Real-Life Communication
Working as a crime scene technician requires excellent oral and
written communication skills. It is extremely important to communicate accurately
with the investigative personnel. You must prepare a written document that
will stand the test of time. Recollection of the scene isn't as important
as an accurate and well-written crime scene report.
Communication is
usually broken down to verbal or visual. But there is one aspect that is just
as important -- listening!
Hayden Baldwin is the executive director
of the International Crime Scene Investigators Association. "It really is
amazing what people will tell you if you only learn to listen. Listening is
an art," he says. "It is difficult to really hear what the other person is
saying. This applies to all of us, not just law enforcement.
"If people
aren't really listening, they are missing key information that the speaker
is trying to relay to them. This key information can make or break the case,
but you can miss it if you don't listen!"
You may understand everything
a witness is saying, but you have to figure out how they perceive it. "For
instance, if the witness says the suspect's vehicle was red in color,
and you find out later the car is actually maroon. In your mind, you are looking
specifically for a red car. In their mind, all shades of red are red in color!
The interpretation is in the mind of the beholder."
What questions
do you think are important to ask witnesses about the descriptions of the
criminals at a bank that has just been robbed?