After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

• List the information that may be provided by an examination of a crime scene.
• Describe how a crime scene may be preserved.
• Understand the reasons for recording a crime scene and describe the means by which this may be achieved.
• Review the general principles and processes involved in the search for items of physical evidence and their collection, packaging, labelling and storage.
• Understand and describe the principal roles of the key personnel involved in crime scene processing.
• Appreciate the pivotal importance of crime scene processing in the successful application of methods of forensic science to the solution of crime.