Case Management: The Foundation for Crime Scene Reconstruction

By Gary Graff

Abstract: Case management is organizing evidence to be workable, retrievable, and understandable in the context of the scene, providing the foundational and structural framework for crime scene reconstruction (CSR). The importance of proper organization to reconstruction cannot be overstated and has been recognized in the past by pioneers in the field. Organizational efforts should begin at the onset of an investigation with a mindset towards later reconstruction.

The author provides an illustrated methodology for organizing case information within a flexible framework that facilitates later identification, retrieval, correlation and analysis. The approach builds upon and expands common evidence documentation techniques, and allows for later inclusion of all types of forensic analysis. The result is a more thorough and comprehensive reconstruction in which supporting documentation is easy to reference and retrieve.

Disclaimer: Graphic images relating to a crime scene are depicted in this article.