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IMPORTANCE OF STILL PHOTOGRAPHY AT SCENE OF CRIME: A FORENSIC VS. JUDICIAL PERSPECTIVE
Abstract
“A picture is worth a thousand words and it is especially true in crime scene photography.”
Photography is the basis of all crime scenes and is carried out on priority. Photographs and crime
sketches are the most effective and simplest way to represent a crime scene by the Investigating officer.
They are most useful in supplying significant bits and pieces with exact measurement of the site and
evidence where the crime has occurred. The purpose of crime scene photography is to provide a true
and accurate record of the crime scene and physical evidence present by recording the original scene
and related areas. No matter how well an investigator can verbally describe a crime scene; photographs
can tell the same story better and more easily as it freezes time and records the evidences. Forensic
photography is an integral part of trial. And the judgement often is based upon crime scene
photographs to prove prima facie evidence.
... Forensic photography has been carried out by using a calibrated scale for accurate measurement of the object or exhibits. Documentation of the scene of the crime should be carried out by recording all minor and major points which are crucial in the conclusion of the crime scene [6]. ...
This case study is based on a crime scene examination murder of a young person. This case was reported in the police station located in the north-northeast district of Delhi, India. An unknown dead body was found lying on the roadside with a head injury, suspected to be a road accident. A team of forensic experts was called for a crime scene examination. After examination, it was observed that the body had multiple injuries. There was a blood pattern seen behind the hand and the head of the dead body. This was a suspicion of a murder case, instead road accident. After body identification by the family members and the last location of the victim, the place of murder i.e. house has been identified and examined by the expert team and found a lot of incriminating evidence from the scene of the crime. A two-wheeler was recovered suspected to be used to dump the dead body on the roadside. After examination of the vehicle, clue material found it was found. After a complete examination of the spot and vehicle, sufficient forensic evidence was collected and preserved to establish the crime was murder, not a road accident. This case study involved the application of scientific tools, interpretation of the sequence of evidence at the scene, systematic study of case-related information, and the logical formulation of a theory to give the proper information to the investigating agency. It has been concluded that the boy was murdered in the room and dumped roadside by using the bike.
... By doing this, any attempted manipulation of images can be found. This is possible if the referenced agency maintains the integrity and validity of the chain of custody for all photographs [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. However, forensic photography is more than just shooting beautiful pictures it also involves reproducing numerous forensically and legally significant facts as a record and piece of evidence that will last forever [8]. ...
"A picture is worth a thousand words," and crime scene photography is a case in point. All crime scenes begin with photography, which is done with the almost priority. The most efficient and straight forward way for an investigating officer to depict a crime scene is through photographs and criminal sketches. By documenting the original site and surroundings, crime scene photography serves to offer a true and accurate record of the crime scene and tangible evidence that was present. Regardless of how well a detective can orally describe a crime scene pictures can convey the same information more clearly and effectively because they freeze time and capture the evidence. A trial's forensic photography is an essential component. Additionally, crime scene images are frequently used as the basis for the decision.
... Evidence photographing -Taking photos is very important at the accident scene and is often taken part as a priority. Photos are very useful in providing significant details and evidence of the accident site [27]. Taking many color photographs of the accident site is important in order to give the investigation the best possible understanding of the scene. ...
One of the most important aims of incident management is the clearance of the incident scene as fast as possible. The accident Investigation provides physical evidence at the accident site for the investigators. This physical evidence is much more reliable than the witness's statements and they are very crucial for the incident reconstruction. The cars accidents investigation is a dangerous activity, so it should be undertaken with suitable, accurate, and fast equipment. Many law enforcement agencies in the world have used different surveying techniques for accident investigations including the coordinate method, total station, photogrammetry, laser scanner, etc. Therefore, this research has been carried out in order to introduce the benefits of using surveying techniques in traffic accident investigations, and show their impacts on evidence documentation and scene clearance. This is done by focusing on the advantages and the disadvantages of each method based on the relevant works of literature and compares between them. Although comparison result shows that the traditional method(coordinate method) is simpler and cheaper than other methods, surveying techniques methods are safer, and faster in clearing the accident scene, fewer investigators are needed, the scale can be provided directly, high accuracy measurements can be obtained, and three dimensions models can be produced. So it's worth using the surveying equipment in cars accidents investigations.
... The ability to date a photograph printed on photographic paper is important for various reasons. It can be interesting on a personal level, since it allows us to recognize people or moments from the past, but it is also very interesting professionally, especially in the fields of forensic photography, scientific photography and judicial photography [2]. Printed photographic images are of vital importance in this aspect because they are considered irrefutable evidence in certain cases. ...
