title: Focussing on the future: survey results on the image capture of patterned cutaneous injuries.
abstract: An investigator who is involved in assessing the likelihood of physical abuse must make a decision as to whether the injury seen matches the explanation given. In some instances the pattern of these injuries can give the investigator a possible link to the cause of the injury. Photographic imaging is used to record the patterned cutaneous injuries (PCI) and to facilitate forensic interpretation. The current method of capturing PCI often results in some form of distortion that causes a change to the shape of the patterned injury. The Dermatological Patterned Injury Capture and Analysis (DePICA) research group was formed to assess current image capture methods and practices. An online survey was set up to assess the value of localised imaging protocols and training specific to imaging PCI and was made available to law enforcement professionals, forensic investigators and hospital staff. 80 participants responded to the survey. The majority of the survey participants have had training in medical or forensic photography, however 66 (83%) have not had specific training in how to photograph PCI. 41 (51%) of the participants responded that they always use a rigid scale and 34 (43%) position the camera so that it is perpendicular to the scale and injury. Comments made about the quality of images obtained and produced raises concerns about how much knowledge those initiating such images have about image relevance in criminal cases. It is evident that a clear and comprehensive guide to photographing PCIs is required to improve the quality of the photographic evidence that is collected.
authors.affiliation: Dental Illustration Unit, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; Institute of Primary Care & Public Health, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK. Electronic address: evansst@cardiff.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Serious Organised Crime Agency, UK.
authors.forename: Sonya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baylis
authors.affiliation: Expert Forensics Ltd, UK.
authors.forename: Romina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carabott
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Engineering and Medical Physics, Cardiff School of Engineering, Cardiff University, UK.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Smith Institute for Industrial Mathematics and System Engineering, UK.
authors.forename: Zoe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.affiliation: Metropolitan Police, UK.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.affiliation: Forensic Healthcare Services Ltd, Barts & the London School of Medicine & Dentistry, UK; Cameron Forensic Medical Sciences, Barts & the London School of Medicine & Dentistry, UK.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Payne-James
authors.affiliation: Home Office Science - Centre for Applied Science and Technology, UK.
authors.forename: Jona
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramadani
authors.affiliation: Cameron Forensic Medical Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology, Barts and the London School of Medicine & Dentistry, UK.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vanezis
authors.affiliation: Institute of Primary Care & Public Health, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kemp
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D010781:Photography / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D016495:Police; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Forensic photography; Patterned cutaneous injuries; Survey