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Chapter 2

Chapter 2. Documenting the Scene: Note Taking, Photographing, and Sketching. Field Notes. Investigative notes are a permanent written record of the facts of a case to be used in further investigation, in writing reports, and in prosecuting the case.

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Chapter 2

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  1. Chapter 2 Documenting the Scene: Note Taking, Photographing, and Sketching

  2. Field Notes • Investigative notes are a permanent written record of the facts of a case to be used in further investigation, in writing reports, and in prosecuting the case. • Detailed notes can make or break a conviction.

  3. Record Information • Who? • What? • Where? • When? • How?

  4. How to Take Notes • Don’t include words such as a, and, and the. • Write legibly. • Use standard abbreviations such as mph, DWI, and Ave.

  5. Advantages of Photographs • They can be taken immediately. • They accurately represent the crime scene and evidence. • They create interest and increase attention to testimony.

  6. Disadvantages of Photographs • They are not selective. • They do not show actual distances. • They may be distorted and damaged by mechanical errors in shooting or processing.

  7. Commonly Used Photographic Equipment • 35 mm camera • Instant print camera • Digital camera • Press camera • Fingerprint camera • Video equipment

  8. Advantages of Digital Cameras • Elimination of time and expense involved in developing photographic film. • Quickly adaptable as e-mail attachments. • Easily incorporated into written reports. • Record information about each photograph. • Consistency.

  9. What to Photograph • Long-range pictures of the locality. • Medium-range pictures of the immediate crime scene and location of objects of evidence within the area or room. • Close-range pictures of specific evidence.

  10. Photogrammetry • Refers to the making of 3-D measurements of the real world directly from photographs for use in courts. • Can accurately locate and measure any object appearing in two or more photographs. • Can automatically orient photographs taken from awkward angles. • Can correct for camera misalignment.

  11. Types of Investigative Photography • Surveillance Photography • Aerial Photography • Night Photography • Laboratory Photography • Mug Shots • Lineup Photographs

  12. Types of Laboratory Photography • Microphotography – takes pictures through a microscope. • Macrophotography – enlarges a subject. • Laser-beam photography – reveals evidence indiscernible to the naked eye. • Ultraviolet-light photography – uses the low end of the color spectrum to make visible impressions of bruises and injuries long after their actual occurrence.

  13. Admissibility of Photographs in Court Photographs must be: • Material, • Relevant, • Competent, • Accurate, • Free of distortion, and • Non-inflammatory.

  14. Crime Scene Sketches • Accurately portray the physical facts. • Relate to the sequence of events at the scene. • Establish the precise location and relationship of objects at the scene. • Help create a mental picture of the scene. • Permanent record of the scene. • Usually admissible in court.

  15. Steps in Sketching the Crime Scene • Observe and Plan • Measure and Outline the Area • Plot objects and evidence within the outline • Record details • Identify the sketch with a legend and scale • Reassess the sketch • File the sketch

  16. Plotting Methods • Rectangular-Coordinate Method • Baseline Method • Triangulation Method • Compass Point Method • Cross-Projection Method

  17. Materials for Making Scale Drawings

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