NCJ Number
68454
Date Published
1970
Length
24 pages
Annotation
FOUR USES OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN POLICE WORK (IDENTIFICATION, RECONSTRUCTION, DOCUMENTATION, AND RESEARCH) ARE EXPLAINED, AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS ARE GIVEN.
Abstract
POLICE PHOTOGRAPHY FOR IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES DATES BACK TO 1885, AND TODAY MANY POLICE DEPARTMENTS OPERATE THEIR OWN IDENTIFICATION SECTIONS WHERE THE STANDARD IDENTIFICATION PHOTOGRAPHS (RIGHT PROFILE, FRONT, THREE-QUARTER LEFT PROFILE) ARE TAKEN. SINCE 1952, THE 'PHOTO ROBOT' FACILITATES THE IDENTIFICATION OF UNKNOWN PERSONS BY COMPOSING A SINGLE PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE CUT-UP FACIAL ELEMENTS SELECTED BY WITNESSES. NEW TECHNIQUES OF PHOTOGRAPHY REPLACE THE EARLIER, OFTEN INEXACT, MEASUREMENTS TAKEN BY POLICE OFFICERS AT THE SCENE OF A CRIME OR AN ACCIDENT; THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE USED BY POLICE ARTISTS AS A BASIS FOR THEIR SCALE DRAWINGS. SCENES OF CRIMES AND EVIDENCE ARRIVING AT POLICE LABORATORIES ARE PHOTOGRAPHED TO DOCUMENT THEIR CONDITION AT THE TIME OF ARRIVAL AND TO SERVE AS AN ILLUSTRATION TO COURT MEMBERS. THE USE OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN CRIMINALISTICS INVOLVES SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT AND TECHNIQUES WHICH MAKE POSSIBLE THE IDENTIFICATION OF FIREARMS THROUGH BULLETS AND CARTRIDGES; THE SOLUTION OF BALLISTIC PROBLEMS (E.G., TRAJECTORIES, PENETRATION OF PROJECTILES, AND SHOOTING DISTANCES); THE EXAMINATION OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF EVIDENCE (E.G., GLASS SPLINTERS, PAINT TRACES, AND TEXTILE OR WOOD FIBERS); AND THE INVESTIGATION OF FIRES, EXPLOSIONS, SUSPECT DOCUMENTS, AND FORGERIES. THE USE OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN CRIMINALISTICS IS NEARLY UNLIMITED, AND NEW DISCOVERIES ARE ALWAYS BEING MADE. TWO OTHER USES OF POLICE PHOTOGRAPHY ARE THE PHOTOGRAPHIC TRAPS WHICH ARE PART OF SECURITY SYSTEMS AND TRAFFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND THE PRESENTATION OF SLIDES TO TO ILLUSTRATE POLICE OFFICER TRAINING COURSES. THE ARTICLE INCLUDES 19 REFERENCES, SAMPLES OF THE VARIOUS TYPES OF PHOTOGRAPHY, AND DETAILED TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS WITH REGARD TO EQUIPMENT, CAMERA ANGLE, AND SHOOTING DISTANCE. --IN FRENCH.