Crime-Scene Reconstruction: Fourth Edition

Forensic Science
From the Crime Scene to the Crime Lab

Fourth Edition
Chapter 7
Crime-Scene
Reconstruction
Copyright © 2019, 2016, 2013, 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Crime-Scene Reconstruction (1 of 2)
• The method used to develop a likely sequence of events
by the observation and evaluation of physical evidence, as
well as statements made by those involved with the
incident, is referred to as crime-scene reconstruction.
• Crime-scene reconstruction relies on the combined efforts
of medical examiners, criminalists, and law enforcement
personnel to recover physical evidence and to sort out the
events surrounding the occurrence of a crime.
Objectivity (1 of 2)
• Objectivity is the professional detachment practiced by
individuals to avoid letting personal beliefs or biases affect
the conclusions reached through observations.
Objectivity (2 of 2)
• Expectations or biases can have a negative effect on the
process of reconstruction by leading to incorrect analysis
or interpretation of the information provided by the
evidence.
• For this reason, all data and evidence is continually re-
evaluated several individuals analyze the evidence and
present independent interpretations.
Processes of Reasoning (1 of 2)
• Deductive reasoning is used when a given fact or finding
leads to a definite conclusion.
• Inductive reasoning is used when a given fact or finding
leads to a conclusion that is probable but not definitive.
 In this case, there are also other probable conclusions.
Processes of Reasoning (2 of 2)
• The falsifiability of a theory is used when an investigators
tests the theory to determine if it can been proven false by
the physical evidence.
• The method used to support a likely sequence of events
by the observation and evaluation of physical evidence, as
well as statements made by those involved with the
incident, is referred to as reconstruction.
• Crime-scene reconstruction relies on the combined efforts
of medical examiners, criminalists, and law enforcement
personnel to recover physical evidence and to sort out the
events surrounding the occurrence of a crime.
• A crime-scene investigator can bring special skills to the
reconstruction of events that occurred during the
commission of a crime.
• For example, a laser beam is used to determine the
search area for the position of a shooter who has fired a
bullet through a window and wounded a victim.
FIGURE 7-1 A laser beam is used to determine the search area for the position of a
shooter who has fired a bullet through a window and wounded a victim. The bullet’s path
is determined by lining up the victim’s bullet wound with the bullet hole in the pane of
glass.
The Crime-Scene Reconstruction Team (1 of 2)
• Reconstruction is a team effort that involves putting
together many different pieces of a puzzle.
• The team as a whole works to answer the typical "who,
what, where, when, and how" of a crime scene.
The Crime-Scene Reconstruction Team (2 of 2)
• Attempting to answer the "why" question by contemplating
a perpetrator's inner motivations may bias the
investigator's observations.
• Crime scene reconstruction relies on the combined efforts
and expertise of medical examiners, criminalists, and
experts in specialized fields.
The Role of Physical Evidence (1 of 5)
• The physical evidence left behind at a crime scene plays a
crucial role in reconstructing the events that took place
surrounding the crime.
• Although the evidence alone does not describe everything
that happened, it can support or contradict accounts given
by witnesses and/or suspects.
• Information obtained from physical evidence can also
generate leads and confirm the reconstruction of a crime
to a jury.
• The collection and documentation of physical evidence is
the foundation of a reconstruction.
• Direct physical evidence from a crime scene provides a
definite conclusion or direction through the use of
deductive reasoning to state a fact that can be understood
by everyone.
• Circumstantial evidence from a crime scene provides a
lead but no definite conclusion through the use of inductive
reasoning to identify many possible causes for the state of
the evidence.
• Testimonial evidence from eye-witness accounts should
be carefully scrutinized because it is highly subjective and
heavily biased.
 Therefore, crime scene reconstruction should only
include testimonial evidence that is corroborated by
aspects of physical evidence.
Re-enactments
• A re-enactment of events at a crime scene can show if a
theory of how an event occurred is physically possible and
if physical evidence is consistent with that theory.
• A re-enactment can be carried out by live personnel,
mannequins, or computer-generated models.
Confirming Chain of Custody (1 of 2)
• Evidence without a confirmed chain of custody cannot
and should not be included in reconstruction.
• A missing link in the chain of custody of an item means it
was unaccounted for a period of time during which it could
have been tampered with, contaminated, or damaged.
Confirming Chain of Custody (2 of 2)
• If there is any question as to the legality or authenticity of
testimonial evidence, it cannot and should not be included
in reconstruction.
Assessment of Evidence (1 of 2)
• Different categories or types of crime scene evidence have
to be studied with very specific techniques and
considerations during the investigation.
• Each item of evidence should first be analyzed and tested
separately from all other evidence without falsely linking
items of evidence during the initial phase of the
investigation.
Assessment of Evidence (2 of 2)
• Once all possible information has been recovered from
each item, the information can be coupled with that from
other items to observe whether or not separate items of
evidence make sense together or verify an event.
Forming Reconstruction Theories (1 of 2)
• The final steps of crime scene reconstruction require the
reconstruction team to bring together all the evidence and
information to form plausible theories and a plausible
sequence of individual events.
Forming Reconstruction Theories (2 of 2)
• The right connections have to be made among all the parts
involved so as to portray the relationship among the victim,
the suspect, and the crime scene.
• All available information and evidence must fit into the
overall picture.
Crime Event Timelines (1 of 2)
• An event timeline will define each event or "moment" that
occurred at a crime scene in various probable orders
within a known or estimated time frame.
• The evidence that signifies the start or end of events at a
crime scene can give a clue as to the missing events that
must fit in the middle.
Crime Event Timelines (2 of 2)
• Once the various orders have been identified, each
sequence should be tested against the evidence.
• If successful, reconstruction can play a vital role in aiding a
jury to arrive at an appropriate verdict.
FIGURE 7-2 An example of an event timeline chart for a residential burglary.
At one point two possible sequences of events are shown. Each event contains a
list of evidence that supports the event’s occurrence and sequence.
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From the Crime Scene to the Crime Lab

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