NCJ Number
177777
Date Published
1998
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Digital photography offers law enforcement a paradigm shift in how photographic evidence is obtained and presented, and the application of digital photography in common assault and domestic violence cases in Santa Maria, California, has shown tremendous potential in expeditiously and accurately processing cases through the criminal justice system.
Abstract
Digitized photographs contained in crime reports submitted to district attorneys have increased filing rates, encouraged pleas by defendants, and brought about potential cost savings for the Santa Maria Police Department. Overtime costs for police officers have been reduced through early pleadings, and filing decisions are promptly made upon receipt of submitted reports containing photographs of injuries. The potential also exists for submitting agencies to recover developing and processing costs for additional photographs. Digital technology offers the ability to integrate various hardware and software components with powerful personal computers, delivering to the user the ability to exchange and manage large amounts of information with minimal resources. More specifically, digital technology offers a way of capturing photographs in a manner formerly performed only by analog or film processes. Legal critics of digital technology, however, point out that photographs submitted as evidence may not be original representations of the facts. Consequently, agencies who use digital photographs must archive the photographs in their who use digital photographs must archive the photographs in their original form. Procedures followed by the Santa Maria Police Department in using digital photography are described.