Crime Scenes: The Forensic Evidence

Crime Scenes: The Forensic Evidence
It is during this initial stage of the investigation, that the search commander has the scene photographed and sketched. Photography provides investigators with an accurate and permanent record. Nothing at a crime scene should ever by touched, picked up, or moved until it has been photographed. Only a “true” photograph can be presented in court (Dienstein, 1962, pp. 16-26). If it can be shown that something in the picture was tampered with, or that there are objects present that were not there originally, then the photograph cannot be used as evidence. Photographers should be present throughout the investigation. In addition to photographs, the search commander also has a sketch made of the area. Sketching should be started as soon as possible. These freehand drawings are typically oriented by compass directions. Moreover, the location of all sketched objects should be determined by accurate measurements. While photographs reproduce everything within the range and field of the camera lens, sketches include only certain essential items. There are three types of crime scene photographs and sketches. These include the following: (1) those that describe the locality; (2) those that reproduce the immediate grounds; and (3) those that cover the details of the scene. Locality reproduction produces a picture of the crime scene and its surroundings. These pictures should include such things as neighboring buildings, streets, and sidewalks. Second, reproductions of the grounds should describe the crime scene’s immediate surroundings (e.g., the house, the garden, etc.). Finally, a details picture shows only the scene itself (e.g., the room in which the offense was committed).

During photography and sketching, the search commander must formulate a plan of action. This involves designating the various crime scene areas and objects that need to be searched and inspected.

The commander must also decide how many investig…………………..