You cannot leave an environment without ___________ something of that crime scene with you.

The correct answer is taking, as it emphasizes the essential practice of collecting evidence when departing from a crime scene. In crime scene investigation, it is crucial for investigators to gather pertinent physical evidence that helps in analyzing the crime, identifying suspects, or backing up claims made during the investigation. By taking items of importance from the crime scene, investigators ensure that valuable data is preserved for further examination and analysis.

Since leaving, exposing, and placing do not encapsulate the action of properly collecting and preserving evidence from a crime scene, they do not align with best investigative practices. Leaving suggests absence rather than collection, exposing could imply revealing the scene rather than preserving it, and placing does not convey the active retrieval necessary in a forensic context. Thus, taking directly addresses the need to actively collect and retain meaningful evidence, making it the right choice.