Crime scene diagrams are documents that use visual and written documentation to depict a crime scene as it looked directly after the crime took place. They will often include written details, a layout of the surrounding area, and the location of the victim or any other individuals present, and pictorial evidence.

Typical Uses

Crime scene diagrams are meant to preserve the original aftermath of a crime even after everything has been wiped down and cleaned up. Crime scenes are easily and often quickly disturbed, but these diagrams maintain the original state and allow for later contemplation of the crime.

Best Practices

• Choose an area. Crime can occur anywhere. However, before you begin you must determine what area you want to illustrate. If the crime occurred outside, you will have to choose the most pertinent area; if inside, you will have to choose just how many rooms, or how much of them, you should include.
• Gather information. It is imperative that your diagram be as accurate as possible as it will, most likely, become a useful resource when looking back on details of the crime long after the area has been cleaned up. You should talk to anyone you can to gather information. Good sources would be the police, detectives, and anyone involved, either directly or indirectly, with the case. You should also, if possible, go to the crime scene and look around so you can decide what it is that you would like to include in your diagram.
• Create an outline. Recreate the parts of the scene of the crime that remained unaffected as they would appear on a normal day. For instance, you should begin by adding the walls, within which it occurred, as well as furniture, doors, windows, closets, appliances, etc. For an outside scene, begin with streets, sidewalks, and buildings, before adding plants, benches, lights, cars, signs, etc.
• Add details. Now add things that were specific to the crime scene. If there was a victim, or any one present, they should be added into the drawing as they were found directly after or during the crime. Also add anything the perpetrator may have left behind, used, or disrupted while in the area. (I.e.-weapons, anything out of place, bullets, suspects' clothing or belongings, etc.)
• Label. Label each potential piece of evidence with a number or symbol. Then use an arrow or reference to show additional details or information about that item. Also, show measurements for enough of the area that an observer could easily deduce the dimensions of anything on the diagram.
• Verify accuracy. Consult with witnesses and authorities who are knowledgeable about the crime to make sure that your information coincides with theirs.