NCJ Number
65444
Journal
Fire and Arson Investigator Volume: 29 Issue: 1 Dated: (JULY SEPTEMBER 1978) Pages: 17-28
Date Published
1978
Length
12 pages
Annotation
THE VALUE, TECHNIQUES, AND MECHANICS OF SKETCHING ARE DISCUSSED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SKETCHES IN FIRE INVESTIGATIONS.
Abstract
THE PURPOSE OF SKETCHES IN A COURTROOM PRESENTATION IS OUTLINED, AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF SKETCHES TO PHOTOGRAPHS IS PORTRAYED. PRINCIPAL TOOLS THAT CAN BE UTILIZED IN SKETCHING ARE DESCRIBED, TOGETHER WITH THE KINDS OF MEASUREMENTS AND OBJECTS THAT SHOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO A PRELIMINARY OR ROUGH SKETCH THAT IS COMPLETED AT THE SCENE OF THE INVESTIGATION. TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE INVESTIGATIVE SKETCHES ARE THEN DETAILED, INCLUDING RECOGNIZING THE TYPE OF SKETCH THAT SHOULD BE USED (FLOOR PLAN, EXPLODED VIEW), USING STANDARD SYMBOLS IN PLACE OF ACTUAL OBJECTS, TAKING ACCURATE MEASUREMENTS, AND LOCATING OBJECTS ON THE SKETCH THROUGH RECTANGULAR COORDINATES, STRAIGHT-LINE MEASUREMENTS, TRIANGULATION, AND TRANSECTING BASE LINES. FINALLY, THE FINISHED DRAWING IS DISCUSSED, WITH ATTENTION TO DETERMINING SCALES, DOCUMENTING THE DRAWING, AND RENDERING IT ADMISSIBLE IN COURT. A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF FIVE CITATIONS IS PROVIDED, AND EXAMPLES OF SKETCHES AND TECHNIQUES ARE APPENDED.