94 Crime scene photography guidelines

Transcription

1 94 Crime scene photography guidelines by Alex Wells Matthew Ward [Updating authors, Update 59, August 2011] 94-1

2 EXPERT EVIDENCE Author information Senior Sergeant Alex Wells is the Officer in Charge of the Forensic Quality Management Unit for the Western Australia Police, Forensic Division. He is a qualified trainer, workplace assessor and practitioner in the field of forensic investigation. In 2005, he was awarded the Graduate Diploma of Forensic Science from the University of Western Australia. Alex has 17 years experience in the field of forensic and commercial photography and is currently the project manager for both the implementation of digital imaging technology and NATA accreditation into the Western Australia Police. Alex was awarded the Commissioners Medal for Excellence, by the Western Australian Police Commissioner in a ceremony in Perth in December The award recognized Alex s achievements in developing and implementing a ground-breaking forensics training program. Through a unique partnership with Curtin University he established the Bachelor of Science Forensic program to give forensic practitioners a thorough training in the science of forensics. By establishing and building relationships with the scientific community Alex has enhanced both the educational opportunities and the overall capabilities of WA Police forensic practitioners. Alex is also a member of Curtin s Program Advisory Group for the Forensic Science Program and manages the University of Western Australia Professional Development Program for the Centre for Forensic Science. Alex was also engaged by Global Justice Solutions in a part-time capacity, under a formal agreement with the WA Police, to support the implementation of scientific and technical activities for the Cambodian Criminal Justice Assistance Project (CCJAP III). His inputs were important for the design of future direction and training and review of current practices associated with the Scientific and Technical (S&T) department of the Cambodia National Police (CNP). Alex s role was to support the CNP to develop forensic, scientific and technical capacity at operational, middle management and executive levels. In 2010 Alex was awarded the Sahak Metrey Medal Thipadin Class - Kings Decree, Kingdom of Cambodia for outstanding achievement & contribution in developing the forensic capacity in Cambodia. Senior Sergeant Wells may be contacted at: Western Australia Police Forensic Division Cnr Centennial Place and Clayton Street MIDLAND WA 6054 AUSTRALIA Telephone: 61 (08) or Fax: 61 (08) alex.wells@police.wa.gov.au Matthew Ward is a specialist Forensic Investigator and Senior Constable with the Western Australian Police Forensic Division. His general policing experience commenced in 1988 upon appointment to the WA Police as a general duties police officer. Matthew s forensic experience began in 1991 when accepted into the Forensic Division as a specialist forensic investigator. Since that time he has been exposed to all facets of crime scene photography as a general practitioner, specialist practitioner, trainer and mentor. His experience comes from over 20 years of crime scene examination evolving from various forensic roles. Those roles include volume crime 94-2 Expert Evidence

3 scene examiner, major crime scene examiner and specialist photographer, delivery of specialist court testimony, remote and regional crime scene investigation and specialist surveillance investigator. In recent times Matthew has undertaken the role of supervising forensic homicide investigations in the formal role of crime scene manager within his agency. Matthew has been an integral part of developing and implementing the transition from film based photographic image recording to digital within the WA Police. He also forms part of the working party developing that same transition to digital based video recording within the WA Police. Matthew currently fills the role of Photographic Skills Manager within the WA Police Forensic Field Operations office. This role sees the daily oversight of the practical photographic requirements and investigative skills needed in an office of over 50 specialist crime scene examiners. Photographic support is additionally provided to specialist metropolitan and remote regional forensic investigators throughout the vast state policed by his agency. Daily challenges faced in this role include acquisition, use and maintenance of field, lab and studio based photographic equipment for the agency. Research, development and implementation of new equipment, techniques and procedures to meet the needs of specialist practitioners, agency wide investigators and the judicial process. One important aspect of his current role is to bridge the transitional gap between theory-based specialist training and practical crime scene recording at the highest level by practitioners within WA Police. Senior Constable Ward may be contacted at: Western Australia Police Forensic Division Cnr Centennial Place and Clayton Street MIDLAND WA 6054 AUSTRALIA Telephone: 61 (08)

4 EXPERT EVIDENCE GENERAL GUIDELINES Introduction... [94.10] Notification/requests to attend... [94.20] Objectives of the forensic photographer... [94.30] Photograph admissibility... [94.40] Photographs... [94.50] General recording principles... [94.60] Legislative power for image capture... [94.70] Record items and areas of interest in situ prior to any interference, handling or examination... [94.80] POST-MORTEM PHOTOGRAPHS... [94.90] ASSAULT VICTIMS... [94.100] Forensic photography... [94.110] Photographic aids... [94.120] Production in court... [94.130] DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY... [94.140] [The next text page is 94-51] 94-4 Expert Evidence

5 ABBREVIATIONS Abbreviations EESAG...Electronic Evidence Specialist Advisory Group NIFS...National Institute of Forensic Science SAG...Specialist Advisory Groups SMANZFL...Senior Managers of Australian and New Zealand Forensic Laboratories SOPs...Standard Operating Procedures SWG...Scientific Working Groups SWGIT USA...Scientific Working Group for Imaging Technologies [The next text page is ] 94-51

6 EXPERT EVIDENCE Expert Evidence

7 GENERAL GUIDELINES Introduction [94.10] The thorough and accurate representation of a crime scene is dependent on a disciplined approach and systematic application to ensure the entire scene is recorded. This is an important element of professional law enforcement and provides documentary evidence that may be presented to courts to assist with their determination of the facts. These photographs may, in some instances, serve as the only evidence in a trial when no other form of evidence is available. Forensic photography is a specialist photographic field in its own right. Forensic photography generally differs from other forms of photography in that it tries to portray the subject as accurately as possible. The forensic photographer seeks to represent both what the human eye can see (ie general crime scene recording) and what the human eye can t see (timed exposures at night or the faint glow of a chemical luminescent treatment). In one instance, the photographer may require a faithful true-to-life reproduction and, in the other, may seek to represent only aspects of the subject or scene that impart specific information or meaning to the viewer. The role of the forensic photographer is to assist the courts by presenting a logical, methodical and detailed photographic record of any crime sceneby applying their specialist photographic skills, knowledge and a commonsense approach in order to identify and record all evidence. The forensic photographer should approach the crime scene recording process in an unbiased and impartial manner. The technical intent of the forensic photographer is to record a subject as accurately as possible within the limitations of the intended recording purpose, lighting requirements and availability, and equipment capabilities. Items or subjects of interest recorded for comparison purposes need to be recorded in such a way that accuracy can be measured by having the image reproduced to a particular size, limiting distortion, and within certain tolerances. These images must meet certain technical specifications in order for them to be of comparative value. In order to capture a forensic image that accurately represents a subject, the photographer must firstly address fundamental photographic considerations: framing, composition, exposure, focus, colour, focal length and accuracy. Forensic photographic subject diversity can include: crime scenes; victim injuries; property damage; exhibits; impression evidence; blood patterns;