 Documentation of Bloodstain Evidence To preserve a successful investigation involving bloodstain evidence, it is imperative that the evidence be documented. This is done by taking notes, sketching the bloodstain, photographing it, videotaping it, and reporting it. Note-taking provides general information that includes, but is not limited to, the case number, the date and time of arrival, the names of those present on arrival, the location of the scene, weather conditions, the times that photographs were taken, the condition of the scene, the physical state and shapes of the bloodstain, the temperature, and other details. Notes supplement or complement photographs. They do not replace them. Never substitute photographs with notes. Sketches and diagrams show the overall layout of a scene. They also illustrate relationships between the scene and the evidence, and show specific locations of bloodstain patterns. Sketches and diagrams are valuable when analyzing bloodstains on clothing, and when testifying in court. They depict relative distances between objects and contain essential details, compared with photographs that may contain overcrowded details and items. Videotaping is a good way to begin processing a crime scene no matter what type of evidence is documented. Video provides an overlap for photographs and may document information that was missed in the photos. Videotaping can assist in scene layouts, provide spatial relationships between stained patterns and items of evidence, and capture lighting conditions. It can also show the positions of doors, windows, and irregular shaped items that are difficult to document with photographs. It is important to be familiar with a video camera, but never edit the video. Enter all of the video into evidence, and remember it is only a supplement to photographs. Writing the Report The report is the basis of all investigative documentation. It is the reference tool that could be used years after the investigation. It must be complete, methodical, and objective. No matter how well-intentioned an investigation may be, in the end, it will be judged on the analyst's documentation. The first step in a report is to describe the evidence that was reviewed and the corresponding tests that were performed. If the review involved looking at photographs instead of visiting the scene, that must be noted. Every major bloodstain pattern must be discussed and described in detail. Never speculate as to the type of pattern. Include the location of the pattern, along with its shapes, sizes, and dimensions. Be as descriptive and specific as possible. Mention any point of origin recreations, or any cast-offs associated with the bloodstain pattern. The conclusion can be placed either at the end of the report, or after each description of a bloodstain pattern. Each agency will have a protocol to follow when creating a final report. The most important thing to remember when writing a report is that it should be as descriptive and clear as possible. Readers must be able to get a clear picture of what the analyst observed at the crime scene, even years after the fact. Without the proper documentation, court appearances and subsequent verdicts will be challenged. Photography Photography is one of the best ways to document bloodstain patterns. Photos must be scaled and unscaled. Make sure to take enough photographs for a third party to understand and comprehend the patterns and their association to the scene and the persons involved. Always photograph evidence before the bloodstain is collected or altered. Make sure the blood is dry before documenting the bloodstain patterns. The camera needs to be perpendicular to the plane of the bloodstain patterns. External light sources are necessary to illuminate the bloodstain patterns. Use a photo log to keep track of all photographs. After the evidence has been removed, always photograph the area where the evidence had been to show what was or was not under the evidence. Collect items that may have questionable bloodstain patterns. Use criminologist Toby Wilson's road mapping method or a similar procedure. When documenting evidence through photography, start by photographing the scene using four basic views. They are overall, medium, close-up, and specific evidence. Photograph all bloodstain patterns and document the entire scene. After you have photographed the bloodstains, you are ready to begin mapping the patterns. Bloodstain pattern mapping Bloodstain pattern mapping is an integral part of scene documentation. It provides an accurate representation of events and establishes pattern data for interpretation by a qualified bloodstain analyst. The road mapping technique was developed by Toby Wilson, a criminologist with the Miami-Dade Police Department in Miami, Florida. The technique uses scales that are strategically placed throughout the impact pattern. Placement is based on the blood spatter chosen for analysis and reconstruction purposes. Small scales are labeled with numbers or letters and placed throughout the bloodstain pattern. Let's take a closer look at road mapping. Mapping involves using overall, medium, and close-up photographs along with labels and scales. Road signs and scales are used for reference and to make sure the viewer does not become lost. Mapping allows individuals to properly analyze bloodstain patterns from photographs without ever being present at the scene. Each major bloodstain pattern is identified and labeled with a letter or number. A scale is adjacent to each pattern. Each letter and number has an identifying purpose in the bloodstain pattern. Metric scales on each letter and number aid in reconstructing the stains and patterns to their original size for the analyst. Yellow, horizontal, and vertical paper scales surround the pattern and indicate its overall size. As you can see, we have all the road signs available for documentation of our stains and patterns. Now, let's map out and prepare the patterns and stains for documentation. Begin by identifying the patterns we want to document. We surround the pattern with yellow, horizontal, and vertical paper scales. When placing the scales, be sure to use reference points such as the floor for a vertical scale and the corner of a wall for a horizontal scale. The surface will be labeled with an adhesive mapping symbol, B, and each separate pattern on the surface will be tagged with an adhesive mapping symbol number. Six separate patterns on this surface are labeled, B. The arrows show the directionality of the pattern stains. You can apply adhesive arrows or use a marker and manually draw directionally for each of the six separate patterns. Looking closer, you can see that each of the six adhesive number labels has a metric scale and arrows showing directionality. Here is another surface with a separate pattern. Let's map out and prepare the pattern and stains for documentation. First, we identify the pattern we want to document. We then apply the yellow, horizontal, and vertical paper scales so that they surround the pattern. As in the earlier example, we use reference points for placement of the yellow paper scales. The surface will be labeled with an A. The first bloodstain pattern will be tagged with a number 1. The arrows on A and 1 shows the directionality of the pattern. Let's go back to surface B and review a bit. We have identified the patterns we want to document and have surrounded each pattern with the paper scales. It is important to use reference points for the placement of the scales such as the floor or the corner of a wall. The surface will be labeled with a letter B and each separate pattern on surface B will be labeled with a number. There are approximately six different or separate patterns on surface B. The arrows show directionality of the pattern stains. You can use adhesive arrows or a marker and manually draw directionality for each of the patterns on this surface. Remember, to preserve a successful investigation involving bloodstain evidence, it is imperative that the evidence be documented. This is done by taking notes, sketching the bloodstain, photographing it, videotaping it, and reporting it. You have completed this activity, Documentation of Bloodstain Evidence.