Criminal Justice Schools & Career Information

Crime scene photography, which is also referred to as forensic photography, has been around since cameras and crime first intersected, but new technology has made forensic photography a very important part of crime scene documentation, particularly when it comes to cases like the recent abductions in Cleveland, Ohio.

Ariel Castro, the prime suspect in the abduction and imprisonment of four females – three adults and one child – kept his hostages from public view for more than 10 years in his two-story home in suburban Cleveland. Although there is already strong evidence linking him to the crime, not least of which being that he’s believed to be the father of the youngest victim, it is incumbent upon crime scene investigators to collect every shred of evidence available.

But, how does one capture and catalog 10 years’ worth of evidence from a single crime scene?

It is a monumental task akin to documenting a collection of horrific and heartbreaking biographies, wherein every artifact in the home is a clue to what happened there over the preceding decade. That’s why the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office was called in to take photographs of the Castro residence.

The Medical Examiner’s Office is renowned for its ability in crime scene photography and possesses special equipment that can aid in gaining more insight into what happened in the house on Seymour Street. Specifically, they have a photographer who specializes in using a camera that can capture 360-degree images that will help better preserve the scene.

It’s an important task that will allow investigators more time to revisit the crime scene long after it changes. In this case, the Castro home is in legal limbo while the suspect awaits his fate in the courts, but since residents would like to see the home demolished as soon as possible the images collected now may prove valuable if Castro’s legal disposition outlasts the house.

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