Using 360 Video to Document Crime Scenes – The Future of Crime Scene Investigation
There approximately 2.3 million inmates spread across various correctional and detention facilities in the US. However, not all have been incarcerated. Some are held as they wait for their trials as they were unable to pay bail. Unfortunately, among both the incarcerated and those waiting for trial are innocent individuals.
Such inmates are victims of limited investigative or evidence analysis capacity, and a judicial system that ought to protect them. Estimates suggest that 2% to 10% of inmates in the US are wrongfully convicted. This translates to between 46,000 and 230,000 innocent people detained for crimes they did not commit. To make matters worse, it is very challenging for such individuals to become exonerated.
Therefore, the best solution to wrongful convictions is avoiding them in the first place. Fortunately, this is now something that can be achieved by using 360 videos to document crime scenes. With this technology, police officers are not only better placed to determine the events that transpired at a crime scene, but they can get this information faster.
As a result, the chances of identifying the offenders increase while reducing the amount of time required for investigations. In this article, you will learn all about 360 videos for documenting crime scenes.
What Is 360 Video Documenting and Virtual Reality for Crime Scenes?
Over the years, investigations have relied on various visual representations of crime scenes and culprits to solve cases. These range from witnesses working with sketch artists and photographs of the crime scene. Though these two-dimensional representations have been largely effective, they’ve had some limitations.
With 360 video documenting, crime scene investigators can take their forensic photography capacity to the next level. In addition to taking still photographs, officers can use digital imaging to capture every detail of a crime scene. This has become an acceptable and reliable practice in forensic science. Such evidence is also admissible in courts and with great effect as the judge and jury get a better sense of the crime scene.
How Does It Work?
In order to create a virtual representation of a crime scene, police departments should invest in video recording equipment as well as accompanying infrastructure. At the crime scene, cameras will be positioned in different places in order to capture the scene from multiple angles. Alternatively, you can use one camera that has many camera lenses.
From there, all the images are merged through a process referred to as stitching to create one spherical photo or video. For consistency and clarity, the color and contrast of the photos will be adjusted. Though there are cameras that will stitch the images automatically, there are times manual input may be required.
Benefits of 360 Videography on Investigations and the Trial Process
Adopting 360 photography and virtual reality for crime scene investigation comes with benefits such as:
1. Reduced Scene Degradation
Documenting evidence such as bullet holes, blood spatter, and the likes is difficult when using 2D techniques. This, in turn, necessitates the need for many in-person visits to the crime scene by officers and even jurors to study the scene. Such visits often translate to alterations in the crime scene, referred to as scene degradation, which makes it difficult to ascertain what transpired.
By using 360 cameras to capture the scene, officers are able to create a three dimensional representation of the scene that can capture all forms of evidence accurately and quickly. With this, it is possible to create a virtual representation of the crime scene.
Therefore, there will be reduced visits to the scene of the crime thus reducing scene degradation.
2. Makes the Trial Process Easier
The rate of wrongful convictions is undeniably worrying. However, the blame, if any, cannot all be passed to the judicial system. After all, courts can only use the evidence availed to determine cases. With 360 videography, officers will be able to collect more evidence and in a way that is easily presentable in a court of law.
As such, courts will not only have more evidence to work with but it will be more reliable. This, in turn, will increase the likelihood of catching and incarcerating actual perpetrators.
How to Get the Best From 360 Video
Of critical importance to the effectiveness of 360 videos for your crime scene investigation is the image quality. As such, it is necessary to invest in the latest 360 video equipment for the best results.
Is 360 Video Documentation for Crime Scenes Worth the Investment?
For any police department and officer, the primary objective is to serve and protect. For police departments, this technology simplifies the investigative process whilst making it more accurate. When this data is relayed to courts, trail processes are able to proceed smoothly and it is easier to get the right convictions.