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Arson and Explosives

As compared to the majority of crime scenes witnessed, an arson fire investigation offers

a completely contradicting set of issues. For this reason, the arson investigators face significant

problems when exploring a fire scene. Similarly, bomb scene and narcotic contraband offer

several types of issues that need to be identified and described during their investigation. Special

attention is required by the significant factors, which assist in the initiation of the investigation.

The physical evidence sought from the arson fire scene, traces of explosives in bomb scene, and

research regarding narcotics provide the primal sources regarding the investigation of the

respective cases.

Physical Evidence at Fire Scene

Several physical pieces of evidence require immediate attention at the scene of an arson

fire in order to initiate the investigation. The major physical evidence located at the scene

includes burn patterns, the presence of ignition key, dislocated properties, and physical damage

to entities [CITATION Len13 \p 390 \l 1033 ]. Similarly, forceful entry, tempered components,

metal contents, and detection of accelerants are the major examples of physical evidence situated

at a fire scene. Considering the example of a fire scene in a burnt vehicle, the presence or the

absence of the key in the ignition switch presents the area of interest[CITATION Len13 \p 388 \l

1033 ]. The presence of the key indicates the efforts of the owner to burn the vehicle in efforts to
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defraud the insurance company. On the other hand, the lack of the key thereof points to the

burning of evidence by an outside party.

While analyzing the burn pattern, multiple origin points along with unusual origin

locations need to be investigated. This can facilitate in determining the cause of the fire

[CITATION Ben54 \p 657 \l 1033 ]. Furthermore, presence, absence, and the condition to the

ignition key need to be properly examined during the investigation. The presence of accelerants

in unexpected location can be confirmed with the help of an analytical test. In order to ensure the

accuracy of the analytical test, the sample handling, storage, and evidence handling requires the

utmost attention. Examination of the burn pattern can also assist in the determination of

accelerants, which in turn can be associated with the overall investigation of the scene.

Types of Explosives at a Bombing Scene

In order to initiate the investigation of a bombing scene, it is significant to understand the

possibility of different types of explosives found at the investigation site. The two main types of

explosives include low intensity and high-intensity explosives. The characteristics of low-

intensity explosives are their ability to burn in the same manner as any other combustible

material. Low explosives exert a pushing or throwing effect when the explosive is ignited. On

the other hand, high-intensity explosive are extremely dangerous and contain a drastic shattering

or an exploding effect. Similarly, the high explosives exist in the categories of primary and

secondary explosives[CITATION Jan00 \p 20 \l 1033 ]. The primary explosives can be deemed

as extremely sensitive, such as nitroglycerine. On the other hand, the secondary explosives are

comparatively insensitive, such as TNT and PETN.

Pipe bombs, suicide bombers, mines, letter and parcel bombs, and vehicle bombs are the

major variety of explosive, which can be encountered at a bombing scene. Additionally, the most
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common types of explosives employed in these bombs devices are flammable liquids and black,

smokeless powder[CITATION CMH74 \p 58 \l 1033 ]. The detection of the explosives utilized

can be done through various techniques of explosive detections. Although, some part of the

bomb devices remains at the bomb scene. The recovery of the physical pieces of evidence linked

to the source of the explosion can eventually trail the initiation of the bomb investigation.

Searching for Narcotics Investigation

Body cavity search, or merely the visual search, is the manual inspection of the internal

body cavities for an illegal substance, such as narcotics and drug. Similarly, the strip-searching is

the search of the suspect for illegal material or substance without the removal of their

clothes[CITATION Don67 \p 25 \l 1033 ]. Lastly, testing the body fluid for drug contamination

is the final option practiced by the police authorities to determine the presence of a drug in the

body system.

In addition to suspect search, the dwelling and vehicular search for narcotic contrabands

are employed by the police investigators. Police officers are allowed to search the private

vehicles during a traffic stop if they encounter some sort of suspicion regarding illegal material

or narcotics. Situations where that police authority suspects the destruction of evidence, the

seizure of personal property for search is allowed. Additionally, considering a scenario where the

illegal material or narcotics is present in the plain sight of the police officer, then the police

authority has the legal right to confiscate the material without the search warrant.

The contraband search condition, or simply the drug search condition, allows the officer

to search merely for the possession of weapons, drugs, or stolen properties. This condition is

only applicable if the officer has suspected for the possession of such entities only.
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Conclusion

Investigation for an arson fire scene requires the collection of as many available physical

evidence are possible. Even the mere aspects such as burn patterns need to be analyzed properly

in order to investigate the original source of the fire. Similarly, the bomb scene investigation

requires the investigators to primarily locate the remains of the bomb devices, which in turn can

initiate the investigation of the crime. The physical evidence sought from the arson fire scene,

traces of explosives in bomb scene, and research regarding narcotics provide the primal sources

regarding the investigation of the respective cases.

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Works Cited

Bennet, Glenn D. "Physical Evidence in Arson Cases." Journal of Criminal Law and

Criminology (1954): 652-661. Print.

<https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?

article=4190&context=jclc>.

C M HOFFMAN, E B BYALL. "IDENTIFICATION OF EXPLOSIVE RESIDUES IN BOMB

SCENE INVESTIGATIONS." JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES (1974): 54-63.

Print, Web.

Donald M. McIntyre, Nicholas D. Chabraja. "Intensive Search of a Suspect's Body and

Clothing." Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology (1967): 18-27. Print.

<https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?

article=5425&context=jclc>.

Janet Reno, Daniel Marcus, Mary Lou Leary, Julie E. Samuels. A Guide for Explosion Bombing

Explosion Bombing SCENE INVESTIGATION. Research Report. Washington, DC: U.S.

Department of Justice (Office of Justice Programs), National Institute of Justice, 2000.

<https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181869.pdf>.

Lentini, John. "Evidence Collection at Fire Scenes." Jay A. Siegel, P. Saukko. Encyclopedia of

Forensic Sciences. Academic Press, 2013. 387-391. Print.