PHOTOGRAPHY FOR POLICE, PART 6 - TESTIFYING AND PREPARING COURT PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITS

• NCJ Number: 48050
• Author(s): J FORD; H E TULL; C J KOCHER; R W RAMSAY; R J HAROUTUNIAN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 0 pages
• Corporate Author: Harper and Row
• Sale Source: Harper and Row Media
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: 35 MINUTES, 35MM COLOR, 1978 THE KIT CONTAINS AN AUDIO CASSETTE, 140 SLIDES, AND AN 80-PAGE BOOKLET

Annotation

THIS SLIDE AND AUDIOCASSETTE PROGRAM DESCRIBES THE PROPER PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING POLICE PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE TO ASSURE ITS ADMISSIBILITY IN COURT.

Abstract

THE HANDLING OF POLICE PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE IS ONE OF THE MOST NEGLECTED AND PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING. POLICE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY ACCEPTED AS EVIDENCE BY COURTS. THEY MUST BE CLEAR, CONTRIBUTE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EXPLANATION OF CASE EVENTS, AND THE CHAIN OF POSSESSION OF PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE MUST BE VERIFIED. SPECIFICALLY, IT IS THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S DUTY TO INSURE THAT THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE TECHNICALLY ACCURATE, THAT THEY ARE MOUNTED PROPERLY FOR COURT PURPOSES, AND THAT ACCURATE RECORDS RELATE WHEN AND WHERE THEY WERE TAKEN, WHO DEVELOPED THEM, AND WHO HAS POSSESSION OF THE NEGATIVES. PHOTOGRAPHS ALSO HAVE TO BE OBTAINED THROUGH ETHICAL AND LEGAL MEANS. A GENERAL DISCUSSION IS INCLUDED ON PROPER TESTIFYING PROCEDURES AND THE DAMAGE THAT CAN RESULT TO THE PROSECUTOR'S CASE THROUGH POORLY PREPARED OR IMPROPER TESTIMONY. (BAC)