Real-Time Forensics

• NCJ Number: 211913
• Date Published: 2003
• Length: 1 page
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Technical Assistance

Annotation

Over the past 3 years, the National Institute of Justice has funded a joint Teleforensic Feasibility Demonstration Program with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the New York State Public Safety Administration for the purpose of improving techniques for investigating and collecting evidence at crime scenes.

Abstract

Teleforensics uses an authorized technician equipped with a transmitter, a microphone, and a camcorder (handheld or helmet cam) in surveying a crime scene or critical incident, with the images transmitted to detectives and other authorized persons in remote locations. This enables the transmitting of images of the undisturbed crime scene without requiring relatively large teams of specialists on the scene posing the risk of contamination and disturbance of the crime scene. Teleforensics provides a record of the crime scene and potential evidence prior to the entrance of such teams. The New York State Police have played an important part in developing a crime scene vehicle that can be used for collecting crime scene data and video. The vehicle would store information and transfer video and data to a remote location in real time. NASA established a working group that is developing nondestructive techniques for the analysis of physical evidence at crime scenes. The group has focused on studying the use of portable x-ray fluorescence analysis systems to identify gunshot residues, primer residues, blood, and semen at crime scenes.