Reference Reviews

Doug’s Student Reference Room

The Crime Scene Photographer, by Gail B. Stewart. Detroit: Lucent Books. 2008. 104 pp. ISBN-13: 978-1-4205-0036-3. $32.45.

While fans of investigative crime shows are led to believe that crime scene analysts solve crimes on their own, the truth is that such work actually takes many people doing a variety of jobs. The Crime Scene Investigations series takes readers behind the scenes, aiming to be both informative and realistic about the many factors involved in solving crimes. This volume focuses on the crime scene photographer, who has the responsibility of turning a temporary crime scene into a permanent record. One forensic technician reports, “In my opinion, nobody at the crime scene has a more important job.” The book is divided into five engaging chapters, interspersed with sidebars that offer more detailed glimpses into the field. The first chapter explains why the photographer’s presence on the scene is so crucial, describes some of the qualities a good photographer needs, and explains how crime scene photographers sometimes point out errors in the way police investigators mishandle evidence at a crime scene. The Nicole Brown Simpson case provides an especially compelling example of such a mishap: a piece of paper found near Simpson’s body, though documented by photographers, was never processed; thus, a potentially key piece of evidence was lost. The second chapter delves into the scene of the crime; quotes used as subheadings help focus the text. The passage entitled “Whatever It Takes” reflects the photographers’ own devotion to their profession. “If you do your job right,” one photographer states, “it can lead to a criminal’s arrest and conviction.” The third and fourth chapters examine the details a photographer must document—fingerprints, tattoos, shoeprints and tire impressions, for example. The final chapter looks at other types of photography used in crime scene investigations, from security videos to police surveillance tapes to cell phones. One forensic photographer explains how the success of such work depends on more than mere technology. “It’s about creativity of those in the field, figuring out ways to make a [crime] scene come to life. It’s making things that were invisible, or barely visible, easy enough to see that an inexperienced eye of someone on the jury will be able to understand what they’re looking at.” Attractive “By the Numbers” graphics add interest, as do plentiful color photos. The volume concludes with a succinct glossary and recommendations for further research, including books, periodicals and Web sites. Recommended for school and public libraries for pleasure reading or research in grades six through nine.
—Doug Achterman