Abstract

This article will describe how Adobe Photoshop^© can quickly and easily be used to produce a sketch from any digital image. This can be useful during the laboratory examination of items or the processing of crime scenes.

Introduction

The production of sketches is a crucial step in the proper documentation of evidence, both in the laboratory and at crime scenes. Normally a rough sketch is made first followed by a smooth sketch if needed. The rough sketch does not need to be perfect and is produced either during the processing of a scene or during the bench examination of an item. At a scene, its purpose includes the documentation of objects in relation to each other, recording of measurements and positioning of evidence. In the lab, a sketch is produced denoting any evidence which may be present on that item (i.e. trace materials, blood staining). A smooth sketch is a more polished scale diagram, often produced for court.

Normally, the rough sketch is simply drawn free-hand on paper with a pen and ruler. Plastic templates can be purchased to assist in making rough sketches. These templates contain commonly found items (i.e. weapons, furniture) which can be traced onto a sketch. In the lab, hand drawn templates of items such as clothing can be used but may not reflect the true appearance of the item being examined. However, the use of portable computer technology (laptop, printer and appropriate software) can greatly assist in producing quality sketches.

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