Accuracy and competency of crime scene investigators in taking photographic evidence / Mileouda C. Fortos.

Thesis (Master of Science in Criminology) -- West Visayas State University, March 2018.

CHED Funded Research.

1 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY -- 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE -- 3 RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGY -- 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS -- 5 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

This study aimed to find out the accuracy and competency of crime scene investigators in taking photographic evidence as perceived by Philippine National Police Crime Scene Investigators in the province of Antique. This study was conducted on the calendar year 2017-2018. The respondents were 75 Philippine National Police Crime Scene Investigators currently assigned in police stations in every municipality in the province of Antique. The questionnaire-checklist was used as data gathering instrument. This instrument was validated and pre-tested researcher-made questionnaire. The gathered data were analyzed using frequency, mean and standard deviation as descriptive statistical tools while Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman rho as inferential statistical tool. The alpha level was set at 0.05. Statistical computations were processed through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The findings of the study indicated that the extent of accuracy of the crime scene investigators in taking photographic evidence in the province of Antique was highly accurate when taken as an entire group. Regardless of age and length of service, respondents attained a highly accurate result, but when classified as to sex, male was highly accurate while female was accurate, and when classified as to rank, police officer was highly accurate while senior police officer was accurate. The findings also revealed that the level of competency of the crime scene investigators in taking photographic evidence in the province of Antique was very high when taken as an entire group and when classified as to age, sex, rank and length of service. Findings also showed that there was no significant difference noted in the extent of accuracy of crime scene investigators in taking photographic evidence
when classified as to age, rank and length of service while a significant difference was noted when classified as to sex. These findings imply that there is a variation with regards to the level of accuracy under the category of sex, wherein the findings showed that male crime scene investigators are highly accurate in terms of taking photographic evidence compared to female investigators. Likewise, there was no significant difference noted in the level of competency of crime scene investigators in taking photographic evidence when classified as to age, sex, rank and length of service. these findings imply that the level of competency of the crime scene investigators in taking photographic evidence were the same regardless of their demographic profile. And finally, a significant relationship existed between the accuracy and competency of crime scene investigators in taking photographic evidence. These findings indicate that as the level of accuracy of crime scene investigators in taking photographic
evidence increases, their competency also increases. Furthermore, they revealed that the Philippine National Police Crime Scene Investigators are properly equipped with knowledge, skills and expertise in taking photographic evidence in the crime scene area.