Investigative field notes should be used to document what at the crime scene?

• A. To determine charges
• B. To record suspects' statements only
• C. To document observations and actions at the scene
• D. To testify automatically

Answer: (C)

Investigative field notes provide a contemporaneous, factual record of what was seen and done at the scene. They are used to capture observations about the scene, its condition, and pertinent details, along with the actions taken by investigators—securing the area, conducting searches, documenting evidence, taking measurements, noting times and dates, and recording who handled evidence. This record supports later reports and investigations, showing what actually occurred and how the investigation progressed. They are not used to determine charges, which is a legal decision based on all the evidence, nor are they limited to suspects’ statements. And while notes can inform testimony, they do not testify automatically on their own; a witness must present testimony, with the notes serving to help reconstruct and support that testimony.