Colorado POST Practice Exam

Which of the following is NOT a purpose of crime scene sketches?

1. To document the scene

2. To provide evidence in court

3. To create a narrative of the event

4. To identify suspects

The correct answer is: To identify suspects

Crime scene sketches serve various critical roles in the investigation process, including documentation of the scene and providing a visual representation of the spatial relationships of evidence. They help create a reliable record that can be referred to later, ensuring that the details of the scene are preserved accurately. Furthermore, sketches can support evidence presented in court by illustrating key aspects of the crime scene to jurors, thereby enhancing their understanding of the events that occurred. Creating a narrative of the event is another important aspect of crime scene sketches, as they can help investigators piece together the sequence of actions and interactions that took place at the scene. However, identifying suspects is not a primary function of crime scene sketches. While they may indirectly assist in investigations that lead to identifying suspects by highlighting evidence and relationships, their purpose is not to directly identify individuals involved in the crime. Instead, that task typically relies on other forms of investigation such as witness interviews, forensic analysis, and surveillance.