lifestyle, and relationships to identify suspects (Correct answer)
Medical examination of the victim's injuries
A statistical analysis of crime rates

Correct answer: A thorough study of the victim's background, lifestyle, and relationships to identify suspects

Victimology examines who the victim was, their routines, and relationships to understand why they were targeted and narrow the suspect pool.

Question 17: Which rule governs when physical evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment may be excluded from trial?

The Best Evidence Rule
The Exclusionary Rule (Correct answer)
The Fruit of the Poisonous Tree Doctrine only
The Harmless Error Rule

Correct answer: The Exclusionary Rule

The Exclusionary Rule bars the use of evidence obtained through unconstitutional searches and seizures, with the Fruit of the Poisonous Tree doctrine extending this to derivative evidence.

Question 18: An investigator is conducting surveillance. At what point does surveillance become constitutionally significant?

Immediately upon beginning observation
When it reveals information the subject had a reasonable expectation of privacy in (Correct answer)
Only if the subject is aware they are being watched
After 24 continuous hours of observation

Correct answer: When it reveals information the subject had a reasonable expectation of privacy in

Surveillance implicates the Fourth Amendment when it intrudes on areas or information where a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Question 19: What is the purpose of a 'case file' or investigative folder maintained throughout a criminal investigation?

To provide journalists with investigation updates
To organize all documentation, evidence records, and investigative steps for court preparation and review (Correct answer)
To record only the officer's personal observations
To track administrative overtime costs

Correct answer: To organize all documentation, evidence records, and investigative steps for court preparation and review

A complete case file documents every step of the investigation, ensuring accountability, continuity, and providing prosecutors the materials needed for prosecution.

Question 20: What is the difference between a 'field identification' (showup) and a formal photo array?

A showup occurs at the station; a photo array occurs at the scene
A showup is an immediate on-scene one-person identification; a photo array presents multiple photos later (Correct answer)
They are legally identical procedures
A photo array is only used for felonies

Correct answer: A showup is an immediate on-scene one-person identification; a photo array presents multiple photos later

A showup is a prompt one-on-one identification near the crime scene, while a photo array is a structured multi-photo identification procedure conducted later.

Question 21: Under Virginia Code, a law enforcement officer who discovers a firearm at a crime scene should:

Test-fire the weapon immediately to determine if it was recently used
Document its position, photograph it, make it safe, and submit it as evidence per department policy (Correct answer)
Return it to the nearest licensed dealer
Allow the first officer on scene to take custody without documentation

Correct answer: Document its position, photograph it, make it safe, and submit it as evidence per department policy

Firearms at crime scenes must be documented, photographed in place, rendered safe by a qualified officer, and processed as evidence following established protocols.

DCJS Criminal Investigation Procedures

When processing a crime scene, what is the primary purpose of establishing a perimeter?

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Sources & references

Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy

dcjs.virginia.gov — Retake policy, score validity, exam information · verified Oct 2026
law.lis.virginia.gov — Eligibility, test delivery · verified Oct 2026