Nowadays, the information provided by digital photographs is very complete and very relevant in different professional fields, such as scientific or forensic photography. Taking this into account, it is possible to determine the date when they were taken, as well as the type of device that they were taken with, and thus be able to locate the photograph in a specific context. This is not the case with analog photographs, which lack any information regarding the date they were taken. Extracting this information is a complicated task, so classifying each photograph according to the date it was taken is a laborious task for a human expert. Artificial intelligence techniques make it possible to determine the characteristics and classify the images automatically. Within the field of artificial intelligence, convolutional neural networks are one of the most widely used methods today. This article describes the application of convolutional neural networks to automatically classify photographs according to the year they were taken. To do this, only the photograph is used, without any additional information. The proposed method divides each photograph into several segments that are presented to the network so that it can estimate a year for each segment. Once all the segments of a photograph have been processed, a general year for the photograph is calculated from the values generated by the network for each of its segments. In this study, images taken between 1960 and 1999 were analyzed and classified using different architectures of a convolutional neural network. The computational results obtained indicate that 44% of the images were classified with an error of less than 5 years, 20.25% with a marginal error between 5 and 10 years, and 35.75% with a higher marginal error of more than 10 years. Due to the complexity of the problem, the results obtained are considered good since 64.25% of the photographs were classified with an error of less than 10 years. Another important result of the study carried out is that it was found that the color is a very important characteristic when classifying photographs by date. The results obtained show that the approach given in this study is an important starting point for this type of task and that it allows placing a photograph in a specific temporal context, thus facilitating the work of experts dedicated to scientific and forensic photography.
... In the practice of forensic medicine, a forensic expert writes legal medicine reports about injuries and deaths, which are used by prosecutors to qualify the crime [11]. No matter how good a description of a crime scene or a victim's injuries is, photographs can describe them better and more easily as they freeze time and records the evidence [12]. ...
The purpose of photography in violent death autopsies is to document the material evidence of the offense and guide decisions in the courts of law. The aim of the present study was to obtain the expectations of legal operators and forensic experts regarding what is expected as adequate photographic documentation in violent death forensics. For this purpose, a survey was prepared through an online form available on the “Google Forms” platform, whose link was sent by e-mail and by the WhatsApp Messenger® application. The 102 participants were divided into two distinct groups: legal practitioners, interested in the materialization of evidence (judges, prosecutors, criminal lawyers and police chiefs), and forensic experts, responsible for materializing the evidence (medical examiners, forensic dentists and criminal experts). The research showed that the inclusion of color photographs in the expert reports is essential for all research participants, as well as the marking of evidence in the images and the inclusion of explanatory text in the captions. It was also pointed out as fundamental for most participants to insert an image with simulation of the firearm bullets’ path, when applicable. In relation to the other aspects, it can be observed that the opinions of the participants were divergent between the groups of research professionals, especially regarding the size of the image to be incorporated in the reports. The differences found between the groups can be detrimental to the proper interpretation and judgment of evidence in the courts. Considering the found barriers, the authors suggest a form of photographic documentation that meets all expectations in a consensual way.
... It can negate the need to take numerous still photographs and corroborates the evidence of still photography of exhibits seized during such a search. It proves crucial to many organised crime investigations, where large quantities of cash, counterfeit goods or other documentation is involved, because using video photography helps put the scene into perspective much better than still photographs can(Rohatgi & Kapoor, 2015).It can also aid in the identification of persons found at premises suspected to be involved in the trafficking of humans for sexual exploitation, and provides an impactive visual of the poor living conditions (CPS, 2017) a victim may have endured in human slavery cases. ...
A paper submitted for Associateship distinction of The Royal Photographic Society, UK. Submitted in the category of Research, Education and Application of Photography.
This paper explores the applications in tackling emerging crime types.
Emerging Crime Trends
• A Modern Approach to Forensic Photography
• From Crime Scene to Court
• Creative Use of Photography
• Painting with Light
Alternative Light Techniques
• UV/IR Photography
• Raman Spectroscopy
• Hyperspectral Imaging
Aerial Photography
• Remote Sensing using Hyperspectral Imaging
• Landsat
• Light Detection and Ranging
• Geotagging
• The Use of Drones
Forensic Videography
• CCTV Surveillance
• Augmented Reality Survey Cameras
• Body-Worn Video
• Gait Analysis and Facial Recognition
Challenges for the Criminal Justice System
... New technologies have stretched out its use ever since. [3] Photography is useful to assess an object's position and location and its relation with respect to other objects which is difficult or impossible to explain in its entirety. Photographs of the crime scene were able to furnish the desired explanation for many cases. ...
Forensic photography is an indispensable tool in modern forensic odontological protocol which aids in investigative procedures, maintenance of archival data, and to provide evidence that can supplement medico legal issues in court. Proper selection and implementation of the appropriate photography and computer equipment combined with necessary training and correct workflow patterns make incorporating photography into the field of forensics, an easily obtainable goal. The role of the forensic photographer is crucial, as a good skill in photography with updated knowledge of the mechanics and techniques involved is required for proper documentation of evidence. This paper aims to shed light on the various aspects of forensic photography with emphasis on its diverse applications and advancements.
