NCJ Number
83878
Date Published
1981
Length
9 pages
Annotation
The use of photography in fire and arson investigation is becoming more popular with law enforcement agencies throughout the United States.
Abstract
Photographs aid in presenting to a court fire scene conditions which would be difficult to explain without such representation. The arson investigator need not be a professional photographer to take photographs in fire investigations, and photographs need not be taken by professionals to be introduced as evidence in court. The most common type of camera used in arson photography is the 35mm camera. Cameras with interchangeable lenses make it possible to take more than one type of photograph. Choice of film is a matter of preference; color film is more popular because it indicates burn patterns most effectively. Interiors, exteriors, and all forms of evidence should be photographed, and numerous shots should be taken. Photographs serve as excellent investigative aids since they preserve both the fire scene and the memory of it with greater accuracy than a narrative. Twelve footnotes and a seven-entry bibliography are provided.