1. Forensic Science
Documenting the Crime Scene Lab
As you learned in class, creating an accurate and detailed sketch of the crime along with
providing accurate pictures is very important to the forensic scientist and the detective. The
sketch and pictures are often used to determine if a crime is plausible, therefore the
measurements and details must be recorded as accurately as possible. In this lab you will
practice creating a sketch of a scene and documenting it with photographs to help you prepare for
sketching a real crime scene.
You will be working in groups of 4 with 2 people measuring for the sketching and 2
people taking photographs. Each group will submit a final sketch and photo packet for a grade.
Please see the lab procedure below for details.
Part I: Sketching the Scene
Working with a partner from your group of 4, create a rough, initial sketch of the crime
scene set up in the back of the classroom. Part of the job of the CSI creating the sketch is
to determine which measurements are important and should be included. Take a good
look at the scene and decide which things would be pertinent to include in a sketch.
Everything drawn in the sketch should be measured as accurately as possible. Use the
tape measures to determine the distance between important objects and places. Please
take your measurements as accurately as possible using feet and inches.
Groups may work together to measure the scene and share their measurements.
However, each group will do their own final sketch. Each group must do their own work;
no two groups can turn in the same sketch!
Each group will turn in the following:
o A rough sketch of the scene including all pertinent measurements, objects and
locations. This does not need to be to scale – it is your basic, working copy of the
sketch.
o A final, computer rendering of the crime scene sketch. The room, objects, and
measurements should all be part of this sketch. You can use the free program
found at www.floorplanner.com or another program of your choice.
o The final sketch should be printed (b/w or color) and mounted on an 11” x 14”
piece of paper (provided) – the sketch being 8 ½” x 11” and the key with the scale
on the remaining portion of the page. In addition, be sure your names, the date
and time the sketch was drawn, and the location of the crime scene is listed with
the key.
Remember that it is often easier to use symbols that are explained in a key than to draw
the actual items.

2. Part II: Photographing the Scene
Working with a partner from your group of 4, you will photograph the pertinent elements
of the crime scene. Your first objective is to mark all of the evidence with a number card.
If you are not sure if something is potential evidence, number and document it. It is
better to document something that is not evidence, than miss something that is.
Photograph the scene according to the guidelines discussed in class such as: full
panoramic shots of the entire scene (individual shots which overlap by 30%) and medium
and close-up shots of each piece of evidence (including the body). Be sure all close-up
shots include a ruler for scale and the number of the piece of evidence.
The final product for the group should be a .pdf document including:
o A title page with group members names, the location of the crime scene, and the
date and time the photos were taken
o 2 pictures per 8.5 x 11 page
o each picture has a brief description underneath of what is depicted
o 1 panoramic shot of the scene (blend the individual pictures) on a page by itself
o the individual shots used to create the panorama
o 1 distance and 1 close-up of each piece of evidence (these should be on the same
page)
The final product should be saved as a PDF and emailed to Mrs. Morgan or Mrs. Wheeler
prior to the due date.
**Examples of both parts will be displayed in class**