In criminal investigations, the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management – Police investigators are required by Philippine National Police orders to conduct forensic science-based crime scene investigations. In order to ensure that every government employee adheres to the accepted belief that public office is a public trust, it is challenging to assess the work of police detectives performing crime scene investigations using forensic technology. This essential value of forensic science in police investigations is undeniable. This study discusses the scope of police forensic methods in ballistics, photography, and dactyloscopy, specifically in the Province of Antique. These issues regarding the scope of practices in conducting investigations and forensic examinations are expressed via a survey questionnaire and a series of statistical tests. In addition, the report outlines the difficulties experienced by these Philippine National Police investigators. The results of the study found that police investigators had a high level of forensic experience with ballistics and photography. Further, results revealed low level of forensic experience with dactyloscopy.. Therefore, Police investigators, among many solutions, may consider the following to be of great help: 1-attending relevant seminars and trainings involving dactyloscopy, and 2- specifying budget allocation for lacking equipment.
Conventional door lock uses physical keys, which is a well-known technology but it also has its flaws, including the possibility of getting stolen, misplaced, lost, or even getting duplicated. The popular solution to that is to use biometrics data, but most of them require special hardware that needs direct contact. Conventional door lock also doesn’t have any means of control and monitor for the owner, and when a crime happens it often doesn’t have enough evidence for an investigation to proceed. Therefore, we designed a system that can replace physical keys, has multiple layers of automatic security system, gives access to control and monitor, and also helps with criminal investigations. From the research and experiment conducted, it is obtained that the door security system using face recognition can replace physical keys with a false rate as low as 0%. The system has multiple layers of automatic security system as a smart home actualization. The system provides access to control and monitor for the owner with an average time response of 0.553 s while also unaffected by the distance. The security system can also help crime investigations by providing evidence through images and videos taken by the system.KeywordsDoor lockFace recognitionFalse acceptance rate (FAR)False rejection rate (FRR)Security System
Small particle reagent (SPR) is a widely used method for developing latent fingerprints on non-porous wet surfaces. SPR based on zinc carbonate hydroxide monohydrate, ZnCo3·2Zn(OH)2·H2O – also called basic zinc carbonate – has been formulated. The other ingredients of the formulation are crystal violet dye and a commercial liquid detergent. The composition develops clear, sharp and detailed fingerprints on non-porous items, after these were immersed separately in clean and dirty water for variable periods of time. The ability of the present formulation to detect weak and faint chance prints not only enhances its utility, but also its potentiality in forensic case work investigations. The raw materials used to prepare the SPR are cost-effective and non-hazardous.
Photographs can become critical items of evidence in court. As such, they must be able to withstand challenges from the defense. The careful documentation of each photograph is the best way to ensure that a photograph may survive some potential challenges. This chapter explains the three primary ways in which the photographs should be documented. These three types of crime/accident scene photographs include overalls, midranges, and close-ups. The overall photographs document the general conditions of the scene, with both exterior and interior views, and how the specific crime scene relates to the surrounding area. When taking overall photographs, the photographer temporarily ignores the specific items of evidence within the scene and concentrates on documenting the general scene conditions. The purpose of midrange photographs is to show a relationship between an individual item of evidence and a fixed feature of the scene previously photographed in one of the overalls. “Fixed features” are truly fixed at the scene. Midrange photographs are designed to include both an item of evidence and a fixed feature of the scene in the same photograph. It is critical to have both of these elements properly composed, exposed, and in focus. A close-up photograph is an attempt to fill the frame with the evidence, with the film plane parallel to the evidence. Diagonal viewpoints are to be avoided. Examination quality photographs will be comparable to a known item of evidence only if the film plane was parallel to the evidence when the close-up photograph was taken. The photograph should also indicate to the viewer that the photographer carefully chose the viewpoint, and diagonal viewpoints do not show this level of care. The photographic documentation of wounds requires additional considerations not always relevant to other types of evidence.
From the author of Crime Scene Photography, 2nd Edition, this introductory text serves as a detailed nuts-and-bolts version of its big brother, currently required reading for certification by the IAI Crime Scene Certification Board. Written for those just beginning their educations related to crime scene investigations, Introduction to Crime Scene Photography shares many of the features of the advanced text. This text initiates the novice to all the essentials of basic crime scene photography techniques. And, it provides a smooth transition to the more complicated and advanced techniques found in the larger text. The beginning of the book deals with basic theory and science of photography. This acquaints the reader with knowledge required to take superior photographs using composition, lighting and focus. Then follows photographing the crime scene, including specialty types of photography such as ultraviolet, fluorescence and infrared, going digital, using photos specifically to document bodies, wounds, and other related components to the crime scene. Also included are two chapters on the legal aspects of forensic photography and digital image processing. *Contains over 350 high-quality 4-color images *Includes a Companion Web site hosting images from the volume as well as an Instructor Web site with key words, lecture slides, test bank and supplemental images *'Rules of Thumb' are included to highlight key concepts.
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