The decision-making process of crime scene investigators in stolen vehicles cases
(2026) KBGGG SRMLB - Forensic Scientific Afternoon 2026 — Location: Brussels (22.May.2026)
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- Abstract
- (en) In the context of crime scene intervention, crime scene investigators (CSIs) are expected to deliver quick and useful results with limited resources (time and money). Forensic science is strongly affected by these constraints, as it often entails costly and (sometimes) time-consuming steps. As an initial step in the criminal justice process, crime scene examination plays a central role in the production of evidence for court, yet it remains rarely documented and insufficiently studied. This research is based on participant observation of CSIs during interventions (mostly recovered stolen vehicles). It examines the successive stages of crime scene investigation (i.e. scene attendance, trace search and detection, selection, and collection) while describing the involved actors, their interactions, their actions and the reasoning processes and hypotheses mobilized on scene to evaluate traces and objects in relation to the activity of interest. The study explores how expected utility dimensions of traces (e.g. identification, hypothesis corroboration, case linkage, …) may explain decision making at crime scenes. These observations are also interpreted through sociological perspectives, including concepts from police sociology. This research aims to improve understanding of on scene reasoning and decision-making processes, highlighting their role in shaping the effectiveness of forensic contributions throughout the judicial process.
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Divoy, J., & Bitzer, S. (2026, May 22). The decision-making process of crime scene investigators in stolen vehicles cases. KBGGG SRMLB - Forensic Scientific Afternoon 2026, Brussels. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/276409