Crime Scene Investigation at Radioactive Contaminated Sites

Abstract

Environmental safety, as an integral part of security, is negatively affected by the uncontrolled use of radioactive/nuclear materials and by criminal acts committed with/on such materials. Working at the scene of such crimes requires a high level of expertise and extreme attention. The presence of radioactive materials at crime scenes is no longer a curiosity. These may include explosive devices capable of dispersing radioactive/nuclear materials or materials used for poisoning/radiation. Their accurate identification, collection and professional examination require specialised expertise and a high level of training. If the radioactive/nuclear material is not identified by specialist personnel during the on-site activity, bystanders may suffer health hazards and/or contaminate large areas and objects, thus adding to the underlying problem. Recognition alone is not enough, you need to know how to create and maintain a safe working environment. However, it must be recognised that this is not always feasible, i.e. crime scene investigation work processes and, where appropriate, forensic investigations must be carried out in an environment contaminated with radioactive material. The first step is to identify the hazards on site and, in the light of this, to select the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), as the presence of radioactive/nuclear materials on the site poses a particular safety risk. The focus should then shift to the professional and lawful collection of criminal evidence, including radiological material, conventional evidence contaminated with radiological material and conventional uncontaminated evidence. In my paper, I will describe this process from detection, through preparation, to the completion of the on-site inspection.