Each sketch should include the critical features of the crime scene and the major, discernible items of
physical evidence. Evidence sketches must show accurate measurements of the crime scene. They show the
location of evidence established by use of the triangulation method. A photo sketch must show camera positions
and distances to focus points.
Each sketch should have a caption to identify the illustration. For instance, a caption might read: "Rough
sketch showing camera positions and distances." Each sketch must have a legend. The legend explains the
symbols, numbers, and letters used to identify objects on the sketch. Use standard military symbols where
practical. Your sketch must also show the compass direction north. You will need to include a scale designation
for scaled drawings only. If no scale is used, write "not drawn to scale." And each sketch must have a sketch title
block containing the following entries:
o
Incident report number: MP Report, USACIDC sequence number, or Report of Investigation (ROI)
number.
o
Alleged offense.
o
Name and rank or title of the victim.
o
Scene portrayed--citing room number, building number, and type of building, (PX, commissary, house,
troop billets).
o
Location--citing complete name of installation, city, state, and zip code.
o
Time and date sketch was started.
o
Name and rank or title of person who drew the sketch.
o
Name and rank or title of person who verified the sketch.
Measurements shown on the sketch must be as accurate as possible. Steel tapes are the best means of
taking accurate measurements. A measurement error on a sketch can introduce doubt as to the competence of an
entire crime scene search.
Measurements should be made and recorded uniformly. If one aspect of a sketch is accurate, such as the
dimensions of a field in which a body was found, and the position of an object within the field is only roughly
estimated, the distortion thus introduced renders the sketch relatively useless. It is important that the coordinate
distances of an item in the sketch be measured in the same manner. For example, one coordinate leg of the victim
should not be paced and the other measured with a tape measure. It is also a mistake to pace off a distance and
then show it on the sketch in terms of feet and inches. This implies a far greater degree of accuracy than the
measurement technique could possibly produce. If the point arose in court, such imprecision could greatly detract
from the value of the sketch.
MP2002
2-12
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