ABSTRACT
Documentation is a process that involves recording important details. It may be pictorial or narrative. Every science requires thorough documentation to record hypotheses, processes, results, and conclusions. This is integral to the scientific method. The forensic sciences rely on these processes not only to record the scientific methodology but also to have a thorough record of unbiased facts and observations for courtroom testimony (see Chapter 18). Documentation of forensic processes includes extensive note-taking at the crime scene, in the laboratory, and during the analysis phase; photography before, during, and after each process; the completion of forms and agency-prepared documents; and the preparation of visual aids such as charts or enhanced photos to use during courtroom testimony.
