Chapter 2 - A History of Crime Reconstruction

Abstract

This chapter examines the history of crime reconstruction from the point of view of the forensic generalist. Crime reconstruction is the determination of the actions and events surrounding the commission of a crime. A reconstruction may be accomplished by using the statements of witnesses, the confession of a suspect, or the statement of a living victim or by examining and interpreting the physical evidence. At the same time, any statements of witnesses, victims, or suspects can be checked against a reconstruction of the physical evidence. All such statements are theories until they are found to be proven facts or are recognized by the court as a legal fact. A forensic generalist understands that crime reconstruction is the result of objectively examining a whole related system of evidence rather than a narrow, specialized portion. A forensic generalist understands the crime reconstruction as the methodical, scientific examination of evidentiary relationships, their origins, and their ultimate meaning within the case. A forensic generalist considers the totality of the known evidence and only then frames theories regarding the actions and circumstances of a crime, steered by good science and the scientific method and with no investment in the outcome. The generalist then tests those theories and the theories of others against the evidence, using a framework of analytical logic and critical thinking in order to determine the facts.